Saturday, May 23, 2020

My Goals For A Career - 863 Words

My goals for the start of my internship were simple, but quickly evolved. My goals were to gain experience and build my resume, while bringing the lessons I have absorbed in college, and using my skills as an engineer to assist the department of public works. Now my goals have become more specific; I would like to learn more about sewer system, I would like to develop my computing and design skills using the tools available to the Hydraulic section and I would like to mature as an engineering professional. While at the hydraulics section, I have access to programs like Munsys, as well as ArcGIS. As an intern, I update and maintain sewer related features of these programs. I would like to assimilate everything I can to develop my skills as a designer in order to become a better engineer. I have assimilated from professors as well as other professionals that the key to a successful employee or even a successful person is to have above average communication skills. While as an engineering intern, I would like to develop effective communication skills to help better myself and the team I work with. I would like to develop my skills in nonverbal communication, an ability to communicate clearly and assertively, and to manage stress in the moment. During a recent investigation, I grasped the importance of researching thoroughly before communicating the results of your investigation. An immense oversight would be to communicate with a property owner about their surrounding sewerShow MoreRelatedCareer Goals : My Career Goal905 Words   |  4 PagesCareer Goal: My career goal is to become part of a major computer engineering corporation. Objective 1: Obviously my first objective would be to obtain experience in my computer field. One reason to do this first is to make sure I have the education I need and, in addition, the background experience. The reason I want background experience is because, most computer companies require two years of experience in the field before they will hire you. This is the case in most cases, whether you haveRead MoreMy Career Goal : Career Goals1203 Words   |  5 PagesMy career goal is to receive my doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy. I would like to work with geriatric population because they are more vulnerable to disabilities from chronic illness that results in them being put into nursing facilities. I want to specialize my education on physical disabilities. I have experience working with the geriatric patients who are physically disabled and I hope to help them keep their independence. My goal is to help geriatric patients gain valuable skills in orderRead MoreMy Goals For My Career Goals1199 Words   |  5 Pageswonders how his or her life is going to end up; however, I know how my life is going to unfold because I am aware of my goals, challenges, and strengths. I have many goals for my career and life that will help me find new paths and dreams to pursue, and I will be able to find my ideal job and lifestyle. Also, it will allow me to succeed in a topic or subject. Although I do have many personal challenges which could set me back, I am sure my individual strengths will help me overcome the setbacks and willRead MoreMy Goals : My Career Goals1375 Words   |  6 Pageshim forever. My personal goals are to be married and have a child or children by the age of 30. Secondarily and far less pressing is to drive a full sized truck, and to comfortably afford it. My academic goals are very unclear. They directly correlate with my career goals which have not been set. But for the sake of this paper my academic goal is to first get my AA. And if I still have no set career goal, to move onto UCF to either study physical training or business. My career goals that I have setRead MoreCareer Goals : My Career Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pagespsychology, my career assessments test showed me many options for my career goal path. For starters, my career interest profile results are broken into six main categories which are: social, artistic, investigative, enterprising, realistic, and conventional. According to my results, my career matches are as followed: preschool, primary, secondary, and special education teacher. I am 28% social, 22% artistic, 17% investigative, 11% enterprising, 10% realistic, and 9% realistic. According to my PhoenixRead MoreMy Goals For My Career Goals910 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"A goal defines a plan of action, acts as a continuous progress report on how well you are doing as you move toward chosen goals, it identifies exactly what achievement or success is for each person, and it tells you when its time to res et goals† according to Dennis Congos. Goals play an important role, when you’re in college. I have many goals but my top three goals for my educational career at Colorado Christian University are, getting an average of a 3.9 GPA in every class, staying in school andRead MoreMy Career Goals : My Goals1184 Words   |  5 Pagesto yourself. No one can ever take your Knowledge away from you. With me earning my degree I am one step closer to my career field, which is the business side of the health field. Also, my family is my motivation, they are the reason I’m striving to do better in life. And that’s why I want to continue my academic success. My educational goal that I wish to achieve is obtaining my 4 year degree. Achieving this goal will make me feel like the best mother ever. I know it will be hard at times becauseRead MoreMy Career Goals For A Career1142 Words   |  5 Pagesin your career you need to work within different business-related industries. Consequently, as a business manager working with multi-national companies for gaining more knowledge in the scale of economy with a profit advantage. It is believed that obtaining communication and international trading skills are necessary for self-entrepreneurship by experiencing from a related and specific environment such as working in large companies and learning skills. This report will be describing about my journeyRead MoreCareer Goals : My Career1861 Words   |  8 Pages Career Paper Phenix Patton In this paper, I will review my career choice, why I chose that career, why I believe I am fit for that career, and what I have to do to have the career I want. I will explore the advantages of my career, the disadvantages of my career, and how difficult leading a life with that career would be. I will also go over the results of several assessments I have taken in order to assess my best career interests, my aptitude for the career I choose, and a personality test. AllRead MoreMy Goals For A Career1626 Words   |  7 PagesWe all have goals that push us forward in life. My overall goal when it comes to a career is to pursue something where I can be happy and enjoy what I do, while also making enough money to live comfortably. This career for me is either a psychologist or a lawyer. Nonetheless, one may assume they are quite different but in fact, psychology is in every aspect of life, and even if I do not necessarily become a therapist, I know I will still be able to use aspects o f it in whichever career I decide to

Monday, May 18, 2020

Positive And Negative Impacts Of Social Psychology

Social Psychology is defined as â€Å"a subfield in psychology that focuses on social interaction between people, how people influence and are influenced by others, and the relationship between the individual’s behaviors/cognitions and that of others in a group† (Robertson, 2002-2015). Within that subfield there are many theories and concepts that explain these feelings, thoughts, and beliefs that are constructed and how psychological factors influence our interactions with others. The topics examined in social psychology include social influence, social perception, and Lawrence Kohlberg’s Ladder of Reasoning. All of these concepts have a major impact in our society and world order; both positive and negative. Social behavior addresses two key points. The first point is that individuals construct their own realities based upon attitudes, perceptions, and experiences. It also states that we are influenced by and influence others to whom we are exposed (Robertson, 2002-2015). Since birth, individuals have been exposed to these influences. In many instances the presence of other people influence our behavior and can have either positive or negative effects. For example, when a teacher assigns a group project one individual in the group may not put in as much effort because there is a â€Å"diffusion of responsibility† (Robertson, 2002-2015). Diffusion of responsibility occurs when an individual in a large group lacks a sense of responsibility and is less likely to take action. That formShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects Of Social Media1350 Words   |  6 Pagestoday’s society, social media is an important tool that many people use daily for various purposes. On social media, people share their opinions, events in