Mall Observation Essay Example

Mall Observation Paper Shopping Mall Observation A sociological observation was conducted at Manhattan Village mall from 5:48 P. M. to 8:00 P. M. on Saturday, September 18, 2010. There were many different types of ethnicity and different ways of how people act. On the observation day, there were many people in groups of three or more. People tend to just worry about themselves and their own group. Many families brought little kids and let them play around the water fountain. People are so unique in so many ways such as different cultures, views, an d perceptions. In order to communicate and adapt to a new culture, people must learn to understand signs, norms, and social control. These three factors are important and touch almost every aspect of social life. According to Kerry Ferris and Jill Stein in The Real World: an introduction to sociology, a sign is â€Å"a symbol that stands for or conveys an ideaâ€Å"(101). Signs are price tag, a slow down sign, numbers, and etc. All signs convey information. Signs are the most common and they make everyone’s life a little easier. Gestures is an example of signs. Gestures are usually have to do with body movements. We will write a custom essay sample on Mall Observation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Mall Observation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Mall Observation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Even though signs are everywhere and all around, some people have to learn in order to understand what they represent. For example, during the mall observation, there were many sale signs outside of the stores. Those signs are very powerful because they attract customers and persuade them to come in. Sale has many meanings like what is on sale and how many percent off of that particular item. People are being tricked because these signs are big, easy to see, and outside of the stores. One couple walked by Gap store, they saw a sign saying, â€Å" 25% to 50% off on Summer Apparels†. They saw the sign so automatic their minds started to be curious and nosy. They went in, came out with one bag, and looked happy that they got a good deal. Another example was when the girl asked a security where to look for an elevator in Macys. She spoke broken English so the security showed her to look at the directions on top. These directions are signs and pictures to guide people. Signs are very important because some people would be lost without them. Norms are â€Å"the rules and guidelines regarding what kinds of behavior are acceptable and appropriate within a culture†(Ferris and Stein 104). According to Ferris and Stein, some norms are informal and formal. Informal norms are unspoken and formal norms are laws or rules. There are many norms that can’t be written but as humans being, people learned them quite well. To be specific, an informal norm in the mall would be standing in line to buy ice cream. People are waiting to buy ice cream patiently, no one is allow to cut in front of anybody. Another example of informal norm is invade people personal space. When walking around the mall, people are all scattered everywhere. Do not walk close to them or touch them because they will be irritated. Informal norms are no need to be written down because society teach people to follow it. As for formal norms, they are rules and laws. Formal norms are written down and expected to be follow. However, some people are going to break these rules or laws. Basically, everybody know that no pets are allow in the mall. There was a lady, probably in her early thirty, brought a dog and tried to hide it in her purse. Of course, the security caught her and asked her to leave the mall. She knew not to bring her dog in the mall but yet she did it anyways. Then another boy broke the rule by wearing a jacket with a hood in the mall. Hats, masks, and sweaters with hood are not allow. Everyone needs to show their face and not try to hide anything. The boy listened to the security and took off his hood. However, if the security sees that the boy puts the hood on again, then he has to leave the mall. These norms are important in the shopping mall because the mall should be a safe place for everyone to hang out. If there are no norms, people would trash the mall and the mall is no longer a safe place to hang out. Social control is â€Å"the formal and informal mechanisms used to increase conformity to values and norms and thus increase social cohesion†(Ferris and Stein 105). Everybody needs to follow and obey the rules or there will be consequences. However, social control is established by sanctions. According to Ferris and Stein, sanctions are â€Å" a means of enforcing norms†(105). There are positive and negative sanctions. Positive sanctions are approval such as handshake, smile, praise, or reward. Negative sanctions are disapproval like harsh words, fine, or even jail. Some examples of positive sanctions are when the employees greet and shake hands with the customers. Also, this one young girl picked up a piece of trash and put it in the trash can. The janitor came and said thanks. Some of the negative sanctions examples are when one little boy got asked if he took some candies. The boy was about ten year old and he took some candies from Godiva. Even though the security did not arrest him but the boy was ask to leave. The boy received some harsh words from the security. Also the lady brought her dog broke the rules so she has to be punished by leaving the mall. Social control and sanctions are important in a shopping mall because they give order and everyone must follow. Without social control and sanctions, people would do whatever they want and there will be chaos. This mall observation was a great learning experience. This world would be crazy and chaos if there are no signs, norms, and social control. People would disrespect one another and there would be no order. This observation was interesting because it gave knowledge about human social activity. All people are trying to obey rules and regulations. However, there will always be someone who breaks the rules in order to adapt to a new culture.

