ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Cognitive development is concerned with how thinking processes flow from childhood through adolescence to adulthood by involving mental processes such as remembrance, problem solving, and decision-making. It therefore focuses on how people perceive, think, and evaluate their world by invoking the integration of genetic and learned factors. Hence, cognitive development mainly concentrates on “areas of information processing, intelligence, reasoning, language development, and memory” (Kendler, 1995, p.164). In essence, cognitive development theory reveals how people think and how thinking changes over time. The basic premises of cognitive development theory The premises of cognitive development theory largely allow future investigation to amplify, specify, and modify them according to data trends. These premises frame the theory in a way that it addresses the structure, working, and progress of the system that governs discrimination learning. Primarily, the theory is based on observable behaviors and indirectly defined theoretical constructs. These constructs assume that psychological and neurological theorizing about cognitive development will gradually coalesce (Kendler, 1995). The premises take form of two different approaches that have been developed over the years. The first approach postulates that thinking is a universal sequence of stages, while the second approach postulates that people process information in a similar manner computers do (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2008, p.13). One of the best-known examples of the first approach is Piaget’s theory of development that explains how children construct their knowledge, and how the format of their knowledge changes over time. The second approach is exemplified by Information processing theory that focuses on how computers work to explain thinking and its development through childhood and adolescence. The cognitive development theory has application in various areas such as works of Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), both being very popular quick assessments of an individual’s functioning (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2008). Discussion of Piaget Theory and Vygotsky Theory on Intelligence Development The next part of this paper will be a discussion of the works of Piaget and Vygotsky, including comparison and contrast of their views on various aspects of cognitive development theory. Jean Piaget was one of the most influential developmental psychologists of the 20 th century, who believed that children naturally ma
Introduction and thesis statement The most crucial skills required of managers in are interpersonal communications skills which include teamwork and working effectively with culturally diverse individuals with a positive attitude (Vice and Carness, 2001). Research confirms that some of the most valuable and desirable skills among employees is the ability to interact with and relate to other employees at the workplace which are among the top rated skills leaving behind technical skills and expertise (Rubin & Morreale, 1996). As such, it is extremely crucial for employees to develop their “soft skills” which among other skills include specific desired characteristic traits of good manners, the willingness to help and commit to tasks by assuming responsibility, the ability to be adaptable to change and distinct personalities, working in a tem for effectiveness and the building of positive relationships based on trust and good will for enhanced outcomes (Marshall, Patton, & Stocker, 1999). This paper primarily aims to reflect upon my personal experiences of working in a group of four individuals to create a group presentation. The reflection will enable me to analyse the extent of positivity or negativity in the course of my interpersonal interactions with my peers, which will further enable me to reflect upon the importance of theories related to active listening skills, self disclosure, gender roles, leadership, decision making, conflict resolution and the distinct stages of development which occurred during the course of the presentation. The paper will function to provide me with valuable insight regarding my strengths and abilities of functioning in a group and those personal aspects which need improvement and development. Self disclosure The Interpersonal communication process between the members of my group was positive which was possible due to the effective use of self disclosure, a necessary factor to enable the communication between the distinct personalities of the group. The communication between group members began with the initial exchange of greetings and wishes followed by defining the group tasks. This enabled all the team members to voice their confidence, expectations, fears and apprehensions, which is a crucial aspect for the advancement of communication to occur and proceed smoothly. Popularly termed as self disclosure, the inter exchange of ideas and feelings which enable self revelations which in turn facilitates greater understanding of one another among team members. Such self disclosure also assists the development and progress of functionality to an advanced level (Solano and Dunman, 1985). Self disclosure is believed to have a highly positive impact on the effectiveness of communication (Duran, 1983). Communication skills associated with self disclosure include open mindedness, interactive communication and message skills (Ruben 1976, 1977). Research confirms that self disclosure is an important factor in the communication process which enhances interaction between team memb
