James Hutton - Important Figures in Earth Science Essay

James Hutton - Important Figures in Earth Science - Essay Example But he did not take to geology right at the beginning of his career as he entered legal profession as an apprentice in a law firm. But enamored with chemistry as he was at that stage, he spent more time in trying to find how sal ammoniac could be processed from coal soot. It was only natural that his employers were not amused by this and he was asked to leave. He found refuge in medicine as it bore close affinity with chemistry and at twenty three years of age got an MD degree from Holland. By this time, his forays into manufacturing sal ammoniac became commercially viable and he forsook medicine for this opportunity. He returned to Scotland and started pursuing this venture in full earnest till he earned enough fortune within the next three years to retire from it and settle in Edinburgh for pursuing his scientific interests as a full time engagement. He started reading and travelling extensively and submitted his observations in the form two papers at Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1785. When these papers were published three years later in 1788, they altered forever the face of geological science (Scott, 2009). His theory, commonly referred to as unformitariansim, postulates that all observable geological phenomena of the world have been uniformly repeating themselves over long periods of time.

Kano Model Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Kano Model Analysis - Research Paper Example The major drive has been â€Å"forces of globalization†, which have contributed towards a heightened awareness of the opportunities available for education globally (Morady & Siriner, 2011, p.35). In this sense, Institutions must remain aware of the issues that influence consumer choice of institutions of higher learning because there is a lot of competition for educational services. This is the reason why it is important to research the issues that influence the degree of satisfaction of students, who are the primary consumers of educational services, in the institutions. Structure of the Report This report carries a section that considers theories relevant to the study. It gives way to a discussion of the research method used in this project, its benefits and limitations. The next section concentrates on the findings of the project, which pave way for the concluding remarks, which include a set of recommendations. Chapter I - Theory The study of consumer satisfaction falls i n the same general academic field that includes behavioural sciences, human psychology and consumer sciences. As with many other academic disciplines, there is no consensus on a single definition of consumer satisfaction. Giese and Cote (2002) summarized three basic areas that most of the definitions of consumer satisfaction cover as follows, 1) Consumer satisfaction is a response (emotional or cognitive); 2) the response pertains to a particular focus (expectations, product, consumption experience, etc.); and 3) the response occurs at a particular time (after consumption, after choice, based on accumulated experience, etc) (p.1). This summary sufficed for the needs of this research project because it captured the issues that the project sought to... The study pave way for the following conclusions which aim at providing the managers of institutions of higher learning with the information they need to improve customer satisfaction in their premises. The paper also makes appropriate recommendations: 1. Students value good lighting in their lecture rooms hence the management should always ensure that buildings incorporate natural lighting. This will increase customer satisfaction in the facilities. 2. Management must resist the urge to increase the number of students in the classes because there is a significant association of comfortable sitting space with a satisfying experience in the lecture halls. 3. Apart from the necessary equipment for air conditioning, there is diminishing value in investing in sophisticated temperature control equipment. The perceived value of comfortable temperature diminishes soon after the environment is comfortable. In this sense, institutional managers should not spend anything more than is necessary for temperature control. 4. Background music does not add much value to the overall satisfaction of students. Institutions should therefore avoid investing in this service because it is not worth it. This research project focused on the conditions of the buildings and lecture halls. Therefore, it is incomplete as a measure of the overall satisfaction of students in higher education institutions. There is need for further research that will capture the indices relating to social services and service delivery to capture the full spectrum of issues that affect the satisfaction of students in the institutions of higher learning.