Dimensional Complexity essays

Dimensional Complexity essays Dimensional Complexity of the EEG During Divergent and Convergent Thought Processes Creativity is one of the most difficult mental functions to study. While a concrete definition remains illusive, it has been established as a multifaceted phenomenon (Kitto, Lok On the other side of the scale is convergent thinking. Here, very strong mental associations are maintained which upon activation come to a single conclusion that can only be either right or wrong , with a clear connection between the mental representation and the original stimulus (Molle et al., 1999). Thus, two opposite modes of thinking seem to exist, each serving a different function and each having tests that tap into this function. What is of interest, however is the fact that little physical evidence has been collected to support these models. Finding an actual physical correlate for these theories is the purpose if this exploratory research. If creativity exists, then it should have some biological foundation. One way to study this is with the use of the electroencephalogram (EEG). The dimensional comple...

Case Study on Health Education

Case Study on Health Education Sample case study on Health Education: Explain how â€Å"health literacy† relates to Healthy People 2020. Health literacy is having the capacity to process and understand basic health information, and applying this information when making health-related decisions. The responsibility of communicating health information is placed on health professionals and the general public expects them to communicate in plain language which is easily understood. When technical jargons are used, most people are unable to adopt the recommendations which are being put forward by health professionals. The main objective of Healthy People 2020 is to improve the general health of Americans. Besides strengthening the current health policies, Healthy People 2020 also wants to increase the proportion of the population which engages in healthy behaviors. Unless health literacy is improved, the objective mentioned above would no be achieved. There exists a gap of knowledge between the health professionals and the public. The health professionals posses the critical information need to promote health living while the public does not have this information; they rely on the professionals to advice them. Therefore the hunger for information already exists and the impetus is on the health professionals to furnish the public with easily understandable information. The inability to understand health information is often attributed to the manner in which it is presented. There are some factors like age and educational levels which play a part in limiting health literacy but most people blame their inability to understand health information on the manner in which it was conveyed. In concluding, health professionals and physicians in particular must disseminate health information in an accurate and actionable manner. They should speak in a plain language which cuts across all social and cultural boundaries. Health literacy is an attainable goal but the degree to which the public absorbs health information and adopts healthy behaviors largely depends on the language used by health professionals. Please give examples of how health literacy (or the lack of health literacy) affects a persons health behaviors Due to a general improvement in education standards, it is often assumed that everyone possesses some basic form of health literacy. Understanding a medical prescription or sticking to a strict diet prescribed by a doctor may not seem like a complex undertaking to most people. However, there are people within our community who are unable process even the most basic health information without the help of a relative or close friend. Without getting into the details of the factors which limit their health literacy, it has already been proven that the lack of health literacy negatively affects a person’s health behaviors. People with low health literacy are less likely to understand oral or written information given by health professionals. This is glaringly evident among the elderly population or people who are not native speakers (speak English as a second language). Such people are more likely to mix up the prescriptions given by a doctor, ignore important health information and in some occasions refuse to seek treatment for their ailments. Their refusal to seek health treatment is sometimes not voluntary; they are simply daunted by the prospect of navigating a â€Å"complex† health system. The countless procedures, appointment schedules and prescriptions appear like insurmountable challenges. People with low health literacy prefer to seek health services from publicly financed programs instead of going to the private sector which offers better quality of care. Financial ability is often identified as the main reason why certain people opt for publicly financed programs but their health literacy also influences this decision. Public programs like Medicaid are perceived to be more suited for people of low income but the reality is the cost of care at Medicaid is comparable to a majority of private sector programs. Medicaid patients perceive it to be more ‘reliable’ and they ignore private healthcare mostly because of the fear of navigating a ‘new’ healthcare system. Discuss the evolving challenges health educators face regarding improving health literacy. The healthcare industry has undergone massive transformations in the last couple of decades. New medical techniques have been discovered and newer prescriptions introduced to replace the old ones. More importantly, there has also been a dramatic shift in health policies and such changes are unknown to the public. Health educators carry the responsibility of informing the public of all these changes but their efforts are often hampered by financial barriers. Nowadays, educating the public on health awareness is an expensive venture. For example, only a few public organizations can afford to run an important health message during prime time television; the cost of such advertisements exceeds the budgets of most health education projects. The same high costs are evident in other advertising avenues like billboards, magazines and newspapers. The options available for educating the public on health issues are simply limited by the high costs. Other challenges faced by health educators include social and cultural barriers. We currently live in a diverse society which is dominated by different ethnic groups. The difference in earning power has further subdivided our society into different social groups. Health educators face serious challenges especially when communicating social-specific or cultural-specific health information. For example, there is a high prevalence rate of STIs amongst low income populations than high income populations. In some regions, large segments of the low income population are composed of people from a particular ethnic or racial group. How then do health educators convey important information on STIs without appearing like they are racial profiling? Such misconceptions hamper the health educator’s efforts to raise health literacy within certain segments of the population.