their lives, and news. They also use social media as a tool for entertainment and as a way of keeping in touch with their friends. Because of its various uses, the use of social media increased very significantly over the years and it is no surprise that many scholars from different disciplines took an interest in the use of social media. These scholarsRead MoreAttitude Formation1356 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Walden University Attitude Formation The field of social psychology focuses on understanding the behavior of an individual and seeks to include the aspects of external and internal influences that impact behavior. Not only is ones behavior impacted by emotions, behavior is also impacted by how an individual perceives a situation and acceptance to engage in that situation (Fiske, 2010). Hogg and Cooper (2007) argue social psychologists note individuals view the world and its interactionsRead MoreThe History of Psychology and its Relations to Video Games Essay1350 Words   |  6 Pages Psychology is a very interesting field of science and study. It can tell interesting facts about someone and their personality. It can study a person’s behavior and the causes of the issues in their daily tasks. There have been fun tests that involve psychology. There is a lot of confusion about of psychology in media. They are normally depicted as criminal investigators and high action paced cops. While psychology is used in police activity it is not as hyped as it is in the movies or televisionRead MoreUncovering a Relationship Between Alcohol and Violence Using Correlation Research979 Words   |  4 Pagesinvolve accessible records of already convicted violent offenders that acknowledge the use of alcohol. I would choose this method because I believe this would be an abundant amount of knowledge that could properly disclose a correlation, weather positive or negative, between alcohol and violence, and present a strong or weak number that predicts the correlation thus mak ing this research method the most viable. Although this data may display a relationship between the two variables, it does not divulgeRead MoreThe Theory Of Social Work And Psychology Essay1137 Words   |  5 PagesThe disciplines that are relevant to the proposed research are social work and psychology. The theories to be utilized within each cognate are the systems theory for social work and the cognitive behavior theory for psychology. Given the heuristic nature of interdisciplinary research, the theories to be utilized within each cognate could possibly be dynamic in nature; therefore, subject to expanding to include more than just the two theories or disciplines currently included. The systems theoryRead MoreRelationship Between Attributional Style, Information Valence, Likability, And Need For Cognitive Closure1215 Words   |  5 Pagesdisclosed has a significant impact on impression formation (Collins Miller, 1994; Jones Gordon, 1972). Jones and Gordon (1972) determined that the disclosure of negative information has a negative impact on impression formation, which causes individuals to rate people who disclose negative information lower than those who disclose positive information (Runge Archer, 1981). This means when negative information is disclosed to a pessimist, they are more likely to form negative impressions, thereforeRead MoreThe Health Of Health Care983 Words   |  4 Pagesyears, or for a few months. It is understandable that some people are afraid of what they might hear from professionals of preventive care, but it is necessary for people to understand that certain preventive services are provided for their mental and social health. It is n ecessary because people’s health is what makes society function. Additionally, psychological health is essential to humans because it gives the mindset of developing a healthy lifestyle—physically and socially which develops a healthyRead MoreColor and Mood1595 Words   |  7 Pageshypothesis that different colors would elicit different moods. Thus, this study found no support for the prediction that brighter colors would elicit positive moods, whereas less bright colors would elicit negative moods. These results do not support past research findings that brighter colors tend to elicit positive moods, whereas, dark colors elicit negative moods (Hemphill, 1996; Kaya Epps, 2004). Moreover, this result was not expected given the previously discussed research by Weller and LivingstonRead MoreA Positive Note For Advertising858 Words   |  4 PagesA Positive Note for Advertising So many people are intimidated by the word marketing. They may not realize it, but marketing is a part of their daily routine and they will use it for the rest of their life. Singles use marketing theories to find love, parents to convince children to behave, and teachers to sell knowledge to the classroom. Anytime someone successfully convinces or sells another person on their idea, or product, they likely used elements of marketing without even realizing. In lightRead MoreCurrent Social Issues : Income Inequality767 Words   |  4 Pages 1) Why to study? Overview of current social issues - income inequality Unequal distribution of income has significantly impacted individuals in the global workforce. In particular, the maldistribution of wealth has lead to various issues in the US society as well, not only economically, but also psychologically. Prior research shows that lower income status is positively associated with exposure to stressors and negative life events (Lantz et. al, 2005ï ¼Å' Santiago, Wadsworth Stump, 2011) In other

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Effects Of Concussions On The Football Field - 1553 Words

A strong willed linebacker accelerates down the football field. He eyes up his opponent- the running back- both men lower their heads, bracing for impact, while helmets crunch, fans roar. Immediately after connecting, the running back s head feels undeniably different, but at this point in the game, it would cost the team playoff contention if they lose. This man is young, rich, and famous, but little does he know that each concussion he gets brings him one step closer to his own grave. Multiple concussions relating to sports leads to early onset Dementia and CTE, loss of life, changes in how games are played, lawsuits, and even more unsettling concussion facts and statistics. Jessica Firger writes â€Å"In many circumstances--if not most-- frequent blows to the head have effects that may last a lifetime, a condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).† This disease causes a variety of psychiatric, and neurological symptoms including memory loss, depression, anxie ty, aggression and dementia (Firger). None of the blows have to result in unconsciousness, in fact, most people diagnosed have never had severe brain trauma or concussions (NFL Concussions Fast). Early studies found a disease in correlation to boxing, a condition called dementia pugilistica, or â€Å"punch-drunk syndrome† (Alzheimer’s and Dementia). Studies for dementia pugilistica began in 1929, outlining the symptoms as memory loss, confusion, dizziness, and personality changes. (Alzheimer’s and Dementia).Show MoreRelatedPlaying A Traumatic Brain Injury Essay1558 Words   |  7 PagesFootball players risk their lives every time they walk onto the field. Although, some players do not see the risk, because no one has informed them of the consequence. They are not aware that their next football game might be their last game or that their small headache could, in fact, be the beginning of a traumatic brain injury. The coaches are fixated on winning the game an d they lose focus of their main priority, their players safety. Due to their lack of knowledge, the players do not receiveRead MoreViolence Is The Athletic Roots Of The United States Of America s Pastime1288 Words   |  6 Pagesin the NFL Football is the athletic roots of the United States of America’s pastime. It’s part of the culture and history of this nation. It helped shape the way Americans watch sports today. But in today’s world the game has changed. It is changing this nation, and these players, both on and off the field. Concussions, on the field, have become a major commodity, and it raises the question of if it is really worth the risks of what can become of head injuries. Off of the field, there is alsoRead MorePersuasive Essay On Concussions1679 Words   |  7 Pagesprevent so called concussions in the sport of football. They have not had huge success but have had little gain in ways to help prevent them. The NFL has been the target for the cause of concussions. Even though it is the players who cause them on one another. Concussions can be very minor to very severe. Although there is no cure for concussions scientist believe they will eventually find a way to cure them. Concussions in football are starting to be seen more often. Concussions are the swellingRead MoreConcussions On The National Football League1549 Words   |  7 PagesThe National Football League, more commonly