The U.S. Presidents and Their Era

Learning the list of U.S. presidents -- in order  -- is an elementary school activity. Most everyone remembers the most important and best presidents, as well as those that served in wartime. But many of the rest are forgotten in the fog of memory or vaguely remembered but cant be placed in the right time frame. So, quick, when was Martin Van Buren president? What happened during his tenure? Gotcha, right? Heres  a refresher course on this fifth-grade subject that includes the 45 U.S. presidents as of January 2017, along with the defining issues of their eras.   U.S. Presidents 1789-1829 The earliest presidents, most of whom are considered to be Founding Fathers of the United States, are usually the easiest to remember. Streets, counties, and cities are named after all of them across the country. Washington is called the father of his country for good reason: His ragtag Revolutionary army beat the British, and that made the United States of America a country. He served as the countrys first president, guiding it through its infancy, and set the tone. Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, expanded the country tremendously with the Louisiana Purchase. Madison, the father of the Constitution, was in the White House during the War of 1812 with the British (again), and he and wife Dolley had to famously escape the White House as it was burned by the British.  These early years saw the country carefully begin to find its way as a new nation. George Washington (1789-1797)John Adams (1797-1801)Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)James Madison (1809-1817)James Monroe (1817-1825)John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) U.S. Presidents 1829-1869 This period of U.S. history is marked by the searing controversy of slavery in the Southern states and compromises that tried -- and ultimately failed -- to solve the problem. The Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 all sought to deal with this issue, which inflamed passions both North and South. These passions ultimately erupted in secession and then the Civil War, which lasted from April 1861 to April 1865, a war that took the lives of 620,000 Americans, almost as many as in all other wars fought by Americans combined. Lincoln is, of course, remembered by all as the Civil War president trying to keep the Union intact, then guiding the North throughout the war and then attempting to bind up the nations wounds, as stated in his Second Inaugural Address. Also, as all Americans know, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth just after the war ended in 1865. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)William H. Harrison (1841)John Tyler (1841-1845)James K. Polk (1841-1849)Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)James Buchanan (1857-1861)Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)Andrew Johnson (1865-1869) U.S. Presidents 1869-1909 This period, which stretches from just after the Civil War until the early part of the 20th century, was marked by Reconstruction, including the three Reconstruction Amendments (13, 14 and 15), the rise of the railroads, westward expansion, and wars with Native Americans in the areas where American pioneers were settling. Events like the Chicago Fire (1871), the first run of the Kentucky Derby (1875) the Battle of Little Big Horn (1876), the Nez Perce War (1877), the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge (1883), the Wounded Knee Massacre (1890) and the Panic of 1893 define this era. Toward the end, the Gilded Age made its mark, and that was followed by the populist reforms of Theodore Roosevelt, which brought the country into the 20th century. Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)James A. Garfield (1881)Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)William McKinley (1897-1901)Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) U.S. Presidents 1909-1945 Three momentous events dominated this time period: World War I, the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II. Between World War I and the Great Depression came the Roaring 20s, a time of immense social change and huge prosperity, which all came to a screeching halt in October 1929, with the crash of the stock market. The country then plunged into a somber decade of extremely high unemployment, the Dust Bowl on the Great Plains and many home and business foreclosures. Virtually all Americans were affected. Then in December 1941, the Japanese bombed the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor, and the U.S. was drawn into World War II, which had been wreaking havoc in Europe since the fall of 1939. The war caused the economy to finally turn up. But the cost was high: World War II took the lives of more than 405,000 Americans in Europe and the Pacific. Franklin D. Roosevelt was president from 1932 to April 1945, when he died in office. He steered the ship of state through two of these traumatic times and left an enduring mark domestically with New Deal legislation. William H. Taft (1909-1913)Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) U.S. Presidents 1945-1989 Truman took over when FDR died in office and presided over the end of World War II in Europe and the Pacific, and he made the decision to use atomic weapons on Japan to end the war. And that ushered in whats called the Atomic Age and the Cold War, which continued until 1991 and the fall of the Soviet Union. This period is defined by peace and prosperity in the 1950s, the assassination of Kennedy in 1963, civil rights protests and civil rights legislative changes, and the Vietnam War. The late 1960s were particularly contentious, with Johnson taking much of the heat over Vietnam. The 1970s brought a watershed constitutional crisis in the form of Watergate. Nixon resigned in 1974 after the House of Representatives passed three articles of impeachment against him. The Reagan years brought peace and prosperity as in the 50s, with a popular president presiding. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)Richard M. Nixon (1969-1974)Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977)Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) U.S. Presidents 1989-2017 This most recent era of American history is marked by prosperity but also by tragedy: The attacks of Sept.11, 2001, on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and including the lost plane in Pennsylvania took 2,996 lives and was the deadliest terrorist attack in history and the most horrific attack on the U.S. since Pearl Harbor. Terrorism and Mideast strife have dominated the period, with wars being fought in Afghanistan and Iraq soon after 9/11 and ongoing terrorism fears throughout these years. The 2008 financial crisis was the worst in the U.S. since the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929. George H. W. Bush (1989-1993)Bill Clinton (1993-2001)George W. Bush (2001-2009)Barack Obama (2009-2017)Donald Trump (2017- )

Values and Morals through Native American Myths and Tales Free Essays

Values in Native American Tales Throughout all forms of Native American tales and myths we see many values and aspects portrayed by the Native American people. In the myths that are read, the reader can easily pick off and single off values that the Native American people truly saw were thoroughly important in their time and society. The Native American people believed in many aspects which were usually considered important values for people to possess. We will write a custom essay sample on Values and Morals through Native American Myths and Tales or any similar topic only for you Order Now The thing about Native American myths and tales that is found astonishing is the fact that these stories are most likely improbable but regardless of hat, these stories still depict great human qualities that everyone should have. Native American myths capture the culture and values of the society in which it was produced with the morals involving love and friendship, the relationship between humans and animals and trust and loyalty. Firstly, in opinion one of the biggest values told by the Native Americans has indeed have to be love and friendship. There are several appearances of these two morals throughout the myths, this indicates that the Native Americans did in fact see these values as quite important. Right off the bat, we see in the first story â€Å"The Earth on Turtle’s Back† the animals in the story see the women and instantly try to care for and make sure the women is safe, â€Å"We must do something to help her† this shows somewhat of a base for the love the animals radiate toward the women. As the story progresses we also see quotes such as, â€Å"Look, she doesn’t have webbed feet. I don’t think she can live in the water. † This is also another form showing love and friendship because Native Americans are extremely caring toward one another, even if that life form isn’t even of the same species. Also in the myth â€Å"Iroquois Constitution† we see quotes such as, miour heart shall be filled with peace and good will and your mind filled with yearning for the welfare of the people of the confederacy. † If Native Americans pledge to live peacefully and become a part of the confederacy they will have unity, or friendship with each other. On the other hand, love and friendship are not the only values truly seen in these myths, another big one would have to be the relationship between humans and animals. Relating back to the tale â€Å"The Earth on Turtle’s Back† it is easily seen that there is a strong relationship etween the animals and the human. â€Å"l have heard that there is Earth far below the waters. If we dive down and bring up Earth, she will have a place to stand. † This shows how the animals saw how helpless the women was and knew they had to help her. Also in the tale â€Å"When Grizzlies walked Upright† the daughter of the sky chief accidently gets caught up with the grizzlies and the Mother Grizzly watches out for and protects the daughter. Also as the story advances the daughter actually marries one of the grizzlies, â€Å"When she became a young woman she and the eldest son of the rizzly bears were married. † In the story the bear and the daughter got married, this is a very straightforward point shown that Native Americans thoroughly believed in the relationship between humans and animals. Finally, the last value strongly represented throughout the myths is the aspects ot trust and loyalty. This is one ot the only aspects that in a way was executed in each of the myths. In â€Å"When the Grizzlies Walked Upright† the Mother Bear makes a loyal decision to send one of the grizzlies to tell the Chief where the daughter was, â€Å"Then she sent her eldest randson in a cloud to the top of Mount Shasta to tell the spirit chief where he could find his long-lost daughter. The Mother Bear was so loyal to the chief that even knowing the chief would be rather angered, a grizzly was still sent to spread awareness of the lost daughter. The tale of â€Å"The Navajo Origin Legend† shows trust, even though it may not seem at first. In the story the people are practicing a ceremony where the people have to trust their elders, â€Å"Then they told the people to stand at a distance and allow the wind to enter. † The people have to trust the elders nd listen to them in order for the ceremony to work properly. But like what was stated, all stories give off the general idea that everyone should accept the values of trust and loyalty. Such how in the â€Å"Iroquois Constitution† all of the states have to have trust in the constitution and pay loyalty to one another. In â€Å"The Earth on Turtle’s Back† the animals have to have trust in each other that one of the animals will in fact bring up the Earth. In conclusion, it is easily seen that there are several aspects and values that the Native Americans want people to accept and live by. By reading these myths and stories, it really does give us an in-depth idea of how the Native American people wanted people to act and treat one another. In almost every tale ever told by the Native Americans there is something to take from it, the Native Americans truly wanted everyone in this world to be good, genuine people. Although there are so many aspect presented by these people, it’s hard to single out which are considered the most important. From reading the stories though, one can conclude that the three main aspects given to us involve love and friendship, the relationship between How to cite Values and Morals through Native American Myths and Tales, Papers