Word Choice Hear vs. Here - Writing Tips from Proofed

Word Choice Hear vs. Here - Writing Tips from Proofed Word Choice: Hear vs. Here Spoken out loud the words â€Å"hear† and â€Å"here† sound identical, which may be why they’re often confused in writing. Unfortunately, on paper the difference is a bit more obvious! In this post, then, we’re looking at the differences between these words and how to tell them apart. Hear (Listen To) To â€Å"hear† something is to sense a sound (this is why we talk about having a sense of â€Å"hearing†): I was in the forest, so I could hear the tree fall. It can also mean â€Å"listen to† or â€Å"learn by being told,† such as when we receive news second hand: I hear that trees fall silently if there’s nobody around. We also see this word used in â€Å"Hear! Hear!† This is an old-fashioned phrase used to express approval of what someone is saying (as if you’re literally saying â€Å"Listen to this person!†). Here (In This Place) The word â€Å"here† can be a noun, an adverb, or even an adjective, but it always means â€Å"this place.† Typically, this is the location occupied by the speaker: Why are we here in this forest anyway? The tree will land here when it falls. In both cases above, â€Å"here† is used to point to the immediate surroundings or a point nearby. Closeness is important for this word; if we were referring to something further away, we’d say â€Å"there.† In addition, â€Å"here† can indicate a point in time or within a process: We’ll end the lesson here for today. It can also be used to refer to the previous sentence or passage in writing: Berkeley wrote that sense objects exist only when they are perceived. Here, we can see how he would have been interested in whether unobserved falling trees make a sound. This makes â€Å"here† a useful word for linking sentences in a paragraph. Hear or Here? An ear. Mixing up these words in your writing can look bad. However, there’s an easy way to tell them apart: The one about listening contains the word â€Å"ear† (i.e., the thing we listen with). So, if you’re writing about sensing a sound or listening to someone, the correct word is â€Å"hear.† On the other hand, if you’re writing about a place or position, the word you need will be â€Å"here.† Remember: Hear = Sense a sound or listen to Here = This place or point

Multicultural Education Issues Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Multicultural Education Issues - Term Paper Example James continues to assert that despite the different scholars differing on how they understand multicultural education they all share the concept of change that provides a clearer understanding of the term. Multicultural education is an idea that encompasses the approach of school reform to promote equality, social justice and democracy amongst students. All students have an equal opportunity to utilize their full potential in class; every student must be prepared to compete with the others in the diverse cultural society; teachers are responsible for facilitating the learning of all students despite their ethnic group and culture, thus, schools should actively participate in ending oppression and the view that teachers or students are different. Moreover, educationists and activists must be concerned with assessing the educational practices and how they affect the learning of students (Glenn, 1989). The main aim of multicultural education is its potential capacity to generate social change. Students and teachers should not feel different despite their cultural background. In order to achieve this goal, multicultural education brings together aspects of change, change of schools, the way curriculum is prepared and the change of society as a whole. Multicultural education ensures that all aspects of school practices and policies are followed to ensure that students perform well in their academics. Moreover, students have positive concepts about their cultures, histories and contributions of diverse groups. This is only possible if the school curriculum addresses issues of racism, gender imbalance, languages, age difference and religion. Thus, students feel themselves being a part of the school society when their life experiences and cultures are incorporated in the school curriculum (Will, 2011). Will (2011) continues to say that the issue of ethnicity has been a great problem in many countries around the globe, and it should be addressed in the most efficient w ay. This issue is brought mainly by the teachers and parents as students are not born with it. It is, therefore, the sole responsibility of schools to address the issue so that it would be dealt with. Thus, to achieve this calls for a school staff that is culturally competent and to the greatest extent possible be racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse. Research shows that students with high ethnic diversity in schools perform poorly as compared to those schools with a homogenous student population. Moreover, this applies to student immigrants who perform better if they find a fellow student immigrant from the same region in the country of origin (Kofi, 1989). This shows that ethnicity is a problem for the society, which schools must fight to eradicate if the students are to perform better. However, the performance of pupils cannot be based only on ethnicity in schools; factors, such as the socioeconomic, are a major concern as they also affect a student’s performan ce. Linde (2001) believes that immigrant parents, mostly those from third world countries, are less educated as compared to more developed countries, work in lower status jobs, earn less and are not as wealthy as the native born parents. It is not out of their will but due to ethnicity and economic status of immigrant parents that they make a choice to take their children to ethnic schools with fewer resources. In majority of ethnic