Good Will Hunting Biopsychological Approach Essay Example for Free

Good Will Hunting Biopsychological Approach Essay The biopshychological approach to Wills behavior would suggest that he is like he is because of his brain chemistry. The chemicals in his brain cause him to respond violently to pressure. The make up of his genetics cause him to be the way he is and he would be this way no matter how he was raised. This approach would also suggest that he could be changed by drugs to balance the chemicals in his brain. Behavioral Approach: The behavioral approach would imply that all of Wills behavior is learned and he is a product of his environment. He is violent because he was probably beaten as a child and as he grew up he learned to handle his problems through violence. He kept up this behavior because he was never punished severely enough to get him to stop. He learned that he could go to court and talk his way out of his situations which did not give him any reason to stop doing what he was doing. He also learned not to get to close to anybody or open up to them. This was learned because some of the people in his life who were supposed to love him had abandoned him. Psychoanalitic Approach: The psychoanalitic approach would indicate that Wills behavior was from his subconscious mind and were impulses from childhood experiences. For example, Will was beaten up in kindergarten by a bully, later on in his life he sees the bully and starts a fight with him. His decision to fight was made subconsciously from an impulse from a childhood experience. When he was a child he was also abused by his parents. Later in Wills life, he often resorts to violence subconsciously due to his childhood beatings. Humanistic Approach: The humanistic approach would state that Will makes his decisions based on free will and is basically a good person. Will is how he is because that is how he wants to be. Will does not realize until later in life that he has to much potential to waste his life. Will is an overall good person. This is shown in his in his actions throughout the movie, for example, when he decided to keep working construction instead of taking a job with mil itary intelligence because he would rather help people by making housing than get people killed. Cognitive Approach: The cognitive approach would suggest Will is how he is because that is how he sees himself. Will is a well educated man but for most of the movie Will sees himself as a nobody who will work for cheap and stay in the ghetto. Once his intelligence is noticed realizes that he has the opportunity to use his knowledge and make something of himself. Sociocultural Approach: The sociocultural approach would say that Will is how he is because of influences from society. Society usually views people from the ghetto as people who will never make something of themselves so he feels the same way about himself. Society expects people from the ghetto to resort to violence to solve their problems. This is why Will usually resorts to violence in tough situations. Society also does not allow for men to open up and share their feeling freely. This is the reason why it is so hard for will to open up and get emotional.

The cause and effect of Gangs in Society

The cause and effect of Gangs in Society According to Street Wars by Tom Hayden, an estimate of over 25,000 young people in the United States, the majority of them African American and Latino, have been killed in street wars during the past two decades (Hayden, Foreword). Because of these violent events, those who live in poorer areas of the country are stereotyped: every child with a tattoo and street child is stigmatized as a criminal who is creating an unfriendly climate for investment or tourism in the country(Hayden, Preface, IX). Gangs never used to be called gangs, and some still do not call themselves gangs(Hayden, 2). Although several gang members see themselves as a family or neighborhood, it is pointed out that gangs are essentially a criminal enterprise(Hayden, 3). This review of literature will examine the factors that contribute to the cause of people coming together to commit crimes, as well as the question of whether the decisions made to join gangs are forced or made at free will. An explanation for the gro wth of gangs is the continuation of extreme poverty and isolation among the generation labeled at risk in our nations cities(Hayden, 16). The stereotype that these people are all criminals has become one of the reasons gangs rebel against the society just because it was wrong and violated societys standards of acceptable behavior(Carrigan, 278). Growing Up Without Proper Nurturing Gang members often come from dysfunctional, abusive, or broken homes, poor living conditions, lack of parental discipline, neglect and low incomes(Carrigan, 285). A variety of studies have shown that a lack of time spent nurturing and properly disciplining children can be a significant contributor to problem behavior(Carrigan, 305). The National Center of Health Statistics in 1988 discovered that, Childrens well being is associated with family structurechildren from divorced families and those living with single parents have been found to have more emotional, behavioral, and academic problems than children living with both of their biological parents (Carrigan, 287). For the upbringing of gang members from single parent households, it wasnt so much the family status that caused the problem. Rather, the status brought on stresses and strains that contributed to the deprivation of good parenting(Carrigan, 287). Jane Rodd, an experienced social worker, states that, What society has to l earn is that children growing up have needs: support, love, respect, fair discipline and a family with positive social values. If these