None Provided8 Analysis Essay Example For Students

None Provided8 Analysis Essay What do we think of when we hear the word sweatshop? Many people associate that word with female immigrant workers, who receive very minimal pay. The work area is very dangerous to your health and is extremely unsanitary work place. The work area is usually overcrowded. That is the general stereotype, in my eyes of a sweatshop. All if not more of these conditions were present in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. This company was located in New York City at 23-29 Washington Place, in which 146 employees mainly women and girls lost their lives to a disastrous fire. A superficial examination revealed that conditions in factories and manufacturing establishments that developed a daily menace to the lives of the thousands of working men, women, and children (Cornell 29). Lack of precautions to prevent fire, inadequate fire-escape facilities, unsanitary conditions were undermining the health of the workers. The need for an investigation was starting to be recognized. The hazards to life because of fire are: covering fire prevention, arrangement of machinery, fire drills, inadequate fire-escapes and exits, number of persons employed in factories and lofts, etc. Some of the dangers to life and health because of unsanitary conditions are: ventilation, lighting and heating arrangement, hours of labor, etc. There was no insulation in the winter, only a pot-bellied stove in the middle of the factory. In the summer you suffocated with practically no ventilation. There was no drinking water, except maybe a tap is in the hall, which was warm and dirty. New York is the first state in the Union to authorize a general investigation of the conditions in manufacturing establishments within its borders. According to the preliminary report of the census of 1910, there were 1,003,981 men, women, and children employed in the factories and manufacturing establishments of New York State. New York has already expended great sums of money to conserve its natural resources. The conservation of human life, the most valuable of all things, has received but little attention. Fires and industrial accidents are fortunately only occasional and extraordinary events. Their effects are visible and immediate so they are impressed forcibly upon our minds.The Triangle Shirtwaist Company was in a fireproof loft building that was about 150 feet high, and it is about 12 stories in height. These buildings are usually of such a height that the Fire Department ladders and extensions and even the water towers do not reach the upper stories. While the fireproof building itself will not burn, the merchandise, wooden floors, and contents will burn. All fire experts assume that when a fire occurs on any one floor, the contents of that floor will be destroyed. Ladders can not reach over eighty feet high; therefore people must try the stairways or fire escapes to get out of the building. The fire escape was a lone ladder running down a rear narrow court, which was smoke filled, one narrow door gave access to the ladder (Boston, Bedford 1998). The conditions and reasons for death of many women in that fire was mainly overcrowded, unsafe, sweatshop conditions. The Honorable Walter L. Fischer, Secretary of the Interior, in an address before the Fifteenth Annual Meeting of the National Fire Protection Association, states that the situation admirably:If the Government should suddenly lay an annual tax of $5. 21 on every man, woman and child in the United States on a promise of spending the money for some useful purpose, that promise would not avail against the storm of protest which would be aroused. Nevertheless, a tax which in the aggregate amounts to that is being paid by the people of this country. It is the annual fire loss of the nation upon buildings and their contents alone. It is expended not in productive enterprise, but in death and destruction, and an even larger sum is annually expended upon fire protection and insurance premiums. .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .postImageUrl , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:hover , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:visited , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:active { border:0!important; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 { 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; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:active , .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .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; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660 .