Abstract In the last two decades, employers have used workplace surveillance to monitor their employees. The methodology employed in the study of the perspectives of various stakeholders in the labor industry involved a review of secondary sources of data. The labor process theory was used to analyze the stakeholders’ perspectives. The findings indicates that controlling workers’ activities as opposed to ensuring workers’ security is the main objective of workplace surveillance. The labor process theory indicates that workplace surveillance enhances modern management strategies which utilize elements of scientific management (West, 2005, p. 23). Thus workplace surveillance is a matter of control that leads to invasion of privacy. Introduction Workplace surveillance refers to the strategies used by employers to “monitor the activities of their employees” (Ariss, 2002, pp. 553-558). It mainly involves observing the working area and employees’ activities or listening to workers in a secretive manner. The observation or monitoring is done with the help of electronic gadgets such as cameras, wiretaps, computers and microphones. Employers mainly use workplace surveillance to promote high productivity, control the use of resources, prevent theft and ensure workers’ safety (Ariss, 2002, pp. 553-558). However, its use often facilitates great control over the labor force. Besides, it leads to violation of workers’ privacy rights if misused. This has led to the debate as to whether workplace surveillance is a tool for ensuring workers’ safety or a tool for control and violation of workers’ privacy rights. This paper supports the premise that workplace surveillance is a control technique and an invasion of privacy. The views of various stakeholders in regard to workplace surveillance will be illuminated and evaluated using the labor process theory. Methodology The findings of this paper are based on qualitative research on workplace surveillance. The topic was studied through analysis of secondary sources of data. This involved conducting a literature review on the reports of previous research works on the topic. Other sources of secondary data included journals, labor industry reports, newspaper reports and information available on websites of labor unions. The information obtained from these sources was used to evaluate the views of workers concerning workplace surveillance. It was also used to assess the role of workplace surveillanc
Auburn Local Government area is located 20 kilometers in the west of the Sydney Central Business District. It covers an area of 31 KM 2 . Its boundaries include “Parramatta Road and Duck River in the north and west, Homebush Bay and Powell’s Creek to the east and the Sydney Water Supply Line to the South” (Auburn Council, 2009, p.1). Auburn has common boundaries with other local government areas which include Parramatta, Concord, Bankstown, and Strathfield and encompasses the suburbs of “Auburn, Berala, Homebush Bay, Lidcombe, Newington, Regents Park, Rookwood and Silverwater” (Auburn Council, 2009, p.1). [Map is found in the Appendix]. Auburn’s population as at 30 June 2009 was 76, 519 persons. Out of this population, there are 39,763 male people and 36,756 females (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2010). This region has been experiencing a high population growth, especially in the course of the last ten years. It is pointed out that, “as an older, well-established area, Auburn’s population has increased due to substantial development in the suburbs of Newington and Homebush Bay as well as the redevelopment of areas such as Regents Park with increasing residential densities” (Auburn Council, 2009, p.1). It is projected that by the year 2021, Auburn’s population will be approximately 92,523 people and this follows the expectations that the population growth rate per year will stand at 1.4 percent. In the contrary, the population growth rate of Sydney is projected to be 0.9 percent per year (Auburn Council, 2009). The Auburn Local Government Area goes on to be among the LGAs that are most “culturally diverse” in Australia. It has the largest number of people who are “overseas born” as compared to the rest of Local Government Areas in NSW. Basing on the 2006 census, it was found out that about 53 percent of the inhabitants were born out of the country and originated from over one hundred nations. Among these nations, the first ten include; ‘China, Turkey, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Vietnam, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines” (Auburn Council, 2009, p.2). It was also found out that over 66 percent of the residents communicated using another language other than the English language at home. The other languages that were found to be spoken include “Arabic (11.1%), Cantonese (10.1%), Turkish (6.7%), Mandarin (6.6%), and Korean (3%)”(Auburn Council, 2009). Cultural diversity and
