Political Communication Concepts

Political Communication Concepts The term political communication has proved to be continually difficult to define with any decisions since both components of the phrase are open to a variety definitions, more or less broad. Communication is and always been a central component in political processes whether it is leaders communicating with the public, candidates competing for votes, combatants struggling for international attention and sympathy, or citizens debating public issues  [1]  . Classic definition of political communication focus on the source and motivation, political communication flows out from the political sphere and must have a political aims. Nevertheless, such definition would not be completely suitable for many of modern sate, particularly given the role of media. Therefore modern texts focus on three on three actors, some of whom operate beyond the boundaries of any singe state, each of whom produce political communication  [2]  . These are: the political sphere itself (they communicate their actions to the society in order to gain legitimacy), secondly non-state actors where we would include a range of organizations with political motivations as well as corporate bodies and the voters  [3]  . Each of these actors communicate message into the political sphere, in hope of having an influence on public life. Finally media which communicate about politics, and influence both: the public as well as political scene. Within the free and pluralis tic societies each of these communicates independently in the same time cooperates with one another. Denton and Woodrow for example provide one definition of political communication as: Pure discussion about the allocations of public resources, official authority, and official sanctions  [4]  . Above definition covers verbal and written political rhetoric, but not symbolic communicates acts, that are extremely important for an understanding of the political process as a whole. The American writer Doris Graber develops a more wide-spread definition of what she terms political language, suggesting that it compromises not only rhetoric but paralinguistic signs such as: body language, and political acts such as boycotts and protests  [5]  . It is necessary to characterize the political communication also through the terms of intension of its senders to influence the political environment. According to Brian McNairn the intentionality of political communication should be simply defined as purposeful communication about politics  [6]  . The scope of such a definition includes: Forms of communication undertaken by political dissidents for the purpose of achieving specific objectives; Communication that is addressed to these actors by non-politicians ( citizens, journalists, and so on); Communication about these actors and their actions, which are contained in the various forms of media. In this case we cannot explore only verbal or written statements, but also visual means of signification (dress, haircut, make-up, outfit) that constitute a political image. The scope of political communication: The problem of political communications directs the attention towards the relationship between three main elements of it by which political communication is initiated and achieved : Political organizations (definition of it) they may seek to do this by attaining institutional, to influence the decision-making process The audience The media Non- elective organisations: Pressure groups, bussines sector, public organistains, terrorist groups Elective political officials : president, prime minister, national and local government, political parties Media (broadcast and print) Public citizens and voters Source: Key concepts in political communication. How communications is made may vary and how audible the message is can be upon the size of any group or level of support for a party, group or cause and the tactics used to get the messages across. In a pluralistic society all groups will communicate among themselves and between one another and will be both learning from and competing with one another. The greater the number of voices competing, the more intense the competition, the better communication groups must be in order to be heard. Thus, we hear about professionalization of political communication, that it has become better in some way in order to be heard by more groups and individuals. The process by which political communication is carried out has evolved, become more technically and technologically sophisticated. (6) and adopted techniques from the world of corporate advertising and marketing in order to compete in the modern information-rich society. Previously form of direct or non-mediated political communication involved public meetings in church halls, cinemas and other places, political campaigns. Such meetings are now few and mainly limited to countries where technology does not allow for the message to be directly to homes  [7]  . Largely, political communication has become an activity aimed at a mass audience using the mass media of television. Direct political communication has become less of a feature in recent elections. As communication technology allowed mass communication, this phenomenon increasingly changed. Mass media not only chose what to broadcast as news but also pick the way it portrays groups in society. Political communication has then moved from being a direct, personal, face to face activity to being conducted indirectly via the mass media of mass communication  [8]  . Changes in communication technology inevitably have a significant influence in all of these areas. The ability to predict the direction, forms, intensity of them is very limited. Consider the example of the proliferation of the internet, that is one of the most spectacular technological developments of the last decades, the internet first represented the revolution for democracy. Citizens and groups have greater access t o political information than ever before which in turn rises the ability to distribute information, views, images, and sounds around the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Everyone with a computer can become a mass medium  [9]  . The three ages in political communication Blumler and Kavanaugh 1999- the first age took place before the start of television when the primary communication channels were strong and stable political institutions such as political parties. In the second age focus shifted to passing on messages through the mass media and increased the demand for communication professionals who were adept at exploiting these channels. In the third still emerging, age of media, the professionalization of political communication becomes even more pronounced. Political actors find themselves attempting to send messages through the multitude of channels of each of which has its own set of demands and formats,