known as the NFL, has had growing cases of retired players that suffer from mental trauma or mental diseases from concussions. A concussion is a short loss of brain function following a direct or indirect force to the head. Concussions are extremely difficult to diagnose because the damage is seemingly invisible to the naked eye. Although the damages may not be present, the effects are long lasting. Concussions are plaguing retired NFL players and affectingRead MoreFootball is Dangerous?1211 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Larsen Football Head Football is an all American sport that has led to the downfall of many great athletes who have suffered from the sport in a psychological and physical manner. Football is a dangerous sport that is only played by one country, the U.S.A. Realistically, banning the sport is almost near impossible, but there should be regulations to the sport if that people would have to meet in order to insure safety and knowledgeable facts about the sport. Football is not meant forRead MoreThe s Death, Concussion Protocol Has Been Raised Hugely By The Nfl932 Words   |  4 PagesSince Seau’s death, concussion protocol has been raised hugely by the NFL. First and foremost, the NFL now has an â€Å"eye in the sky† for each NFL game that is played. A certified athletic trainer now watches every single play from a press box that’s just above field level. This allows players to have more reassured safety when taking big hits. If there is even a thought of something that these medical trainers’ thinks look serious, they radio in a signal to the medical staff on the field. This is especiallyRead MoreNfl s New York Giants And San 49ers1651 Words   |  7 Pagesthat vicious, helmet-to-helmet hits are simply â€Å"part of the game† (Battista). For many years, this view, in which concussions are actually considered to be good in the way that they show one’s toughness and dedication to football, has been shared by many players and coaches throughout the league. The generally short length of the effects of concussions (or at least the immediate effects) and the frequency at which they happen have contributed to this dangerously careless perception of the ailment,Read MoreConcussions And Its Effect On Children1309 Words   |  6 PagesConcussions: According to the department of Orthopedic Surgery, at Wayne State University, â€Å"Youth football programs across the United States represent an at-risk population of approximately 3.5 million athletes for sports related concussions† (Buzas 1). Despite these risks, it is easy for some parents get involved in the game and overlook the danger that their children are in. There are parents who do not realize the severity of effects a concussion can have, as there are parents who do not knowRead MoreAbstract. Concussion In Schools And The Nfl Are A Problem.They1630 Words   |  7 Pages ABSTRACT Concussion in schools and the NFL are a problem. They can be life-altering injuries, and they have been around for years before anyone became aware of how dangerous they can be. Ever since the discovery of football many athletes have gotten their â€Å"bell rung† and doing damage to their brain with no knowledge of it. It has been recently that there has been more talk of understanding how severe concussions can be. Many think it is not a big deal but itRead MoreIs Football A Dangerous Sport?940 Words   |  4 PagesFootball can be a very dangerous sport. And although those who play the game believe that they are being protected by the helmets that they wear, the truth is that this may not be the case. In a recent study released by the American Academy of Neurology it has been found that â€Å"protection against concussion and complications of brain injury is especially important for young players, including elementary and middle school, high school and college athlete s, whose still-developing brains are more susceptible

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Coffee from Ampalaya Seeds - 4665 Words

COFFEE FROM AMPALAYA SEEDS (Momordica Charantia) TABLE OF CONTENTS A. Background Of The Study 3 B. Statement Of The Problem And Objectives Of The Study 4 C. Significance Of The Study 6 D. Scope And Limitations 6 E. Operational Definition Of Terms 7 Chapter II 8 Review Of Related Literature 8 Chapter III 11 Methodology 11 A. Research Design 11 B. Type Of Study 12 C. Independent And Dependent Variable 12 D. Treatments Of The Study 13 E. Subjects / Samples 13 F. Replications Per Treatment 14 G. Methodology Proper 14 H. Statistical Treatment For Data Analysis 17 Chapter IV 18 Results And Discussions 18 Chapter V 30 Summary, Conclusion And Recommendations 30 Appendix 32 Appendix A 32 Appendix B 34 BIBLIOGRAPHY 36 References 36†¦show more content†¦It also contains polypeptide-P;a plant insulin that helps diabetic patients. D. Scope And Limitations This research will be conducted on July–August 2012 at Paraiso Cmpd. Baybay City, Leyte. This study focuses on how to make Ampalaya (Momordica charantia) seeds into coffee. The whole fruit is not included in making the product, only the seeds are used to make coffee. The researchers are not focusing on the nutrient values that they can get in the Ampalaya (Momordica charantia) seeds nor will they include it in their research. Instead, the researchers are focusing in making coffee out of Ampalaya (Momordica charantia) seeds and in the sensory qualities (taste, color, and odor) of Ampalaya (Momordica charantia) coffeein comparison to the commercial coffee. E. Operational Definition Of Terms * Momordica charantia * scientific name of the Ampalaya or Bitter Melon * polypeptide-P * a plant insulin found only in the Ampalaya * potentiate insulin * is an alternative cancer treatment using insulin to administer low-dose chemotherapy or mandelonitrite * caffeine * is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug and a reversible acetylcholihesterase inhibitor * is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruits of someShow MoreRelatedMarketability Ampalaya Seed Coffee3295 Words   |  14 PagesThe researchers decided to use ampalaya seeds instead of throwing it and decided to use the seeds as coffee to know if it could be a good alternative to the commercial one. Coffee is a much known beverage to the majority of the people. It is known for its stimulating effect on the functions of the brain, thus making the drinker active. Variants of coffee flavors were already produced all throughout the world aiming for the discovery of alternative sources for coffee production. On the otherside,  BittermelonRead MoreBitter Melon as as Coffee4496 Words   |  18 PagesCHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Coffee is a  brewed  beverage  with a dark, slightly acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the  coffee plant, called coffee beans. Green (unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world.  Coffee can have a stimulating effect on humans due to its  caffeine content. It is one of the most-consumed beverages in the world. Ampalaya (Momordica charantia Linn.), also known as Bitter Melon, is a crawlingRead MoreAmpalaya3819 Words   |  16 PagesPPRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Ampalaya Plus Capsule Ampalaya Plus Capsule is an innovative product composed of 3 powerful herbs: ampalaya, banaba, and luyang dilaw. Ampalaya Plus has been proven to effectively lower blood glucose by the study conducted by Dr. Ricardo Quintos of University of the Philippines, College of Medicine. Ampalaya is a vegetable proven efficacy in diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even infection, several study have shown that Ampalaya increases the utilization of glucose byRead MoreOkra Tea2997 Words   |  12 PagesAccidentally, we discovered other product okra can produce. Aside from coffee, we found out that the seeds of okra can also make tea. Our tea helps improve and enhance our immune system because of the okra seeds itself is rich in Vitamin C. It can also avoid certain causes of coughs and colds. One more thing we liked about this accidental discovery of us is that it is not costly but affordable yet nutritious. Procedure Used Step 1: The okra seed will be dried under the sun for at least two (2) to threeRead MorePhilippine Cuisine13920 Words   |  56 Pagesmade from sour fruits like an unripe guava and tomatoes), Bistek( a a Filipino-styled beef steak), Lechon( a dish made by roasting a suckling pig) are not only popular dishes of the Filipino cuisine, but are also identified and acclaimed   as the national dishes of the country. Philippine cuisine Philippine cuisine consists of the foods, preparation methods and eating customs found in the Philippines. The style of cooking and the foods associated with it have evolved over several centuries from its

Bacteria Transformation in Biotechnology Free Essays