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u355cd6fef8f16a8be6e4ef4712268660:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Trade Secrets Essay Not only is this property loss paid by our people, but also, in addition, annually 1,500 persons give up their lives, and nearly 6,000 are injured in fires. Possibly in no other direction is the national habit of waste more clearly exemplified than in the comparative indifference with which we permit such a sacrifice. In no other civilized country are conditions so bad as they are here. It seems ridiculous that a people so apt and so eager to seek out and destroy the mysterious and hidden enemies of mankind should be so slow and sluggish in fighting a foe so plainly in sight and so readily vanquished. We have let the world in seeking out the causes of pestilence and removing them. We are in the very vanguard of the battle against tuberculosis, typhoid and yellow fever, and still we stand apart and let older nations lead the fight against an enemy much more easily conquered.(Cornell 28)In conclusion, I found the sweatshops and the conditions leading up to the fire the most interesting. How could people work in those conditions? I find that this sweatshop is not much different from a modern day sweatshop. The people are working in the same poor conditions for minimal wages. This is one of the most horrific tragedies in United States history, and hopefully now the work environments are improving greatly.Bibliography:

blog Essays - Business, Customer Experience Management, Marketing

Dissatisfaction can be thoroughly seen in the faces of consumers nowadays. ?Customer complaints now seem to outnumber the heart-warming stories about companies going above and beyond. The same survey found that people frequently complained about having to speak with too many representatives before an issue was addressed: about company staff failing to take responsibility for customer satisfaction, and allowing bureaucratic policies to get in the way of satisfactory solutions.?(Driggs, 2009) Lack of understanding of firms from the demands of their customers and their deficiency in having dynamic ability to become accustomed to it agitate customers. The problems in buying products in market are the lack of quality service, strategic decisions, and failure to recognize the relevance of customer complaints. First of all, the lack of quality in the service provided by the company employees and representatives causes exasperation. This shows lack of knowledge in producer-consumer interaction which can be seen from the smallest to the biggest forms of business. I have come across many local stores in malls and bazaars such as those in Divisoria that have been swarmed with number of complaints. This signal that they must start to pay attention needed in conveying high quality products and services and support for their customers. Such foci are needed to get the desirable customer response. The personnel who deal directly with the customers should be trained to have the expertise, comprehension, and skills to efficiently handle customers? protest. Lack of quality service entails another problem which is the utilization of data used in decision making process. Too much dependency on what has been researched in the past cannot fully determine the future of current business undertakings. In other words, adequate sources and proper trainings cannot solely guarantee a successful dealing with customer issues. People?s preference is vibrant; sticking to one program will never result in a precise comportment and will never be truly appreciated by buyers. These reasons will make consumers go to competitors for more convenient ways of getting what they want. Different concepts should be used to view displeased customers in a new light. The inability to recognize the relevance of customer complaints is even more of a dilemma in several business firms. It is not always a bad thing to have customer complaints because it is part of the research process of finding out the weakness of the products and services being offered. But the fact that these are not being acknowledged and properly conveyed to the appropriate people in the business will not lead them to a pure understanding of their company?s product. In an age of powerful consumers marketing researchers must understand how consumers think and behave. This is the only way to make them understand the value of the goods and services that you provide. Flexibility in strategies? use will make consumers understand the firm?s core marketing message and what makes it unique from other competing forces. Analyzing the root causes and having proper communication will help prevent significant market damage to business? relationship with their consumers. All in all, business must have the endeavor to see the whole picture of the consumers? experience. In which things should be done with an understanding in the right set of conditions and priority of consumers? preferences. I can truly see that stores which apply more of these notions are more trustworthy and certain of their customers? loyalty. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Driggs, Woody(2009). Your Customers want you to know them. The Tipping Point. www.destinationCRM.com

The role of bottom up and top down processes in visual perception Essays

The role of bottom up and top down processes in visual perception Essays The role of bottom up and top down processes in visual perception Paper The role of bottom up and top down processes in visual perception Paper Theories of perception tend to explain how the visual system operates in terms of two kinds of processes: bottom up, data driven ones, that are pre-attentive, and are a consequence of how the nervous system is structured and top down or concept driven processes which rely on experience, inference and expectations. Apart from the retina, the rest of the visual system has two way connections ( for example the interplay between the lateral geniculate nuclei and the visual cortex), and thus top down processing is an obvious implication of the manner in which the human anatomy is organised. Gestalt psychologists have described how we organise sensation to perceive separate objects: and