In today’s society, many people cannot differentiate between language and lexicon. Although the two are widely used by many people, it is quite interesting to note how the illiteracy of many when it comes to defining each one of them explicitly. Nevertheless, a few can differentiate the difference between lexicon and language. Language seems to be quite familiar among many people. After all, each person speaks a certain language confined within an ethnic or race or a minority group of people. Language is a mode under which information can be encoded and decoded at the same time. Nevertheless, language is a broad word comprising of many information recipes that together form language. From the nonprofessional’s point of view, language is a medium through which, people pass or exchange emotions, ideas, and opinions. Language varies from one place to another due to different cultures and sometimes, the generations of the day. Therefore, in simple terms, grammarians define language as the channeling of opinions and feelings mainly through capricious indications like gestures, sounds, or verbal ciphers. Psycholinguistics classifies language into two main categories. The first class of language is of course-spoken languages like English and French. The second class of languages comprises of written languages including the use of signs. On the other hand, cognitive psychologists do use the word language about an individual’s cognitive competence when it comes to language use and applications. On the other hand, the lexicon is more of an ingredient of language that language itself. Psycholinguistics define lexicon as a language rich of terminologies, words, and vocabularies forming lexemes- word actualizations. In addition to lexemes, lexicon follows linguistic rules like morpho-syntactic to induce a clear arrangement of vocabularies and words in somebody’s psyche. Lexicon has numerous advantages, especially in cognitive psychology. For example, under lexicon, different words forming a particular tense arrange according to lexical stipulations. Moreover, it introduces additional rules and language ingredients like suffixes and verbs to create a coherent language description. In most cases, lexicon consists of words from one type of language without mixing or characterization. (Aitchison, 2003, pp. 3-29). In cognitive psychology, language hence, lexicon forms the basis of understanding individuals’ background abilities. Cognitive psychologists analyze an individual’s language proficiency by referring to the lexical ability of that individual. In many occasions, an individual’s richness in vocabulary is only measurable through mental lexicon and language mastery. If an individual has wide mastery knowledge of vocabularies of a certain language say English, without
The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 came a few years after September 11 terror attacks. Saddam Hussein was accused of harboring Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and was also not ready to give up his pursuit for testing nuclear weapons. Saddam was later executed after the US forces took control of major spots in Iraq (Lyal 75). Critique/evaluation of the covert/overt COIN operation The Iraq offensive can be considered as one of the most heinous confrontations that the US has undertaken in the 21 st century (Herring 53). The occupation of Iraq and the subsequent assassination of Saddam Hussein could be considered as acts of atrocity because the alleged WMDs were never found as earlier alleged by the US. Secondly, Saddam was accused of accommodating international terrorists in Iraq and that he was closely cooperating with some of most wanted terror gangs such as the Al Qaeda. Whereas such claims were not substantiated after Iraq was taken over by the US forces, it is still surprising that the US forces are adamant to leave Iraq up to date due to the ‘fear of bloodbath that may take place in their absence’. This rhetoric has been used for almost nine years since the war in Iraq was concluded. It is understandable that governments across the world should forge a common front towards fighting acts of terror. Better still, manufacturing weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear bombs should be prohibited at all costs in order to safeguard the face of humanity. Needless to say, the effectiveness of the methods being used to combat such atrocious acts should also questioned. The security and humanitarian challenges being faced in the 21 st century demand terse and most efficient remedial solutions (Ikenberry 104). For example, the war agai
Morality is shaped by Religion Broadly put, religion and morality are two concepts that are often viewed as intertwined with each other. Religion is often associated with piety, which may be explained to imply a case where someone has to be prosecuted for the wrongs they have done. For example, any one who is guilty of committing either murder or sacrilege ought to be prosecuted for their crime whether they are young or old. Not doing this may be regarded as irreligious (Plato 6). In this vein, there should be a demarcation between what the person has done and aspects such as the relations or age of the individual. Their crime is what sets them apart as being irreligious and thus immoral. There is an idea whose nature determines whether someone is pious or impious. Put in other words, religion is closely associated with the gods and what they like and irreligion is attributed to what the gods detest. In the words of Plato, “Piety, then, is that which is dear to the gods and impiety is that which is not dear to them.” (Plato 8). Religion has its roots in gods who comprise of some traits such as hatred, enmities, and differences. Religion and morality are therefore related in a way. There are personal points of difference that call for respective solutions. Differences about magnitude are resolved through measurements and so forth. However, some differences make people not only angry at each other, but may also create enmity between them. This happens when the underlying issues causing differences are based on good and evil, justice and injustice, as well as respect and discredit. It is on this platform that people end up quarreling and differ with one another. Socrates put this in a better way in the sense that, “But what differences are there which cannot be thus decided, and which therefore make us angry and set us at enmity with one other? I dare say the answer does not occur to you at the moment, and therefore I will suggest that these enmities arise when the matters of difference are the just and unjust, good and evil, honourable and dishonourable. Are not these the points about which men differ, and about which when we are unable satisfactorily to decide our differences, you and I and all of us quarrel when we do quarrel?” (Plato 10). It is argued that the things that make men quarrel and differ with each other are also the same that make the gods behave in the same manner. Therefore, to some extent, there is correlation between the character and nature of gods and the morality of people. People’s way of doing things may be because of how they are influenced by the gods. It is further argued that the gods have different opinions regarding various aspects; for example, what may be loved by some may be hated by othe