elements are not a strong part of childhood development, the child may well become antisocial as a youth(Carrigan, 287). Study done for the Ministry of the Solicitor General of Canada (1985) reviewed the literature on family relationships and delinquency and reached the conclusions that family criminality, whether it be parents or siblings, is a powerful predictor of childrens delinquency, and parental supervision, followed by mothers affection during childhood, appear to be the two most important variables accounting for adult criminality(Carrigan, 286). Some of the gang members are even homeless, either because their parents are on drugs and they discard them, or they have no homes and the children drift away(Castro). Most gang members have nothing to live for, except their hood. They pledge allegiance to their neighborhood gang, and it becomes their whole wide world, their family. Their loyalty is fierce(Castro). Donald J. McKinnon suggests that the main cause of juvenile delinquency is the lack of a sense of responsibility on the part of parents in the matter of bringing up and training children, l eaving them out on the streets(Carrigan, 284). The particular culture of a lower-class community is seen as one of the major factors that causes gang delinquency(Carrigan, 278). The individual is influenced by the norms of the gang, which in turn reflect modes of behavior acceptable to a lower-class culture. These norms are different from the middle-class culture, which places a higher value on conformist behavior(Carrigan, 278). Throughout American history, a high percentage of delinquents has come from poor economic backgrounds. The correlation led to the easy conclusion that poverty causes crime(Carrigan, 283). It is conveniently forgotten that the sources of most street gangs lie in violent oppression, dispossession, and migration(Hayden, 200). In the twenty-first century, the new generation has been Brought up in a materialistic environment, indulged, protected, and taught by consumer-oriented society that instant gratification was a normal expectation in life, therefore youths often lacked patience and an ability to cope wi th frustration(Carrigan 299). Influences in the past that had helped to nurture values and character were, by the 1960s, either substantially diminished or gone(Carrigan, 300). The decline in the influence of the churches, less emphasis on values education in the schools, and the diminution of the role of the state as a moral agent have contributed to the lessening of interest in the role of values as a governor on human behavior(Carrigan, 288). Heredity While bad neighborhoods and lack of moral education is blamed for the formation of gangs, some studies indicate that the urge to join gangs might lie, at least in part, in their genes(Boys May Feel a Genetic Pull Toward Gangs). Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909), professor of medicine at the University of Turin in Italy, argues that more persistent and violent criminals were born that way. They were throwbacks to a more primitive stage of development(Carrigan, 273). He also defined a criminal as an atavistic being who reproduces in his person the ferocious instincts of primitive humanity and the inferior animals, stating that these people generally have enormous jaws, high cheekbones, prominent superciliary arches, solitary lines in the palms, extreme size of the orbits, handle-shaped or sessile ears found in criminals, savages, and apes; insensibility to pain, extremely acute sight, tattooing, excessive idleness, love of orgies, and the irresistible craving for evil for its own sake, the d esire not only to extinguish life in the victim, but to mutilate the corpse, tear its flesh, and drink its blood(Carrigan, 273). Also, those born with criminal traits start lawless activities at an early age, and constantly demonstrate anger, a spirit of revenge, idleness, volubility and lack of affection(Carrigan, 273). It is said that aggressive behavior is one of the early signs of antisocial and criminal tendencies(Carrigan, 306). Other traits are also said to be hints of rebellion when children grow older: a taste for risk; below average verbal intelligence; response to frustration more likely to involve resentment and anger rather than composure or anxiety, guilt or depression; egocentricism; moral immaturity; and poor problem-solving, coping or self-regulation skills(Carrigan, 281). Children that have high tolerance for deviance in general; rejection of the validity of the law in particular, applies rationalizations for law violations to a wide range of stimuli as reasons for anger, tend to become a lot more rebellious when they grow older(Carrigan, 280). Even the most sensitive among them [the gang members] often have committed terrible violence(Castro). However, those who are insensible to pain are often one of the most violent members in the gangs. One gang member tried to steal a car from this guy, and when the guy resisted, he knocked him down and ran over him with the car. Then he backed up, ran over him again, then he drove around the block and came back and ran over him again. Then he put the car in reverse, and as he ran over the guy a fourth time, the police came along and saw it(Castro). According to a study, Boys who have a variant of the gene monoamine oxidase A(MAOA) otherwise known as the warrior gene are not only more likely to be in gangs than boys without the variant, but they tend to be among the most violent members(Boys May Feel a Genetic Pull Toward Gangs). It is not only the poverty-stricken environment or the broken homes that deprive individuals of a sense of belonging, desperate to join gangs. The study shows that joining gangs also has to do with the genetics of a person (Boys May Feel a Genetic Pull