Abstract Some bacteria are able to go through transformation making new combinations of genes. Transformation is a way of gene variability in bacteria. This experiment is based on the transformation mechanism of bacteria and gene regulation. We will write a custom essay sample on Bacteria Transformation in Biotechnology or any similar topic only for you Order Now The bacteria used for the experiment was Escherichia coli and the genes introduces for the transformation were: gfp and bla by a pGLOâ„ ¢ plasmid. After the insertion of the target genes and growing the bacteria on specialized LB media, it could be seen that the transformants were positive for the gene expression. The transformed E. coli on the media appeared fluorescent green under UV light. Introduction The bacteria used in this experiment is Escherichia coli which is not naturally competent. E. coli is a gram negative rod shaped bacteria and a facultative anaerobe. This bacteria forms part of the bacterial flora in the human intestine tract. The competence of a bacteria is based on its ability to take up naked DNA from the environment and incorporated on theirs, transformation. Alteration in the permeability of the membranes allows DNA to cross the cell envelope of E. oli. Since the outer membrane of the E. coli is mostly negatively charged and the DNA molecule also has a negative charge, then the addition of CaCl2 will neutralize the interaction so that the naked DNA molecule can enter the cell. (Microbe Library web) Another important factor on the competence of the bacteria is a procedure of alternating temperature between ice bucket and heat shocks. By the combination of this two procedu res E. coli becomes competent. This procedure was first reported by Mandel and Higa. Singh 562) Even though it works it is only believed that CaCl2 helps DNA absorption to cell surface and the heat-shock step facilitates penetration of absorbed DNA into cell. (Panja 411) The main purpose of this experiment is to transform the bacteria to make it resistant to the antibiotic ampicillin. A secondary transformation is being made, and is to make the bacteria seem fluoresce green. The reason why the bacteria will fluoresce is because the gfp gene is being inserted under an ara promoter. The gfp gene encodes for the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). The genes under the ara promoter will be expressed when the bacteria is in presence of the sugar Arabinose. When the transformed E. coli is in presence of Arabinose, the gfp will make the GFP and when the bacteria is placed under UV light it will fluoresce green. The gfp gene was found and extracted from a jellyfish, Aequorea victoria, and is being used as a visible reporter for gene expression. (Garcia-Cayuela 172) To introduce the gfp into the bacterial cell it was needed to be by a plasmid, as well as the gene to make the E. oli resistant to ampicillin, bla gene. The bla gene encodes for the protein beta lactamase which breaks down the ? -lactam ring in the structure of the ampicillin, therefore making it resistant to the antibiotic. Like already said to introduce this two genes to the E. coli it must be done through a plasmid. Both genes were introduced by the same one. In this case the one that was used was a pGLOâ„ ¢ plasmid. This is an engineered plasmid used as a vector to create genetically modified bacteria. This plasmid contains three specific genes: bla, gfp and araC. The  ¬araC is a promoter region that regulates the expression of the gfp only under the presence of arabinose sugar. Materials and Methods In this experiment a pGLOâ„ ¢ transformation kit was used. First we needed two eppie tubes, one pGLO positive and the other pGLO negative. This two eppies were then moved to an ice bucket. During, one loopful of the pGLO plasmid was transfer to the pGLO+ tube. The other tube will be the pGLO-, the Escherichia coli without the plasmid. The two tubes were moved into an ice bucket and left there for 10 minutes. Then the tubes were put into a 42? C water bath for 50 seconds and after back to the ice bucket for 2 minutes more. After the two minutes had passed, a 300 microliters aliquot of LB broth was added to the two test tubes. By adding the LB broth, the CaCl2 solution was also inserted in the tubes with the E. coli. Right after it the tubes were shook for ten minutes in a 37? C shaker. There were gather 4 petri plates, one with LB media, two with LB amp(ampicillin), and the last one with LB amp ara(arabinose sugar). After the 10 minutes each plate was given an aliquot of 100 microliters with one of the E. coli of the eppie tubes. The LB plate and LB amp had the pGLO- and the other two plates, LB amp ara and LB amp, had the pGLO+. After this step it’s done the plates are prepared to be incubated at 37? C for two days and reveal the results of the induced transformation. LAB 9: TRANSFORMATION PROCEDURE Results The results for this experiment were a bit ambiguous but still recognizable and pretty clear. All of these plates were seen under UV light. In the LB plate pGLO- , after the incubation, there was found a lawn of Escherichia coli colonies that looked green because of the light. The LB amp plate with the pGLO- bacteria, the E. oli did not seem like it grow on it, the media just looked green. A count of 172 colonies that looked green, was found in the LB amp pGLO+ plate, this plate had ampicillin. In the LB ara amp media plate there were found 251 colonies of E. coli. In this plate the colonies looked fluorescent green under the UV light, the only plate. In a scale of growth from larger to smaller, th e first in line would be the LB, then LB ara amp, proceeds LB amp (pGLO+), and last one LB amp (pGLO-). Table 1. 1 Results oftransformationof E. coli withpGLO plasmid mediapGLO+pGLO-color(under UV light)growth LB -Yesgreenlawn of colonies LB amp-yesmedia look greenno growth LB ampyes-green172 colonies LB amp arayes-fluorescent green251 colonies -= n/a Discussion The results obtained in this experiment were as expected. The gfp should had been expressed under the presence of arabinose sugar and then under the UV light would fluoresce. The bla gene was expected to be expressed in the presence of ampicillin molecules. The LB pGLO- plate was a control plate meaning that this plate set a reference parameter to compare the results after the transformation. In this plate the growth of the E. oli was in a vast amount since this is a general media target for growth. In the LB amp pGLO- plate, the other control, the E. coli was not transformed with the plasmid, so in presence of the ampicillin the natural behavior of the bacteria is that is susceptible to it. In another hand, the plate of LB amp pGLO+ presented growth meaning that the bacteria took up the plasmid and was able to expressed the genes by an induce transformation. The result being that the transformed E. coli is now resistant to the ampicillin. The last plate, LB amp ara pGLO+, appeared with 251 fluorescent green colonies under the UV light. The reason for it is that the bacteria took up the pGLO plasmid and when the E. coli was in the presence of arabinose and ampicillin, the bacteria could fluoresce green and be resistant to ampicillin which naturally the E. coli does not possess this genes. When this last plate is compared with the control plates it can be confirmed that the procedure done in this experiment was effective as hoped. The arabinose sugar is the intriguer that turns on the genes under the ara promoter. So when the gfp under this promoter turns on, all the other genes under the same promoter will expressed in the cell also. No real noticeable source of error was found during the experiment since the results obtained were completely expected based in the information of the procedure. New studies are being made constantly and this transformation technique is widely used in the field of biotechnology. In the study of Plasmid DNA Transformation in Escherichia Coli: Effect of Heat Shock Temperature, Duration, and Cold Incubation of CaCl2 Treated Cells, the experiment was based on how much quantitative is the difference between different variables possible to reach for the best optimum environment to exploit to the maximum the use of this technique. These results suggest that a heat shock pulse of 30 sec at 42 °C followed by a 10 min ice incubation step are ideal parameters to obtain maximum transformation efficiency, also suggest that post heat shock cold incubation step is also an important factor and enhances transformation of E. coli significantly (Singh 561) The relevance of this paper on the experiment performed and discussed previously is big. The results of Singh’s experiment helps our experiment in enhancing the correctness of our results and lowering the possible errors that can surge. Also it can be a great reference of how to determine the optimum conditions of a specific bacteria which would contribute in other research fields. Citations Anh-Hue T. Tu. Transformation of Escherichia coli Made Competent by Calcium Chloride Protocol. Microbe Library. American Society of Microbiology. October 25, 2012. Web. November 10, 2012 Garcia-Cayuela, Tomas,. Fluorescent protein vectors for promoter analysis in lactic acid bacteria and Escherichia coli. 172. Applied Genetics and Molecular Biotechnology. Pdf Panja, Subrata,. Aich, Pulakesh,. Jana, Bimal,. Basu, Tarakdas. How does plasmid DNA penetrate cell membranes in arti? cial transformation process of Escherichia coli? 25(5): 411 Molecular Membrane Biology, August 2008. Pdf. Singh, Mahipal,. Yadav, Arpita. Ma, Xiaoling. Amoah, Eugene. Plasmid DNA Transformation in Escherichia Coli: Effect of Heat Shock Temperature, Duration, and Cold Incubation of CaCl2 Treated Cells. Volume 6 Number 4, 2010. 561– 562 International Journal of Biotechnology and Biochemistry. Pdf. How to cite Bacteria Transformation in Biotechnology, Essay examples