Benefits and Applications of Sports Psychology

Benefits and Applications of Sports Psychology 1. Introduction Currently, sport psychologists utilize numerous interventions and techniques intended to enhance the performance of athletes in competition, one of which is the cognitive approach. (Greenspan Feltz, 1989). Focusing on the understanding of information and the relationship between concepts will allow the sports psychologist to be able to enhance teaching, learning, knowledge, regulation and performance. (Glassman Hadad, 2009). 2. Skills Attainment and Performance Enhancement Metacognitive knowledge includes knowledge about oneself as a learner and the factors that might impact performance, knowledge about strategies, and knowledge about when and why to use strategies. This component of metacognition would be used with the novice sports person. An elite sports person would not only utilise metacognitive knowledge but also metacognitive regulation through the monitoring of one’s thinking , planning activities, awareness of understanding and task performance, and evaluation of the effectiveness of monitoring processes and strategies. (Livingston, 1997) 2.1 Novice Sports Person Fitts Posner (1967), advise that there are 3 phases of acquiring new skills: the cognitive phase, associative phase and autonomous phase. During the cognitive phase I would discuss with the client what the mechanics of the sport were such other recognised achievements by other people in that sporting field, environment such as running track or stadium, clothing, physical attributes of how the body performs and the correct techniques, and the movement involved. I would assist the client in in forming a mental picture or as Tolman (1932) describes, a cognitive map of all of the components of the sport and the relationship between them. Practicing the new sport with guidance, corrective action and coach feedback would be used during the associative phase. This would assist the client in developing an understanding of what works for them. During the autonomous phase, the skill in the sport would be mastered and become an automatic response. 2.2 Elite Sports Person: Olympian The overall objective is to equip the athletes with the psychological tools to maximize their chances to perform as close as possible to their potential in the Olympic Games. An elite sportsperson has either an innate ability or has achieved a high level of performance through determination, effort and practice or both. Getting into a flow mindset (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) can help athletes to consistently achieve optimal performance. To enhance performance we would use metacognitive regulation and evaluate the effectiveness of the existent strategies. Suinn (1987) discusses techniques for performance enhancement which includes relaxation training followed by rehearsal using imagery. This type of intervention usually started with an explanation session then training in progressive muscle relaxation that allowed the sports person to alternatively tense and then relax muscles. The use of visualisation and guided imagery may help control pain, reduce anxiety levels, and develop positive attitudes as well as self-awareness. (Handegard et al, 2006). Le Van (2009) discusses how mental imagery impacts many cognitive processes in the brain: motor control, attention, perception, planning, and memory. The brain is also getting trained for actual performance during visualization. 