Toward Gangs). Previous research has linked low-activity MAOA variants to a wide range of antisocial, even violent, behavior, but our study confirms that these variants can predict gang membership, the studys lead author, Kevin M. Beaver, a biosocial criminologist at Florida State Universitys College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, said in a university news release. Moreover, we found that variants of this gene could distinguish gang members who we re markedly more likely to behave violently and use weapons from members who were less likely to do either(Boys May Feel a Genetic Pull Toward Gangs). The MAOA gene is believed to affect levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin that are related to mood and behavior, according to the study. Previous research found that the warrior gene is more prevalent in cultures that are typified by warfare and aggression. Strain Theory When someone is unable to gain wealth, power, status, or possessions by legitimate means(Carrigan, 276), due to the frustration felt at being blocked by the system, the individual violates the accepted code of conduct and to resort to illegitimate or illegal means(Carrigan, 277). Strain theory emphasizes the relationship in society between the goals that constitute status and the conventions or does of conduct that regulate the manner in which those aspirations may be pursued(Carrigan, 276). General Strain Theory identifies three major sources of strain: the failure to achieve positively valued goals, the loss of positively valued stimuli, and the presentation of negative stimuli. The first type of strain includes three subtypes: the failure to achieve aspirations or ideal goals, the failure to achieve expectations, and the failure to be treated in a just / fair manner(Broidy and Agnew). It also considers types of strain other than goal blockage, such as the loss of positive stimuli like friends and romantic partners, and the presentation of negative stimuli like excessive demands and verbal, sexual or physical abuse(Broidy and Agnew). The delinquent accepts societys norms that place an importance on the ownership of certain things, but social inequalities, such as poverty, prevent their attainment, therefore turning to crime(Carrigan, 277). Sampson and Wilson (1995) proposed an integrated social disorganization-strain theory in which strain factors are viewed as causing the deterioration of social controls, which are hypothesized to have the more direct effect on crime(DeFronzo). They argue that the forms of social disorganization that promote crime most likely include disrupted, dysfunctional, and/or structurally impaired households; ethnic, racial, and class discrimination and hostility; and the development of deviant subcultures, although they specified that such subcultures are not entirely distinct from the conventional-dominant culture but rather deviant in the sense of fostering at least the tolerance of certain nonconformist behaviors(DeFronzo). Sampson and Wilson concluded that strain factors such as economically generated frustrations or the lack of access to legitimate opportunities tend to create forms of social disorganization. For example, limited economic resources might be expected to result in stresswhi ch, in turn, increases the likelihood of excessive use of alcohol or other drugsand unprotected sexual intercourse outside of marriage often resulting in children being raised in one-parent households(DeFronzo). The Hippie Movement could be one of the examples of gang-like rebellion against mainstream society, although it influenced the culture later on(Carrigan, 300). The revolt of the 1960s was led, disproportionately, by advantaged, well-educated young people who began the first phase of their protest in universitiesWhen faulty and administrations resisted their demands for change, they resorted to protest and sometimes violence to achieve their goals(Carrigan, 300). Clothing styles were changed as an increasing number of people defied convention by opting for casual dress on all occasions, including topless bathing suits; language took on a new coarseness, as four-letter words became the style and symbol of liberation; drug use reached epidemic proportion, as a way of defying legal restraints(Carrigan, 301). It is said that, The social structure itself is the source of the pressure that forces a person into nonconformist or criminal conduct(Carrigan, 276). In a similar way, different strains gang members experience push them into the situation where they would rather commit crimes together than facing their previous struggles(Hayden, 216-217). Conclusion: The formation of gangs hasnt intensified or surfaced until the past few decades(Hayden, 3). It has caused the death of innocent people, and ruined the future for several gang members that initially joined for the sense of belonging, outside of their dysfunctional families and failed relationships. Those who have been bold, allowed themselves to befriend the gang members and have learned more about them as people, have fortunately survived (Castro). They have also been able to turn some lives around, and help them realize gang violence is preventable (Hayden, Foreword). We must put effort into peacemaking, so that our country would become more civilized and be rid of unnecessary violence. Mike Davis from Planet of Slums emphasized that, What is clear is that the contemporary mega-slum poses unique problems of imperial order and social control that conventional geopolitics has barely begun to register. If the aim of the war on terrorism; is to pursue the erstwhile enemy into his sociol ogical and cultural labyrinth, then the poor peripheries of developing cities will be the permanent battlefields of the twenty-first century(Hayden, Preface).