Barclays Bank Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Barclays Bank - Case Study Example The banks wanted to combine all their existing networks and take full advantage of their loose competitors in order for them to be able to compete effectively with the joint stock banks. This merger brought together seventy one partners and since then has been known as Barclays Bank. Over the years Barclays has expanded and has over fifty countries in Europe, Africa, North and South America. (Michael Collins 117) Barclays bank is an international service provider that deals with personal banking, credit cards, wealth and investment management and corporate and investment banking. The main activities in the bank are to lend, move, invest and protect money. Its operations are generally divided into two that is the retail and business banking which has four units; Africa retail and business banking, Barclaycard, U.K retail and business banking and the final one is Europe retail and business banking. These operations dictate the core business structure in the organization and determine t he services they offer. They cannot offer services that are beyond its business scope. The highest structure in the Barclays group is the group chairman and the chief executive. The group also has an executive committee and a board of directors. Each branch at the nation level has its’ managers and other officials who ensure the smooth running of the bank. All the group’s operations including its overseas offices, subsidiaries and associates are all subject to a set of rules and regulations which have to be adhered to at all levels. All the cooperates practices have been provided for in one document and the aim of this principles is to provide the highest standards of products and services to its stakeholders..The board is charged with the responsibility of creating as well as building a shareholder value through the management of the business. It has to ensure that is the body that ensures a balance between the promotion of the goals whether long or short term. It is the work of the chairman to ensure that all the board members receive information in a proper and clear way so as to ensure that the directors are able to give sound judgments or opinions that will ensure the growth of the organization. It is also important to note that the directors are not allowed to put themselves in a position where he or she may have conflicts of interests. The directors have the obligation to act in good faith so as to promote the success of the company. While acting on behalf of the company the shareholder is expected to look at the likely consequences of any decision to the company in the long run, they are also expected to consider the interests of all the stakeholders and the need to maintain the reputation that the bank has. The organization does engage with a wide range of stakeholders who are spread all across their divisions and their main of these transactions is to ensure that they discover the key concerns and respond to each of their stakeholders n eed. The stakeholders of the organization include its employees, shareholders, suppliers, government and its regulations, charities and the non-governmental organizations. The organization has come up with a citizenship strategy which focuses on three areas that will improve their services and products to all those who

Foundation of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACW) Assignment

Foundation of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACW) - Assignment Example The objectives of the women association were; working towards moral, religious, economic, women and youths’ social welfare. The second objective was to safeguard women and youths’ rights. Thirdly, the association was out to improve the quality and standards life in families and homes. The fourth objective was to promote education of women and youths through departments of work. The fifth one was to articulate their influence for civil and political freedom for Africa-Americans as well as every citizen. They also intended to promote effective female-male interaction. Lastly, they had an objective to promote justice and good will through inter-racial understanding. (Wesley, 1984). The association had several milestones of progress. Among the accomplishments were the incorporation of St. Louis, Missouri in 1904. The women were able to establish a loan fund known as Hellie Quinn Brown Scholarship Fund. This Association of Colored Women also established an association for colored girls. Another legacy of this association is the purchase of the current national headquarters at Washing DC. W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. Were African leaders that harshly disagreed on strategies for black social and economic progress. Washingtons policy served only to effect white oppression. (Wesley, 1984). The National association of colored women liaised with booker T. in his articulation for the ending of racism. He supported and spoke for the African-Americans accept into political and social status quo of segregation and racism and instead focus on black community progress. Booker T, was most