3. Evaluation of Effectiveness To determine effectiveness of the technique, in the case of the novice, I would get them to discuss and reflect on their thinking process (Bransford et al, 2000). We would work through what it means to learn, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses with specific skills, plan what’s required to accomplish a specific learning goal or activity, identifying and correcting errors, and preparing ahead for learning processes. The elite sportsperson would be required to undergo debriefing after competition, and reflection on the strategies in action. Monitoring would be used to determine the effectiveness and whether modification or relearning was required for any of the existing strategies. 4. Personal Attainment of a New Skill As an adult I enjoy learning on an as needed basis and as such motivation is never a problem. I learn because something has caused me to want to know more information. My preferred style of learning is a staged approach. At first I prefer to do some reading about a particular topic or set of instructions and then have a teacher/instructor demonstrate the task or activity. I find that participating in an activity with hands-on experience helps to do problem solving and embed the knowledge. I then like to practice the task until it is mastered. I also reflect on each stage and review what I have learnt. My learning style seems to be a combination of many styles: behaviourist, such as mastering the content; cognitivist, where I can problem solve and deal with the facts, and constructivist, where I use reflection (Ertmer Newby, 1993) 5. Conclusion Using a cognitive approach in a learning environment, or to equip athletes with an understanding of their physical and psychological functioning, and building the ability to implement a range of strategies in competition, enables learners as well as athletes to both execute their skills and thrive under pressure as they strive to reach their performance potential. (Anderson, 2014) References Anderson, R. (2014) Faster, higher, psychologically stronger: Sport psychology at the London Olympic Games. Retrieved November 12th 2014 from Australian Psychological Society website: http://www.psychology.org.au/Content.aspx?ID=4986. Bransford, J.D., Brown, A L., and Cocking, R.R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper Row. Ertmer, P. and Newby, T. (1993). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 6 (4), 50-72. Retrieved November 12th 2014, from http://uow.ico5.janison.com/ed/subjects/edgi911w/readings/ertmerp1.pdf Fitts, P. M., Posner, R. M. I. (1967)Human performance.Oxford, England: Brooks and Cole. Glassman, W.E and Haddad, M (2009) Approaches to Psychology (5th Ed.) Open University Press. Greenspan, M.J. Feltz, D.L. (1989) Psychological Interventions With Athletes in Competitive Situations: A Review. The Sport Psychologist, 3, 219-236 Handegard, L.A., Joyner, A.B., Burke, K.L., Reimann, B. (2006) Relaxation and Guided Imagery in the Sport Rehabilitation Journal of Excellence (11) Retrieved November 11th 2014 from Zone of Excellence website: http://www.zoneofexcellence.ca./Journal/Issue11/index.html LeVan, A.J. (2009) Seeing Is Believing: The Power of Visualization. Retrieved November 12th 2014 from Psychology Today website: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/flourish/200912/seeing-is-believing-the-power-visualization. Livingston, J.A (1997) Metacognition: An Overview. Retrieved November 10th 2014 from State University of New York at Buffalo website: http://gse.buffalo.edu/fas/shuell/cep564/metacog.htm Suinn, R. (1987). Psychological approaches to performance enhancement. In J.R. May M.J. Asken (Eds.), Sport psychology: The psychological health of the athlete (pp. 59-76). New York: PMA Publ. Tolman, E.C. (1932) Purposive Behaviour in Animals and Man. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts

Part of the Neuron Affected, Inhibitory or Excitatory Potential Changes

Part of the Neuron Affected, Inhibitory or Excitatory Potential Changes and Ion Channels Affected by Psilocybin Psilocybin belongs to the classification of drugs called hallucinogens. Hallucinogens typically act by stimulating serotonin receptors at different times or for longer durations than serotonin itself would (Kalat 2004). When psilocybin enters the brain, the enzyme alkaline breaks down one of its phosphate groups through hydrolysis. It then becomes psilocin, an even stronger hallucinogen (Psilocybin 2003). It is particularly potent due to the position of its hydroxyl group (Jacobs 1984). Psilocin is a postsynaptic serotonin receptor agonist. In other words, its similar structure allows it to mimic serotonin, fitting into some types of serotonin receptors and producing the same effect as endogenous serotonin (Merriam Webster 2003). Specifically, psilocin activates the 5HT2A and 5HT1A receptors. Stimulation of 5HT1 receptors is associated with an inhibitory response while stimulation of the 5HT2 receptors is associated with an excitatory response. Soma of the serotonergic neurons are located in the midline raphe nuclei of the pons and in the medulla oblongata. Axons extend to the basal ganglia, hypothalamus, limbic forebrain, parts of the cerebral cortex, and to the spinal cord (Kruk and Pycock 1979). Functions believed to be moderated by serotonin include sleep, mood, arousal, control of motor activity, hunger, thermoregulation, and some neuroendocrine control mechanisms in the hypothalamus. (Powell 2004, Kruk and Pycock 1979). One theory states that effects caused by psilocin result from stimulation of receptors in the raphe nuclei. According to this theory, the... ...ocal Net Common Molecule. (2003) Reciprocal Net Site Network. http://www.reciprocalnet.org/recipnet/showsample.jsp?sampleId=27 344568 Rabin, Richard A., Regina, Meridith, and Doat, Mirielle J.C. 5- HT2A Receptor-stimulated Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis in the Stimulus Effects of Hallucinogens. (2001) Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. Volume 72, 2002. (pp 29-37) Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. Vollenweider, Franz X, M.D., Vontobel, Peter, PhD., Hell, Daniel, M.D., and Leenders, Klaus, M.D. (1998) 5HT Modulation of Dopamine Release in Basal Ganglia in Psilocybin Induced Psychosis in Man: A PET Study with [11C]raclopride. Neuropsychopharmacology 1999, Volume 20, Number 5. (pp 424-431) New York, New York: Elsevier Science Inc.

So Long A Letter by Mariama Ba and Blood Wedding by Frederico Garcia Lo

"So Long A Letter" by Mariama Ba and "Blood Wedding" by Frederico Garcia Lorca Thesis: Characters that cause immense pain to another, especially to their consorts, succumb to death in the texts So Long A Letter and Blood Wedding by Mariama Bà ¢ and Federico Garcà ­a Lorca respectively. Death is one aspect of life that prevents a person from being invincible. It is one of the inevitable occurrences that a man has to yield to. In the texts So Long A Letter and Blood Wedding by Mariama Bà ¢ and Federico Garcà ­a Lorca respectively, death is a poignant theme that has prevailed throughout the course of the text. The question is whether the deaths of characters in these texts are deserved, and devised by the authors due to the immense pain dispensed by these characters to their consorts. Firstly, So Long A Letter by Mariama Bà ¢ which is a letter cum diary from Ramatoulaye to her best friend Aissatou depicts the series of events that have taken place in the past, mainly portraying the lamentation of three women (Ramatoulaye, Aissatou and Jacqueline) due to their husbands’ lack of commitment. Moreover, this text outlines the Senegalese way of living and how the Muslim society accepts polygamy readily. As we read the text, we are introduced to Modou Fall, the husband to Ramatoulaye, who died of an unknown cause. In my opinion, his death was destined due to the everlasting pain he dispensed to his wife. This is because of his â€Å"abrupt decision to take a second wife† and his abandonment of his family. This was a very appalling situation as Modou walked out on Ramatoulaye and his twelve children to go and improve relations with a girl the age of his daughter. Although he married her committing polygamy which was sanc... ...trated mood the Mother is in since she has lost all her family members now including her ultimate hope of survival: her son, the Bridegroom. Accordingly, I perceive that the Bridegroom deserved to die as he dispensed pain and grief not only to the Bride but also to his mother. All in all, we have seen that the statement ‘characters that cause immense pain to another, especially to their consorts, succumb to death’ is apt. Moreover, it can be learnt form this piece of work that the consequence of the action you perform will be commensurate to the intensity of that action. Therefore, Modou Fall, Leonardo and the Bridegroom all deserved to succumb to death. Last but not the least, it can be noted that all the characters that cause immense pain to others in both the texts are the male characters while the recipients of such pain are the female characters.