Descartes epistemology Essay Example For Students

Descartes epistemology Essay Descartes epistemology is known as foundationalism. In his Meditations, Descartes tries to discover certain, indubitable foundations for knowledge. He is searching for absolute certainty, and does this by subjecting everything to doubt. Through this he reaches the one thing he believes to be certain, his existence. In Meditation One, Descartes describes his method of doubt. He subjects all of his beliefs to the strongest of doubts. He invokes the notion of an all-powerful, evil demon who could be deceiving him in the realm of sensory perception, in his very understanding of matter and even in the simplest cases of mathematics such as in the equation 2+3=5. The doubts may be obscure, but this is the strength of the method; the weakness of criteria for what makes a doubt reasonable means that almost anything can count as a doubt. Therefore whatever withstands doubt must be something that he considers absolutely certain. In Meditation Two, Descartes finds the one indubitable principle that he has been seeking. He exists, at least when he thinks he exists. This view holds that Descartes asserts that he is thinking, he believes that whatever thinks must exist and therefore that he logically concludes that he exists. Furthermore Descartes is convinced that he exists since there is a God deceiving him about his existence which could only be done if he did exist. But there is a deceiver of supreme power and cunning who is deliberately and constantly deceiving me. In that case I too undoubtedly exist, if he is deceiving me; and let him deceive me as much as he can, he will never bring it about that I am nothing so long as I think that I am something. So after considering everything very thoroughly, I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind. (p. 80). This leaves him with a problem. He can know his own existence, that he is a thinking thing and the contents of his consciousness, but how can any of this ever lead to any knowledge of anything outside of himself? The answer is that, by itself, it cant. Descartes establishes that the human mind is better known than the human body. He states that no belief based on sense-perception is free from doubt. Thus he cant be certain about the existence of his hands, head or body in general since they are all perceived through his senses. Descartes tries to show that we know bodies through reason and not through senses. To accomplish this he considers a physical piece of wax even though the evil demon might be deceiving him. At this point the piece of wax has a honey flavor, and it has the sent of flowers. It has a color, and a distinct shape and size. It is hard and cold and if you rap on it will emit a sound. He then put the piece of wax next to a fire which melts the wax and in turn, changes its contingent qualities. The wax no longer tastes of honey or smells of flowers. The original shape disappears and its size increases. It becomes a hot liquid you can hardly touch. And if you rap on it no sound is emitted. It looks, tastes, smells, feels, and sounds completely different from the original piece of wax. Each of the sensory qualities have changed or been transformed, yet the same piece of wax remains. After you remove everything that does not belong to the wax, it is precisely something extended, flexible, and mutable. If you ignore the senses, the wax is still wax; but if you focus on the accidental qualities, the two pieces of wax have nothing in common. This means that you cannot look to the senses for truth about physical objects. The wax is capable of innumerable changes even though the imagination is not capable of relating them, therefore this insight is not achieved by the faculty of imagination. Descartes concedes that he does not grasp what this wax is through the imagination, but rather perceives it through the mind alone. His imagination gives him finite pictures whereas the wax has infinite shapes. .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b , .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .postImageUrl , .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b , .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b:hover , .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b:visited , .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b:active { border:0!important; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b:active , .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0d21d8967a9383ad8e598cba0ba8eb3b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Procedural Due process of law, limits the procedur EssayWhen he distinguishes the wax from its external forms there might be an error in his judgment, but it is definite that he cannot perceive it without a human mind. If he judges that the wax exists from the fact that he sees it, then from the same fact that he sees the wax, it is much more evident that he himself exists. It is possible that what he sees is not wax at all, but it is impossible that while he sees or thinks he sees, he who thinks is not something. If he thinks or senses or imagines, then he and the nature of his mind necessarily exist. At the end of the Meditation Two, Descartes comes to the conclusion that nothing can be perceived more easily and more evidently than his own mind. He has discovered that even bodies are not accurately perceived by the senses or the faculty of imagination, and are only accurately being perceived by the intellect. He also realizes that they are not distinguished through being touched, smelled, or tasted, but by being understood alone. It is the ability of reason that gives the knowledge and lets the mind know the truths and essences of objects.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Theory of Dyadic Social Interaction and Meanings free essay sample

Children often learn from elders what any given symbol means and once children learn these meanings they incorporate them into their cognitive schemata. According to Piagets (1972, 1954) theory of cognitive development, from approximately ages 4-7 children are in an intuitive phase where they can grasp logical concepts, but reality is not yet firm and is often dictated by authority figures. The role of authority figures to shape constructions of reality certainly does not end in childhood. Social constructionists such as Berger and Luckmann (1966) argue that individuals together produce a human environment, with the totality of its socio-cultural and psychological formations and understandings; social meanings are a human product (p. 52). It is not unusual, say, for an abusive romantic partner to convince his or her partner that the abuse is deserved or symbolic of care or even love. The dyadic construction of acts of abuse as signifying love or care may not e clearly understood by others outside the relational dyad, yet perceptions of abusive behavior as acts of love are common in abusive interpersonal relationships, along with sacrificing ones own interpretation of events so as not to lose the affection of the partner (Woods, 1999). In fact, in a recent episode of the popular television show Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (Denoon Platt, 2004) a teenager was placed in foster care due to a mothers complete and utter dominance over the child, with the episode focusing on the control the mother had over how her offspring interpreted the world around him. The psychologist in the episode did not have a name for this process of maternal domination, but compared the teenager to a puppet, merely appropriating his mothers interpretations of the world out of fear; the fear of losing her love, protection and their relational structure. Although this essay does not focus on children or abusive relationships specifically, it outlines a theory addressing the social construction of meanings in dyadic communicative interaction wherein there is disequilibrium between members in that process. Berger (2005), in his review of the interpersonal communication up until the 21st century, pointed out that very few interpersonal communication scholars have developed theories addressing this central tenet of communication meaning. His review argued that for the field to move forward interpersonal communication researchers should look more at interaction routines and the process of meaning-making between