have developed a number of rules for figure ground organisation. The basic laws of Gestalt are: proximity, similarity, closure, and good continuation. But physiological evidence for the internal existence of their laws (which they termed isomorphism and believed to be based on electrical fields in the brain) has not been found. Lashley et al (1951; cited in Eysenck, M. 1998) were unable to affect vision by disrupting the electrical fields in the cortex of monkeys. However, the grouping theories that they have described occur in perception even at short durations of less than 100 m/s, this suggests that they must be a bottom up process. Template theories suggest that copies of the objects are stored in the long term memory, which are matched against to produce pattern recognition. This theory is completely concept driven, and thus only those objects stored in memory can be seen and novel objects cannot be perceived at all. Since one object needs various templates to represent all the different shapes and sizes that result from viewing a 3D object, it requires an almost infinite numbers of templates to be stored, and accessed. Feature theorists solve the problem by breaking an image into basic features, which are compared with similar patterns in the memory. So called feature detectors, identified by Hubel and Weisel(1959, 1968) as single cortical cells, identify specific(simple) features in their receptive field such as curves, angles, or straight edges. Other complex cells respond to angles, or movement and process the information on a different level, each level adding another layer of sophistication to the visual stimulus. Typified by Selfridges pandemonium model, feature net models explain perception entirely in terms of data driven processes. They do not account for the complexity of a human environment, or explain the importance of context. Both approaches are unified in a bi-directional model of pattern recognition, such as that offered by Mcclelland, Rumelhart, and Hinton (1986; cited in Gleitman 1999). This system offers answers where there is ambiguity, and bi-directional inhibition of alternative detectors explains why priming effects result in faster reaction times. This model begins with a knowledge-driven hypothesis, which makes the visual system more sensitive to data from feature detectors. The important difference is that each level is capable of influencing any other level, in both directions, and thus the term parallel processing has be used. Thus when presented with the ambiguous dalmation figure figure, data driven processing alone is not able to organise the stimulus into a recognisable pattern, but after being told what to look for, the task is easily solved. A major achievement of our visual system is the creation of a three dimensional reality, from a flat retinal image. Depth cues describe how this is achieved. There is evidence to suggest that depth cues in simpler animals such as salamanders is innate (see Spery, 1943; cited in Coren et al, 1994). Visual cliff experiments show that depth cues are used by a wide range of very young animals (Walk and Gibson, 1961; cited in Gleitman, 1999). Binocular depth perception has been found in humans as young as four months( Granrud, 1986; cited in Coren et al 1994). However, depth perception is improved, as with dark reared kittens, through learning during sensitive periods in an animals development (see Tees, 1974; cited in Coren et al, 1994). Monocular or pictorial depth cues such as occlusion and familiar size offer information about relative distances in the world around us. Since these cues are learned they must be examples of top down processes. As evidence of this Turnbull (1961; cited in Chandler.) found that forest dwelling pygmies, unused to environments requiring long range depth perception, applied size constancy only over short distances. They interpreted a far off herd of buffalo as insects. Other learned cues are texture gradients, height in the plane, linear and aerial perspective Binocular depth cues are now believed to be physiological. These include accommodation, convergence, retinal size and stereopsis. Julesz (1959) illustrated that the visual system is able to reconstruct three dimensional perception from random dot stereograms , in the absence of any other depth cues. This occurs when the visual system is able to match and fuse the disparate images in each retina. In other words, stereopsis produces form and not the other way around. In support of this Bishop and Pettigrew (1986; cited in Coren et al, 1994) located disparity tuned detectors in the in the visual cortex of cats. Marr and Poggio (1976) solved the matching problem of how the visual system is able to match which element in each eyes view belong together, and how alternative fusional possibilities are eliminated. Evidence of neurons that respond to crossed (near) and uncrossed (far) disparities have been found in monkeys (Poggio and Fischer, 1997; cited in coren et al, 1994). Their computational theory illustrates the level of complexity that an automatic and bottom up process is capable of, and led the way for developments in object recognition. Their model of object recognition allows for a 3 dimensional representation that is independent of the observers viewpoint. Earlier models such as template matching theories were confounded by the enormous variation that any one object has in three dimensions. It is important to note that various depth cues may be used at once, and the effectiveness of a particular cue will be determined by its reliability in the past. Ittleson (1951; cited in Coren et al, 1994) presented participants with different sized playing cards in a dark room. Since all other depth cues were lacking the largest cards were perceived as being closer, thus illustrating how retinal size was interpreted in terms of past experience (familiar size). Our ability to combine depth cues then is learned. Biedermans Geon theory of object recognition (1987, 1990) is a development of computational theories. It reduces the information about the components of a visual object to 36 basic shapes or Geons, which are matched in the long term memory. The success of the theory relies on the understanding of non-accidental properties, those aspects of a perception that do not change as we look at an object from a different angles (for example symmetry, parallel lines, curvature). Biedermans theory explains object recognition as consisting of various processes. Thus patients with visual agnosia are able to recognise each separate aspect of an object: a brush made of handle and bristles, but are incapable of organising the features into a recognisable whole. However, the theory relies on bottom up processes and does not explain the importance of context in object recognition. This was illustrated by Bruner et al (1951; cited in Eysenck, M. 1998) who found that hypotheses or expectations (top down processes) might influence perception of colour. Thus playing cards of irregular colours, such as black hearts, were reported as brown or purple. The implication is that bottom up processing is used in optimal viewing conditions, and supplemented by top down processes, in less than optimal viewing conditions. Gregory (1970, 1980) a constructivist, used the Muller-Lyer illusion to illustrate how context might be applied to perception, in this case in terms of misapplied size constancy. He suggests that the line that appears as longer reminds us of the inside corner of a room, thus we interpret it as further away than the other figure. Since the retinal images are the same size, the visual system mistakenly infers that the line on the right must be bigger. Experiments reported in 1966 by Segall, Campbell and Herskovitz (cited in Chandler) suggested that the Mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ller-Lyer illusion may be absent or reduced amongst people who grow up in right-angle free environments. This would indeed be evidence for knowledge driven influence on perception. However, Gross (1992; cited in Eysenck,M. 1998) found the same illusory effect when the arrows were replaced with other shapes, that could not represent the 3D corners. Helmholtz, and later Gregory (1978) and Rock (1983) exemplify the Intelligent Perception approach. In their view, visual perception of space goes beyond the image itself to include previous experience and habitual cognitive processing strategies. The main problem with the constructivist approach is that many of the top down effects described are produced in a lab, under brief exposure in conditions removed from everyday life. As Tulving et al (1964; cited in Gleitman, 1999) found, top down processing is important under ambiguous circumstances, such as brief exposure of a stimulus, where bottom up processes are reduced in effectiveness. But we would expect that perception would be inaccurate much more of the time, if expectation plays such an important role. This just isnt the case in everyday life. Gibsons direct perception approach is a bottom up ecological theory, which suggests that automatic higher-order patterns between such elements as size, shape and distance remain the same as we move around, and are used to produce a coherent view of the world. They explain the phenomena of size and shape constancy. Thus, although the size of the retinal image may change as we move closer to the visual stimulus, other relationships between visual elements are invariant. However,Size constancy can be found even when other relationships between object and background such as texture cues are absent from the visual scene. Also, as distance cues are reduced, size constancy is also reduced, (see Holway and Boring, 1947; cited in Gleitman, 1999). Favouring one process over another in perception, as reflected in the opposition between constructivist and direct perception theories is too limiting to explain all of the evidence. Innate components exist and are important, but to achieve high levels of visual functioning, these components must mature, and experience allows this to happen. Both processes may occur together, or in sequence, but both must occur. The idea that perception is immediate and begins with primitive features has been investigated in the work of Treisman through Feature Integration Theory. She suggests that primitive features do not have to be analysed or located, they jump in to perception effortlessly. Measuring response times in visual search tasks, differences in shape, colour, orientation and direction of movement embedded in a display, are perceived very quickly. Thus a single letter O embedded in a display of many Vs can be perceived as fast as a single O between only two Vs. This indicates that the visual system doesnt have to inspect every detail to determine whether it has relevant properties and implies that this process is pre-attentive. However, perception of a collection of features is not as immediate, and when presented with features such as a colour and a letter simultaneously for 200 m/s, certain illusory conjunctions were apparent: letters were identified, but their colours were often confused or swapped (see Treismann and Gelade, 1980; cited in Gleitman, 1999). Thus indicating that coordinating several features in a stimulus requires a discrete step that occurs after that of feature identification. This stage requires active focal attention. Importantly, the process is independent of the stimulus, and involves selecting a locus in space, and integrating the features there into a perceptual object. Feature integration is less prone to error when we know which objects to expect. This aspect of the process involves attention, which is an important conceptually driven aspect of perception.