In the year 1994, a group of police officers from the New York police department projected that crime prevention and order maintenance could be attained with ease through the adoption of an integrated problem-solving strategy (McDonald & Greenberg, 2002). Later that year, the police officers developed and implemented a crime strategy identified as COMPSTAT. The strategy makes use of information technology, operational approach, and managerial accountability to manage crime. This strategy utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify crime-prone areas. This article seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of COMPSTAT and other related information technology strategies in policing. COMPSTAT comprises of four basic information system functions. These functions are input, processing, output, and feedback. Input entails the collection of precise and appropriate crime information. Through this, the police departments can evaluate what type of crime is to occur, the scene of the crime, the time of the crime, and the causes of the crime. Precise and appropriate information is very vital for the efficiency of COMPSTAT strategy since responsive choices are to be made from them (Silverman, 2009). In this regard, input data should be credible. Sources of crime inputs include crime reports, crime scene photographs, and witness interviews. The next information system strategy employed by COMPSTAT is processing. Processing begins after the acquisition of timely and accurate information. This process entails the formation, development, and execution of crime mitigation policies to reduce the occurrence of the recognized crime. Having understood the recurring problems and their solutions from the experiences, police officers would be able to communicate and delegate duties to their juniors to ensure that the best solution is achieved. For processing strategies to be effective, commandants should delegate appropriate resources at all facets of the problem. The third information system strategy employed by COMPSTAT is output. The output comprises of rapid deployment strategies. After a problem has been recognized and suitable resources put together into a strategic plan, control personnel are supposed to deploy some personnel before their target leaves the crime scene. Since the adoption of the COMPSTAT process, rapid deployments have helped the police officers tackle crime incidents such as riots and active shooters. The last information strategy is feedback. Feedback involves follow up and assessment. This requires the commandants to review the impact of their strategic plan on the target. Regular follow-up meetings will come in handy for such needs. During this process, those in control will evaluate whether the plan met or accomplished the desired objective. If the goals were not met, relevant recommendations on whether to change or repeat the plan should be implemented. In the recent past, information systems have allowed police departments to respond and mitigate crime faster. Information systems have all
Biodiversity and sustainability have become some of the most disputable issues recently. Thus, researchers claim that despite some steps which are being undertaken to develop sustainable approach, these efforts are not enough. One of the articles in question reveals the necessity to develop a particular paradigm to address issues concerning biodiversity. It is stated that conservationists make far too many mistakes which lead to more problems in the field. Sustainable approach is seen to be more effective. Apart from contemplating the necessity to develop some paradigms, researchers also focus on successful examples of the use of sustainable approach. For instance, one of the articles provides particular examples of successful approaches chosen by people in Australia and Cuba. The researchers provide data which confirm that sustainable approach is more effective than mere conservation. The researchers argue that people can use various resources, but this use should be sustainable (people cannot exceed the maximum harvesting levels).Canadian and Cuban cases verify effectiveness of sustainable approaches. Another article also concentrates on the sustainable approach. However, the authors claim that it is essential that officials, scientists and manufacturers should cooperate with local people. For instance, one of the articles reveals successful paradigm chosen in Canada to address one of the most burning issues in the region, i.e. forest practise. Indigenous people have acquired valuable experience in this area. This experience has enabled Canadians to develop an effective sustainable forest practice. Notably, successful experience of local people is also depicted in another article. Thus, the case of the extraction of argan provides interesting insights into the development of sustainable methods. The researchers do not simply reveal some pe