Abington VS/ Schempp :: Free Essay Writer

Abington School District vs. Schempp Required School Prayer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1949, a state-wide law was passed in Pennsylvania that required public school students to read scriptures from the Bible and recite the Lord’s Prayer everyday in class. This law stayed intact until Edward Schempp challenged it nine years later. Pennsylvania wasn’t the first or the only state to enforce law making it mandatory for students to read from the Bible during school. Twenty-five additional states had laws allowing â€Å"optional† reading for the Bible. But in eleven of the twenty-five states, courts had decided those laws were unconstitutional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Schempp took the case to court in to 1958, claiming that required reading for the Bible and recitation of the Lord’s Pray prohibited free exercise of religion for his children, and was therefore unconstitutional, under the First Amendment. Mr. Schempp son, Ellory, stated under oath, that he didn’t not believe in Jesus Christ, or the Christian beliefs. He testified that ideas opposing to his were presented to him while he was at school in Abington High. He received punishment because he refused to stand at attention during the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer and when requested to leave during the exercise, his demands were denied.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the greatest witnesses was Rabbi Dr. Solomon Grayzel. Dr. Grayzel explained the psychological harm that could come from reading the New Testament without explanation. The context of the New Testament, without explanation of the work, had caused grievances in Jewish children while in similar required situations. This also came to show that if a Jewish child could be offended and upset by the Bible reading, any child of a family rejecting the principles of the Trinity and Jesus Christ would be equally offended, to the point that reading the Bible could be considered blasphemous.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In argument for the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, they said that reading the Bible not only was essential to the building of good morals and development of the minds of impressionable school children, it was free to be interpreted anyway because of lack of comment and explanation. They claimed that the Bible was not a religious work, but when viewed from the eyes of a Christian, it did express the message of Christianity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This case bounced back and forth between Supreme Court and district court before eventually ending in 1963. Abington school district appealed to the Supreme Court after it was not satisfied with the verdict at district court level.