Managing change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing change - Essay Example Clearly, there is a separation of vision within the executive leadership group mandating an immediate necessity to unify this group by way of establishing a singular strategic goal for securing the banks continued growth and obtaining policies which enhance internal productivity. A common purpose derived of senior-level unity of vision is a missing element from the organizational climate and this level of division is having a profound trickle down effect on the banking staff which further creates a disorganized and uncertain culture. Further, the rigid top-down leadership hierarchy of command established within the bank prevents empowering staff to utilize their vast skills through self-managed contributions. The breakdown of communication in the Australian Regional Bank can best be defined in the organizations lack of development regarding customer relationship management and this collapse of communication is impacting productivity on all levels. Despite the banks history of substantial successes, radical change in terms of internal practice is proposed in order to move forward as a cohesive business entity. Developing a common purpose within the executive leadership group should be recognized as a primary objective in order to establish a clear path forward in terms of how the company intends to sustain growth in its industry. While some new executives continue to resist the direction proposed by the Chief General Manager, others are attempting to mimic opposing successes established in the executives previous career position. This division amongst leadership is substantially visible to the bank employees, creating a sense of confusion, doubt, and mistrust in terms of perceived manager/employee relationships. Lack of management visibility and support, especially for companies experiencing a transitional phase, will directly affect employees perceptions about whether or not the company is well-managed (Boles & Sunoo, 1998). Faith in

Do We Need More or Less Regulation Research Paper

Do We Need More or Less Regulation in the Internet - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the United States is the top-ranked country with the highest host density1in cyberspace, ranked at 65.3%. It is a country that allows a high degree of competition to its new users, and so carries a great deal of responsibility on its shoulders. More importantly, in the US, IP telephony is unregulated because it is considered to be an information service. And given the high population of the internet community of the United States, regulation is not only a recommendation but a valid requirement. Unless properly regulated, the trends of internet usage promise a disastrous picture in the long run for the United States - both economically as well as socially. Socially, because the United States legislation, known for its strict regulatory framework on the international front, would prove to be a negligible threat to the ever-increasing community of Internet hackers, thieves, virus-creators, and so on. However, the economic numbers are far mo re intimidating. Hacking costs the United States economy close to $400 million every year2. Given the ever-multiplying community of internet unscrupulous minds, this number is a cause for grave concern. This dangerous figure of $400 million is the testimony to the fact that the security of cyberspace in the United States stands dangerously exposed, and unless serious steps are taken to amend the prevailing situation, cyberspace faces the risk of unscrupulous domination in the years to come. We live in a digital age. Most of our world is comprised of data and bytes instead of flesh and blood. In such a case, the need for internet regulation becomes imperative. The lack of internet regulation will lead to a state of cyber anarchy, a state of complete lawlessness where we will have no one else to blame except ourselves. The time has come for us to decide which is more important to us: Digital safety or artificial freedom. The main reason for internet regulation is its great influence o n our life - whether it is starting a business, getting legal advice, understanding the theory of relativity, or doing some jewelry shopping. The internet's presence is all-pervasive. For the sake of our expressions and thoughts, we prefer blogs (online internet diaries) instead of conventional methods (it is claimed that there are over 14 million blogs on the internet and one blog is created every half a second!). For starting a business, we prefer an online business as compared to the traditional brick-and-mortar. And for buying something, we prefer e-bay to the store on Regent Street. Yes, the internet has given us what we always wanted - absolute freedom. But is freedom all that is required Unless there is a sense of responsibility accompanying it, freedom will be a synonym of lawlessness. And in the present circumstances, we are witnessing a dangerous event of cyber anarchy. Just like anything else, the internet is to be used in a responsible manner.