interactants. Around the same time as this review was being written, Koerner and Fitzpatrick (2002) published an article in Communication Theory arguing for a similar need for research examining intersubjectivity, meaning, and interactivity in the area of family communication. They argued the following: a complete explication of family communication needs to consider both intersubjectivity and interactivity (Fitzpatrick Ritchie, 1993). Intersubjectivity refers to the sharing of cognitions among participants in a communication event, whereas interactivity refers to the degree to which the symbol creation and interpretation are linked. ,Interactivity refers to the way that a family maintains its own structure through patterns of family members responses to each others communicative acts (p. 73, Koerner Fitzpatrick, 2002). Correspondingly, Miller-Day (2004) also presented a Necessary Convergence Communication (NCC) theory which focused on both intersubjectivity and interactivity in family member i nteractions, while addressing issues of power and dominance involved in the process of meaning-making between communicators. At this junction, in response to these calls for theoretical development in the area of meaning construction and dyadic social interaction in the fields of interpersonal and family communication, and building on the ideas introduced by Koerner and Fitzpatrick (2002), this essay will briefly review the original ideas of Miller-Days (2004) Necessary Convergence Communication (NCC) theory, elaborate on them, and then discuss how this framework might be a workable mid-range theory to assist communication scholars understand how the construct of power or dominance may influence the meaning construction process in interpersonal communication. A theory is a lens through which to examine human interaction and theories have four functionsdescription, explanation, prediction, and change (Griffin, 2000; Littlejohn Foss, 2005). The foundation of a theory is description and as Wood (2004) points out, before we can figure out how something works, we must describe it (p. 32). Therefore, the first task of building new theory is to describe its features. This essay provides a description of necessary convergence communication and identifies specific features that may be empirically tested. An Introduction to Necessary Convergence Communication Miller-Day (2004) argued that necessary convergence is a form of intersubjectivity that occurs during a pattern of interactivity when one communicator is dominant and the other submissive. When convergence of meaning occurs, meaning coordination tends to be coercive rather than cooperative with the dominant partners interpretive frame privileged over the submissive partners, leading to unequal contributions to the process of meaning coordination. Author Ayn Rand (1993) referred to this type of process in her novel The Fountainhead. Rand argued that some individuals tend to be â€Å"second-handers†Ã¢â‚¬â€people who don’t judge for themselves, who just repeat what others close to them say, embrace it, and make it their own. Miller-Days (2004) argument suggests that when the relational schema for the submissive partner is based on conditional regard—that is, she or he believes that acceptance in the relationship (e. g. , receipt of emotional resources) is contingent on meaning convergence; the submissive partner will converge with the dominant partners meanings for relational maintenance purposes. As discovered in Miller-Days family communication research (2004) and Miller (1995) and illustrated in the Law and Order episode mentioned earlier in this essay, not to converge with a dominant partners interpretation of symbols or events in any transaction would risk already precarious acceptance and approval in the relationship. An interpretive frame is defined here as cognitive structure that contains mental representations of meanings; the process of constructing meaning activates interpretive frames. Necessary infers that convergence is perceived as essential to achieving a certain result, and convergence indicates a tendency toward one point (Miller-Day, 2004). Thus, to obtain relational approval and avoid rejection, the submissive partner will accommodate the dominant partner by assimilating his or her interpretive frame. Within this model, convergence is relationally adaptive. This introduction to NCC as a theoretical framework offers an overview. But, to fully understand how this theory may be applied more generally to interpersonal relationships, I will elaborate on this theoretical framework, present the assumptions linked to it, describe its characteristics, and provide some theoretical statements for empirical testing. A-Priori Theoretical Assumptions Communication Is an Emergent, Creative Activity through Which Meanings are Coordinated Via Interpretive Schemata People approach the world through processes of interpretation. As human social animals we are in a constant state of interpreting and managing meanings, and interpreting meanings is an interdependent process. The assumption is that meanings are not inherent in objects, but instead arises out of social interaction. During social interaction, meanings are coordinated through interpretive schemata—mental structures consisting of organized knowledge about relationships. Interpretive schemata represent accumulated knowledge—the sum of past experiences—which help an individual interpret, understand, and predict the outcomes of interactions with others (Burleson, Metts, Kirch, 2000; Cragan Shields, 1998; Koerner Fitzpatrick, 2002). Moreover, interpretive schemata include expectations about what should happen in a given situation and serve to guide behavior. Interpretive schemata specific to relationships—relationship schemata—influence the â€Å"encoding and decoding of information, the inferences and evaluations people make †¦ and ultimately their interpersonal behavior† in relationships (Koerner Fitzpatrick, 2002, p. 80). This assumption presumes that the process of â€Å"making meaning† activates interpretive frames. Communicators then coordinate their meaning systems as filtered through these frames and then negotiate agreement. Understanding between the members builds intersubjectivity and hopefully leads to consensus (Crotty, 1998; Solomon, Dillard, Anderson, 2002). Implicit in this assumption are claims of coordination and negotiation. Coordination implies a state of equal rank, equal power, and harmonious order, whereas negotiation suggests that communicators confer with one another in order to reach an agreement. Coordination involves collaboration of all communicating partners. Communication Enacts Relationships The state of being in a â€Å"relationship† is inherently a communication process and must be understood as a series of transactions in which messages are exchanged. Relationships are formed across repeated transactions, with each new transact adding new information to the one that came before, building a cumulative database of information about the relationship (Burleson et al. 2000; Duck, 1992; Guerrero, Anderson, Afifi, 2001). Transactions are units of interaction affecting both interactants and carrying commentary on the interactant’s relationship. As Watzlawick, Beavin, and Jackson (1967) pointed out, each message (both verbal and nonverbal) carries information at two levels—the content level and the relationship level. The relationship level enacts the current state of the relationship and provides information about how the communicators see each other, th emselves, and their relationship. Communicative Transactions in Close Personal Relationships Have Implications for Personal and Relational Identities Relational members encode and decode information about themselves as well as for their partner, extrapolating this information to the relational unit (Aron Aron, 1986). Within this framework, the self is conceptualized as inseparable from dynamic interaction, with each transaction contributing to both self- and relational knowledge. Early work by Mead (1934) identified the centrality of essage exchange in personal identity management. More recent work in relational communication points out that both personal and relational identities are cocreated communicatively within the context of relationship (Wilmot, 1995). Personal identity development is really the unfolding of the self while retaining relational ties; identities are constituted and managed through relationships, not to their exclusion (Adams Marshall, 1996). Relational Culture Shapes Interpretive/Relational S chemata Relational cultures consist of shared meaning systems, routinized patterns of interaction, and norms that structure members’ roles and behaviors (Wood, 2000). These cultural norms shape relational schemata (Koerner Fitzpatrick, 2002), and these schemata are socialized across the developmental trajectory of the relationship. Socialization involves the â€Å"social and communicative processes through which cultural knowledge, resources and practices are made