Community Agriculture Development and Jobs Act: A Proposed Solution to

Community Agriculture Development and Jobs Act: A Proposed Solution to Food Deserts â€Å"There can be no sustainable world without sustainable cities.† (Deelstra, 2000) This applies to many aspects of a city, but what is more important than the topic of fresh food? Sustainable foods will be the foundation of the wellbeing of a community. We not only need these nutrients to support our bodies every day, but it also supports the wellbeing of a society. So why are we ignorant to how many cities are lacking fresh food? The high concentration of food deserts in the United States has gone unnoticed, especially in Detroit, Michigan. In the city of Detroit, researchers have developed concern and acknowledged the lack of fresh food available since 1997 (National Research Council). Since then, they have found that highly concentrated poverty stricken areas are receiving inadequate help from the government via food stamp programs and city food policy and distribution. Our agricultural system parallels the â€Å"mono-crops† we grow. â€Å"American farm policy a nd corporate mergers have created powerful agribusiness giants with dominant market shares—corporations that control virtually every of segment of the industrial food system.† (food and farm bill, 2012). Similar to the dominant monocrops that are limiting the diversity of species and crops grown in the U.S., our conventional way of farming has outcompeted all other food growing techniques even though it is unsustainable. Since we have realized that one systematic way of feeding the nation is not working, we must establish a variety of growing systems that accommodate the diverse and multifarious forms of societies and communities by geographic location. Detroit, Michigan is considered one of th... ...Health in Detroit." Marie Gallagher Research and Consulting Group,2007. Web. Accessed May 10, 2012. http://marigallagher.com/site_media/dynamic/project_files/1_DetroitFoodDesertReport_Full.pdf 10 May 2012. Gallagher, John. "Acres of barren blocks offer chance to reinvent Detroit." City Farmer News 15 Dec. 2008 Detroit Free PressWeb. 3 Jun. 2012. Academic Search Complete. http://www.cityfarmer.info/2008/12/23/acres-of-barren-blocks-offer-chance-to-reinvent-detroit/ Martin, Michel. "Detroit Truck Responds To City's Food Desert Crisis." National Public Radio ® 2 Nov. 2010 NewsWeb. 9 Apr. 2012. NPR. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=131000846 Wilgoren, Jodi. "Detroit Urban Renewal Without the Renewal." The New York Times (2002): 1-3. Web. 3 Jun. 2012. Google Scholar. http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gmarkus/Wilgoren_DetroitUrbanRenewal.pdf

Perception of Depression amongst North American and African Cultures Essay

Depression or â€Å"Unipolar depression is another name for Major Depressive disorder. It is a mood disorder characterized by depressed mood, it often manifests in lack of interest in family, school and social life, changes in eating and sleeping habits, emotional and medical disregard for the self, difficulty in concentrating, and loss of interest in life† (Rush, 2007).   Just like any other pathological disease, it has risk factors, signs and symptoms, and a natural course. Like any other disease it can be treated with proper medical and psychological therapy. Yet it is not perceived as such by the community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is remarkable lack of awareness about depression in the communities, in spite of the staggering statistics about the disorder. Unipolar depression affects 7-18% of the American population at least once before the age of 40 (Kassler, McGonagle & Zhao, 1994). In the United States alone, the number of females are reported to be suffering from clinical depression (Murray, 1997). It has also been observed that 2.5 percent of children and 8.3 percent of adolescents are depressed at any given time. These rates are considerably higher than the figure of the past decades (Depression Statistics Information, Internet). Yet, it has been found that only 20 percent of depressed people undergo medical treatment (Depression Statistics Information). This is caused by numerous reasons with ignorance or lack of concern and awareness about the disorder considered as the biggest suspect.   In fact, a United States surgeon general report   in the Hispanic community states that less than 10 percent of the mentally ill people will ever approach a mental clinic (U.S. Department of Health, 2000). This is possibly the result of lack of concern on their part, or due to the fact that in the Hispanic community’s, non-medical methods of   treatment for the depressed. It is imperative that we find out whether other communities also show a similar of lack of awareness and concern about depression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Social Science & medicine attempts to find cultural differences in the conceptual models of depression by an interviewed with North American immigrants and African Americans (Karasz, 2005) . His study demonstrated that Americans were more of the view that depression was a pathological disease of the body just like any other disease and required medical therapy. According to the author, the people from the African community were more likely to explain depression in terms of a social and moral problems and conformed to the belief that self management was the right way to deal with the issue of depression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Different communities have different perceptions about the disease, people of certain cultures prefer going to spiritual healers rather than seek medical attention (Nayem, 2005). Some cultures prefer to treat this ailment with alternative therapies to allopathic ones.   