The Wainscott Weasel :: essays research papers

The Wainscott Weasel   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book is about a weasel named Bagley Brown Jr. He is a weasel and I noticed that the weasels color is the same as the last name. He is brown and he has a patch on his eye. He lives in the Wainscott Woods. His father is a legend because he made the Double B. The Double B is a quarter mile long tunnel that leads to a chicken farm. It feeds all the weasels in the Wainscott woods. Everybody treats him special and he hates it. All the weasels love to dance and at the spring cotillion a new girl came to the woods. Her name is Wendy Blackish and she is pretty high class. The whitebelly brothers were there too. The oldest, Zeke likes Wendy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They danced and she invited him to a tea dance. She went and got it and then on the way she met Bagley Brown Jr. She was sweating from dancing and asked to go to swim. they swam and then she gave him the invitation instead. After she left Bagley saw a striped fish and fell in love. Zeke found out and him and Bagley got in a fight. Bagley just gave him the invitation because of the striped fish.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next day Bagley went to the pond and he saw the fish and they talked about bagleys patch. he got it when he was watching his dad make the tunnel. a owl came and got his dad and took his eye out. Bagley told the striped fish how he felt about her and she said they cant be together. She came back and then she said he shouldn’t come back to the pond. He kept his promise and didn’t come back, but he dropped bugs in the stream that led to the pond hoping she got them.

Politics In The Way Of Life Essay

Should religious beliefs shape how politics are conducted in the contemporary world? Does violence have a role in politics? Should animals as well as humans be represented in politics? What do bodies and sexuality have to do with politics? â€Å"Politics is the science of a good living. † It is man who has to decide on the way he wants to live. However every human being is influenced by his religious, social and sexual beliefs nomatter where or how he starts his political way of living. Do you think politics should be mixed with religion? Religion and politics are completely different and should not be mixed with each other. All men and women are to be treated equally irrespective of the caste or the religion that they belong to. Every person has the right to follow his own religion and to carry forward his beliefs in his society. But when his beliefs and religion is such that it affects or hurts the feelings rather beliefs of his own neighbours or fellow human beings it becomes politics. No man has the right to affect the feelings of another in any case. If man believes in God, he surely should believe in peace with fellow human beings. But when does this happen? How do religious beliefs turn to politics? When does a person start hurting the feelings of his own fellow human beings? Religion greatly influences a man sensually that is his heart and mind. Thus the misunderstandings and misconception of religions leads to a difference of opinion between people thus leading to indifferences in their opinions thereby leading to mutual quarrel. Coming to the influence of the society and social beliefs on politics. It is the society that has created politics. Politics is for the people, by the people and of the people. All the rules and policies right from the human right to social equality politics affects the way of life of every individual. Next the truth that every living being, including animals have their influence in politics. Killing specific animals is a crime, hurting any animal is a crime. It is for the protection of animals that societies like blue cross have been developed. When killing an animal is punishable, it is glad that politics helps even animals live peacefully until they are not harmful to the human beings. Thus politics is the way of good living. It is the science of kinship. A life without politics would be unorderly and miserable. Politics forms the basis of life. Thus good politics forms the basis of a good life.

Principles Of Behaviorism Essay

The principles of behaviorism are represented through a sequence of events and possibly lead to â€Å"time-out† period. Time-out is used by parents as a disciplinary tool towards their misbehaving child. Parents respond to a child’s actions through reinforcement, whether it be expressed by a positive or negative feedback. When a child does something unacceptable or troublesome the parent may use seclusion as a type of punishment known as â€Å"time-out.† After the child has done something wrong they must sit in a quiet area by themselves and ‘think about what they had done wrong.’ The time-out isolation usually is dismissed after the child has â€Å"cooled down† and acknowledges their behavior and is ready to act appropriately. Time-out usually influences a child’s behavioral development by learning the consequences of disobedience. This type of reinforcement could have many consequences based on the parent’s discretion. Some parents may use the threat of deprivation as a further penalty. The removal of the child’s TV, video games, cell phone or time with friends may be taken away until the child has fully understands why they are being punished. If the parents have successfully reinforced the child’s behaviors throughout development, the child should not be repeating a punishment for the same bad behavior that was once acknowledged. The child’s behavior should have already been handled and the frequency of misbehaving should decrease.