available and internalized† by cultural members (Burleson et al. , 2000, p. 35). As Entman (1993) demonstrated, culture is the stock of commonly evoked interpretive schemata and culture might be defined as the â€Å"empirically demonstrable set of common interpretive frames exhibited in the discourse and thinking of most people in a relationship† (p. 53). Relational schemata are the mental structures that are socialized within a relational culture, organize knowledge about relationships, and are used to process information relevant to these relationships. Therefore, relational cultures will share common schemata and should be reflected in the communication practices of relational members. Interpersonal Scripts Emerge From Relational Schemata Scripts are one form of communication practice enacted within relationships that emerge from relational schemata (Koerner Fitzpatrick, 2002). Relational scripts direct interaction, exemplify relational work, and dictate normative ways of issuing directives and responses. Scripted interactions are often routine, habituated, and overlearned through repetitive practice in the family culture (Sillars, 1995); however, these scripts are useful in directing the â€Å"typical† ways in which an interaction should be handled given the particular relational schema. When relational members become practiced in these roles and memorize their lines, these enactments become scripted. That is, partners may not think about their day-to-day ways of interacting with each other on a conscious level, but they may still tend to communicate in patterned ways with well-defined scripts that enact â€Å"appropriate† relational behavior. These a-priori assumptions are implicit in the theoretical framework of NCC. In summary, they presuppose that relational culture shapes partners knowledge of relationships; each partners accumulated knowledge of relationships helps her or him to coordinate meanings; patterned or scripted communication behavior emerges from relationship schemata; and this communication behavior is consequential for interpersonal relationships. Characteristics of Necessary Convergence Communication Necessary convergence communication can be captured by describing its three separate characteristics, equilibrium, weighted proportion of meaningfulness, and motivation, and two process dimensions, degree and chronicity (Miller-Day, 2004). These characteristics are illustrated in Fig. 1 and can be assessed in terms of their valence and intensity in any given interpersonal relationship. [Insert Figure 1 about here] Equilibrium When necessary convergence occurs, there tends to be disequilibrium in the relational coordination of meanings. Equilibrium refers to an equality of distribution; however when disequilibrium occurs, there is unequal power to determine meanings in interpersonal interaction. Power is a person’s ability to control valuable resources and is often tied to status. Any type of power such as expert power, legitimate power, or coercive power is relevant to equilibrium as long as the person is in control of resources considered valuable. Control of resources provide the potential for the exercise of power in most relationships, with resources being all knowledge, skills, emotions, words, actions, and materials that are at the disposal of the person. Given the distribution of resources within any specific interpersonal relationship, power might be evaluated by its outcome, which is dominance. Dominance refers to the degree to which a person can influence and impose their will on the other; its counterterm, submission, refers to the degree to which a person gives up influence or yields to the wishes of the other. I think it is important to keep in mind that dominance itself is determined by the submissive response of others. Moreover, as Burgoon, Johnson, and Koch (1998) pointed out, â€Å"While power enables the display of dominance, and dominant behavior may solidify power—though correlated—dominance and power are not interchangeable concepts† (p. 10). According to Miller-Day (2004), when NCC occurs the relational member who has higher status or more power in the relationship (e. g. , parent, teacher, boss, or romantic partner) would be dominant in imposing, rather than cooperatively negotiating, meaning in the relationship. Moreover, as one person’s power to determine meanings increases, the other person’s decreases, this then leads to an unstable situation in which the importance of one partner’s interpretive frame outweighs the partner’s. Weighted Proportion of Meaningfulness The second characteristic of necessary convergence occurs when one partner submits to the unequal distribution in the power to construct meanings in interaction. Dominance requires submission. Consequently, when a lower-status partner submits, she or he affords the dominant partner’s meanings more weight—more significance—in the transaction. Developmentally, as most individuals begin to acquire personal authority they naturally become differentiated from parents and others in their life, even as they remain emotionally connected (Nadien Denmark, 1999). However, as adults form unique relational cultures, they will develop new connections with others. Some times these relationships are purely social and require accommodation of meanings for social management purposes; for example, in the classroom where a professor does not encourage critical thinking but mandates rote memorization and resists any challenge of information. In this case, students are required to accommodate the professors meanings into his or her own understanding (and repeat that on the exam! ). Anyone who has ever been in a classroom with one of these instructors may empathize with students placed in a setting where there is a low tolerance for differentiation in thinking among members. But the case of relational partners where one partner is dominant in most realms of the relationships and the other submissive, there is both a social and emotional connection between partners. In this case, the dominant partner will typically closely monitor any behaviors that signify the submissive partners movement toward differentiation (uniqueness outside the relationship), regardless if emotional ties remain undisturbed. If the less powerful partner resists the imposition of meaning and challenges her partners construction of meaning in the dyadic interaction, then necessary convergence communication has not occurred. It is the absence of resistance the convergencethat is a key feature of this kind of communication. According to NCC, the less powerful partner will be motivated to converge because he or she feels it is necessary. Motivation Motivation is a reason for action, an incentive. This theory argues that when there is a compelling reason for convergence, such as is to avoid undermining the relationship or to secure relational acceptance, there is increased motivation to converge with the higher-status partner. When acceptance in the relationship is perceived to be conditional on that convergence, then convergence is perceived as relationally adaptive and the lower-status partner is more likely to perceive convergence as necessary. Necessary convergence, then, might be viewed as a form of secondary control. According to Rosenberg (1990), â€Å"Secondary control is an attempt to accommodate to objective conditions in order to affect a more satisfying fit with those conditions† (p. 147). Although convergence tends not to be explicitly demanded, lower-status partners will perceive it as a condition for relational acceptance. Manipulation of resources in a relationship, such as support, regard, or inclusion, emerged as a significant contributor to asserting dominance in the family relationships observed by Miller-Day (2004). As a form of psychological control, higher-status family members offered and withheld these resources contingent on the convergence of the lower-status member. The manipulation of emotional resources, therefore, was used to assert psychological dominance with the provision or withdrawal of resources providing a compelling motivation for lower-status partner’s convergence. According to NCC, once convergence is perceived to be necessary, and one accommodates the dominant partners interpretive frame at the expense of ones own, two additional characteristics become important when assessing necessary convergence: degree and chronicity. Process Dimensions Degree. The relative intensity or amount of convergence in any given dyadic interaction is important to the process of NCC. The following illustration captures different degrees of convergence. Example: An adult woman and a friend are talking. The friend comments that she likes the womans new hairstyle, pulled up on her head with a hair clip. The woman comments that she likes the style too. Soon the adult womans mother walks into the room, looks at her adult daughter, and with a tone of disapproval says, What have you done to your hair? It looks awful† Under conditions of high convergence, the lower-status woman