Depression, though a serious and debilitating disease, does not command the same attention as other medical disorders like heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, or even obesity. According to Pasacreta (2008) there has been little attention given to depression and its consequences when we compare it with other diseases. For example obesity has been associated with diabetes many times. Even though depression also has a similar association with type II diabetes, not many people are aware of this fact.   Since public concern is lacking in communities, many depressed people fail to come forward, and receive proper treatment. If this trend continues prevalence of depression will continue to rise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though the attitudes of different cultures may vary toward the disease, it does not change the fact that â€Å"depression poses enormous costs for individual, family, and the society† (Nayem F, 2005). Depression is a severe disease with far reaching effects, starting from the patient, who may inflict self harm, leading to a family life, which cannot function in the same way as before (Scott, 2003). There has been research demonstrating depression as a burrden to people, communities, and health services as the treatment is long term and the patient has little or no productivity to society (Nayem, 2005). This research further highlights the need to conduct a survey to assess the perception of depression across various cultures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People are unaware of the magnitude of the problem and its economic implications. In certain cultures, inability to diagnose the disease or disregard of its seriousness lead to delayed medical opinion and treatment. Through this study, we will try to substantiate the various levels of awareness that different cultures have about the disease. The severity of depression usually gets aggravated if it is not treated promptly after diagnosis. This leads to a greater burden on the country. Scott (2003) echoed this sentiment when he stated â€Å"In the National Health Service the cost of treating depression ( £887 million) exceeds the cost of treating both hypertension ( £439 million) and diabetes ( £300 million). However, here, the direct health care costs are dwarfed by the indirect costs (i.e. days lost from work owing to depression exceed all other disorders and the economic burden on family members and society is considerable).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     North American and African cultures both differ in there perceptions about depression as a disease. Different cultures may feel that depression is a problem but western cultures are more likely to view it as a disease which needs medical therapy just like any other, whereas the people from the non western culture will perceive depression as more of a social and moral problem which requires self-management. There will generally be a lack of knowledge about depression as a disease in the non western community.   The false beliefs and stigmas will be more present in non western cultures as compared to their western counterparts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   How widespread is serious depression? According to Dr. Nathan S. Kline of the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene, â€Å"it has been estimated that 15 per cent of the adult population of the United States has some degree of depression which is serious enough to be in need of treatment. This amounts to about 20 million people, which makes it not only the most frequent psychological disorder but also one of the most common of all serious medical conditions.† Depression is so widespread that it has been called â€Å"the common cold of mental disturbances.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studies report that women outstrip men in suffering from depression by a ratio of about 2 to 1, though some claim that this is because women are more willing to admit that they are depressed. Depression afflicts all races and every social and economic level. While the malady is most common between the ages of sixty and seventy, it strikes all age groups and has been rising among persons in their twenties. Why do so many millions of persons suffer from depression?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Much study has gone into uncovering the root causes of mental depression. Flaws in human society constitute one main source of the problem. Illustrating an aspect of this are comments by Dr. John Schwab, of the University of Florida College of Medicine: â€Å"We’re in an era of change right now. Old values such as the old work ethic are being rejected and people are caught in an ideological vacuum. Kids see that the fruits of four hundred years of scientific progress may be more bitter than sweet—but they don’t know what to put in its place, and consequently there is a sense of futility.† Because of this, many disillusioned youngsters seek â€Å"escape† through drugs and other means. â€Å"The search for highs among the young,† observes Dr. Schwab, â€Å"is often only a flight from the lows.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also contributing to the rise in depression is â€Å"supermobility.† Families that keep changing their places of residence, hopping about from house to house and city to city, do not stay in one place long enough to build solid relationships with other people. A psychiatrist at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center wrote: â€Å"Psychiatrists around Boston have been aware for some time of what is called ‘the Route 128 syndrome’ or in Florida ‘the Cape Kennedy syndrome.’ It is found in young families who have moved too much, and its components are a husband too centered in his career, a depressed wife and troubled children.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sometimes depression results when a person reaches a â€Å"plateau† in his life after many years of painstaking labor. A hard-driving business executive may finally achieve the top position in his company, only to realize that he no longer has a goal in life. Housewives in their forties and fifties often suffer from what psychiatrists call â€Å"empty nest syndrome.† By this time their children usually have grown up, their husbands are at work for most of each day and they must face lonely hours in houses devoid of people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What about the feelings of inferiority that often accompany depression? Here too the responsibility may rest with human society. How so? Because it is often at a tender age that children are made to feel unattractive. Their peers may ridicule them if they are unable to do what the majority consider the â€Å"in† thing. If a youngster tends to be clumsy and uncoordinated, schoolmates and playmates can influence the child to believe that he â€Å"can’t do anything right.† Children of this type often combine the generalization: â€Å"I am weak,† with the value judgment: â€Å"It’s disgusting to be weak.† Such youths are likely candidates for depression. Method    Participants   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Approximately 40 students (20 western, 20 international) students from a Midwest liberal arts college will participate in this study. All of them would be selected using randomized sampling. Participants will be offered candy for the completion of the survey. Materials    The survey questionnaire will consist of questions related to assessment of knowledge and attitudes towards depression and a demographic data form. The survey forms will contain closed ended questions only. It will consist of 3 parts.   The first section will consist of demographic questions to gather information about the participants: How long have they lived here. Have they adopted the western culture of living or not. The second part will consist of closed questions. The participants will have to choose from the given options in the questionnaires. There will be questions that ask whether they consider depression to be a serious disease. Whether they believe it is a disease of the mind, body, or mind and body. Questions related to stigma would also be included for example do they believe mentally ill people are more aggressive than others? Do they believe mental illnesses are not as severe as physical ones? Do they believe depressed people can be cured with drugs only, or do they require social and community help? Moreover, to support the validation of the results of the survey, the review of literature to be utilized within the research shall show a specific scale of measure that is used by psychologists to identify the behavior of humans with regards to depression from different cultures all over the world. Procedure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is imperative to find out exactly how different cultures perceive depression as a disease. The researcher plans on conducting this research. This research will deal with the perception of depression as a disease amongst western and non western cultures. The research will also look into the level of awareness in different cultures about the prevalence of disease in their societies. This research will try to substantiate if the perception of depression varies with different cultures.   To complete the said aim, the research will be conducted on campus.   Participants will be debriefed on the study being researched. The researcher would then have the participants sign a consent form before they participate in the study. After which, a survey kit would then be handed out to them and they would be given three days to return them back. Data analysis A one way ANOVA would be conducted to analyze the data. Since we have two independent sample populations and more than two variables. This will allow for the comparison of attitudes about depression for members of Western and non-Western cultures. Using the ANOVA we can calculate whether the stated answers have associations with either the western or non western societies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   References Depression Information and Fact Statistics (2008), Depression statistics and information, retrieved on February 13, 2008, from http://www.add-adhd-help-center.com/Depression/statistics.htm Haasen C, Levit O, Gelbert A, Foroutan N, Norovjav A, Sinaa M, et.al, (2007), Relationship between mental distress and acculturation among migrants, psychrische praxis,    retrieved on February 13, 2008, from the NCBI database on   Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez Karasz, A. (2005), Cultural differences in conceptual models of depression, Social Science & medicine, 60, 1625-35, retrieved on February 13, 2008, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15652693?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000,f1000m,isrctn Kessler, R., McGonagle K,, & Zhao S, et al. (1994) Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States: results from the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry;51:8-19. Murray, C., Lopez, A.D. (1997). â€Å"Alternative projections of mortality and disability by cause 1990-2020: Global Burden of Disease Study†. Lancet 349 Neem F, Ayub M., Izhar N, Javed Z, et al (2005). Stigma and knowledge of depression, Pakistan journal of medical sciences, 21(2) 155-158. Pasacreta. J, (2008), Depression: Is society taking the wrong approach? , retrieved on February 13, 2008, from http://www.helium.com/tm/646939/novel-approach-managing-depression Scott, J. (2003), Global burden of depression: the intersection of culture and medicine, The British Journal of Psychiatry, 183: 92-94, retrieved on February 13, 2008, from http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/183/2/92 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. Mental Health: Culture, Race, Ethnicity – Supplement, A Report of the Surgeon General 1999.from: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cre/default.asp.