would change her hairstyle extensively as a result of her mother’s comment, converging with her mother’s interpretation that the style was indeed horrible and altering her original interpretation to â€Å"fit† more closely with her mother’s. If asked by another, she would explain that the hairstyle looked awful so she altered it. Under conditions of moderately high convergence, the lower-status woman would significantly change her hairstyle as a result of her mother’s comment, but just to please her mother or to reduce conflict. The lower-status woman would not alter her own interpretation to fit with her mother’s interpretation; she would merely accommodate the alternative interpretation. Under conditions of moderately low convergence, the lower-status woman might make minor alterations in the hairstyle to integrate both perceptions of what was attractive into one style. Finally, under conditions of low convergence, the lower-status woman might listen to her mother’s comment but keep the style anyway because she likes it. As Miller-Day (2004) comments, there are times when we all perceive that it is just easier, necessary, or politically astute to adjust our interpretations to others’ view of the world. However, when there is extensive accommodation and convergence, obliterating personal interpretative frames constitutive of self, this might negatively influence personal identity. Chronicity. Convergence may be chronic or the pattern of convergence may occur across time and contexts. When lower-status individuals experience repeated failures in negotiating meanings in transactions with a partner across time (e. . , across the life course) and contexts (e. g. , attitudes, values, behaviors), this may instill a generalized expectancy of learned helplessness and â€Å"giving in. † Miller-Days (2004) data revealed that women who chronically engaged in necessary convergence had an undefined sense of self and lower self-esteem than women who did not engage in convergence. When boundaries betwe en individuals blur in personal relationships, identities may become undefined and convergence communication becomes the modus operandi. Piagets (1972) theory of cognitive development points out that in normal development, both assimilation and accommodation processes are used simultaneously and alternately throughout life. Assimilation being the process of using or transforming the environment so that it can be placed in preexisting cognitive structures and accommodation being the process of changing cognitive structures in order to accept something from the environment. Necessary convergence communication offers an explanation for those interactions where accommodation becomes the primary means of making sense of the world. Theoretical Suppositions of Necessary Convergence Whereas theoretical assumptions are claims already supported in the research literature, suppositions are considered true or existing but not yet proved. Miller-Day (2004) provided the groundwork for this theory development and I seek to build on that by offering the following suppositions about NCC. I believe these suppositions may provide the necessary building blocks for theory development and offer future directions for empirical testing. Supposition #1 Interactants with more power (e. g. expert, legitimate, reward) in a dyadic social interaction will exert more influence in the construction of meaning than interactants with less power. Coordination of meaning involves power and control and according to this theory meanings can be hijacked. When both partners share moderate levels of power in the relationship, it would be predicted that they would enjoy the equilibrium and co-construction of meaningshared cognitions with a relativ ely high degree of match between symbol creation and interpretation. But most theories assume co-construction and equilibrium in sharing cognitions. According to NCC, we need to factor in power status of the interactants in the dyadic construction of meaning. Although studies exist that explore social stratification and power in terms of race, gender, and larger cultural hierarchies (see, e. g. , Altheide, 1995; Lyman, 1994), rarely do scholars explore interpersonal dominance and perceptions of status in their attempts to understand meaning construction. Supposition #2 Under conditions where there is disequilibrium—unequal power—in determining meanings in dyadic social interaction, both partners will afford the dominant partner’s meanings more significance. If one participant in the communication event is dominant in the dyad then it is predicted that connections between symbol and interpretations can be coerced, and the interpretations of the dominant partner are privileged in that communication event. Supposition #3 Converging with a higher-status partner’s assigned meanings will function to maintain the relational identity. The act of convergence is relationally adaptive. The act of convergence in any given interaction will serve to protect the entangled identity of the participants and function to maintain the relational status quo. Partners in dominant-submissive relationships will maintains their relational culture through this patterns of responding to each others communicative actsby one requiring convergence and the other converging. Supposition #4 Among submissive partners, necessary convergence communication will be positively related to an undifferentiated self. Relationships demonstrate varying degrees of tolerance for intimacy and autonomy through interactions. In differentiated relationships partners are provided with autonomy, while maintaining respect and intimacy. In undifferentiated relationships boundaries are regulated, with high demands for connectedness, and ultimately impeding individual identity (Skowron Schmitt, 2003; Skowron, 2005). Supposition #5 The manipulation of emotional resources by the dominant partner in relationship with an undifferentiated partner will positively predict necessary convergence communication. It is posited that a communication partner who encourages emotional and psychological dependence through the manipulation of emotional resources (e. g. , love, acceptance) will also coerce a high degree of convergence in the communicative interaction. Respectively, a communication partner who is undifferentiated and submits to the dominant partner will perceive that convergenceor a shared interpretationis necessary to maintain the relationship. Supposition #6 The more chronic and the greater the degree of convergence, the more likely the submissive partner will have a generalized expectancy of learned helplessness predicting increased risk for depression. The theory of learned helplessness (Seligman, 1975) offers a model to explain human depression in which apathy and submitting to more dominant others prevails, causing the person to fully rely on others. This can result when life experiences cause the individual to understand that their own cognitions are irrelevant. Summary This essay introduced necessary convergence communication as a theoretical framework to help explain how meanings can be hijacked by others in interpersonal relationships. Under certain conditions it is predicted that dominant members in interpersonal relationships may be able to control the coordination of meaning in the relationship, subverting the interpretations of the submissive communication partner. Outlining characteristics of NCC (equilibrium, weighted proportion of meaningfulness, and motivation), two process dimensions (degree and chronicity), and posing 6 testable suppositions about NCC, this essay argues that this mid-range theory may be useful in understanding intersubjectivity and interactivity in dyadic social interaction where one partner is dominant and the other submissive. Whether that partnership is interpersonal or relational, there are implications for this kind of communication in understanding interpersonal influence and possibly even mental health outcomes such as depression. Future Directions There are criteria by which theories are judged to be effective. According to Shaw and Costanzo (1970) and Wright (1998), the following criteria may be used for evaluating theories and future research should examine this theoretical framework to assess if it meets these criteria. First, there is explanatory power—do the suppositions of the NCC theoretical framework enable scholars to explain as much of the communication phenomenon as possible? Next, is the theoretical model parsimonious—does it contain as few suppositions as possible, is it as simple as it can be? Is NCC internally consistent, that is, do the suppositions contradict each other? Does NCC have heuristic potential; does it suggest hypotheses to be tested through additional research? Finally, does NCC promote new understanding and have societal value? This essay outlines the features of NCC and proposes suppositions for empirical testing. Future research should test these suppositions with the potential to falsify and/or delimit this theoretical framework.