Ethnic Identity and African Americans Essay Example for Free

Ethnic Identity and African Americans Essay Ethnic identity is the sum total of group member feelings about those values, symbols, and common histories that identify them as a distinct group (Smith 1991). Development of ethnic identity is important because it helps one to come to terms with their ethnic membership as a prominent reference group and significant part of an individuals overall identity. Ethnic reference group refers to an individuals psychological relatedness to groups (Smith 1991). These reference groups help adolescents sense, reflect and see things from the point of their ethnic groups in which they actively participate or seek to participate. What is ethnic identity? The establishment of identity is an important, complex task for all adolescents, and is considered a major developmental task for all adolescents. It is particularly complicated for adolescents belonging to ethnic and minority groups. Ethnic identity of the majority group of individuals is constantly validated and reinforced in a positive manner where as the minority group is constantly ridiculed and punished in a negative manner. What does this say for those adolescents who are the minority and not the majority? It is important to study or research ethnic identity because it provides better knowledge to help one understand striving for a sense of unity and connectivenesss in which the self provides meaning for direction and meaning of ethnic identity (Spencer, 1990). It is also important to study or research the differences between these groups due to beliefs and values. Adolescents that are the minority are confronted with their ethnicity at an earlier age then Caucasian adolescents majority and they are constantly aware of ethnic differences, which means it is of greater importance to understand the development of the minority individual. It should lead to different assessments when it comes to ethnic identity. For example, African American adolescents are psychologically compared to Caucasian American adolescence diagnoses, which are sometimes inaccurately assessed. Bronfenberner explains the theoretical perspective such as the ecological perspective by saying, The implications for clinical treatment of African American adolescents, mental health workers must be sensitive to the ecological context of their clients. Mental Health workers must realize that there is no single entity called the black family . The black families compared to the other families established their American family. He suggests that these families vary dramatically in backgrounds, social economic status, values, and degree of acculturation to the norms and values of mainstream America (1990). There are also, significant differences that may exist in preparation of African American adolescent, at the level of rearing family practices and in schools (1990). That is, schools continue to reflect historical values that deal with racial-stereotypes and prejudice and beliefs. At the same time there are families trying to avoid and make light out of such situations. These families and communities continue to show constancy by instilling their own beliefs and values through child rearing which maybe different from Caucasian Americas. Identity and ethnicity as adolescent issues Identity has been defined in many ways. It is the concept used to describe an individuals sense of who he or she is (Dashefsky and Shapiro, 1976). Changes in identity occur throughout the life cycle, however, the changes in identity are usually most notable during adolescence. Integrating a positive sense of ethnic identity into ones overall personal identity is an important task of late adolescence (Steinberg, 1996). Ethnic identity has been defined as the aspect of ones sense of identity concerning ancestry or racial group membership (Steinberg, 1996). Ethnic identity development is an essential human need because it provides a sense of belonging and historical continuity. Ethnic socialization Minority children are confronted with their ethnicity at an earlier age than their majority counterparts (Smith, 1991). Parents can help to speed up the early stages of ethnic identity development by taking an active approach to ethnic socialization. Ethnic socialization, according to Steinberg(1996), refers to the process through which parents teach their children about their ethnicity and about the certain experiences they may have with the broader society. Ethnic socialization consists of three themes: 1) understanding ones own culture, 2) getting along in mainstream society, and 3) dealing with racism (Steinberg, 1996). Possible outcomes of ethnic identity development. There are four ways to deal with ethnicity (Steinberg, 1996): Â ·Assimilationadopting the cultural norms of the majority while rejecting the norms of ones own culture. Â ·Separationrejecting the majority culture and associating only with members of ones own culture. Â ·Marginalityliving within majority culture but feeling estranged. Â ·Biculturalismmaintaining ties to both cultures. According to Steinberg (1996) many believe that biculturalism is more successful than the other four. With biculturalism minority youth have access to the norms of the majority and minority culture depending on the situation. References. Â ·Smith, Elise J. Ethnic Identity Development: Toward the Development of A Theory within the Context of Majority/Minority Status. Journal of Counseling and Development: JCD. v70. n1. Sept. 1991. p. 181-188. Â ·Spencer, Margaret Beale. Child Development. v61 n2. Apr. 1990. P. 290-310. Â ·Dashefsky, A. (Eds. ). (1976). Ethnic identity in society. Chicago: Rand McNally College Publishing Co. Smith, E. J. (1991). Ethnic identity development: Toward the development of a theory within the context of majority/minority status. Journal of Counseling and Development, 70, 181-187. Â ·Steinberg, L. (1996). Adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.

Euthanasia :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Euthanasia A considerable portion of society supports euthanasia an instrument of preserving dignity in the terminally ill, bringing peace to the incurable, and closure to their families. Some Americans believe to maintain the democratic values upon which the Unites States stands in balance, they must possess the right to determine the applicable time to end a person’s life.(Chapman 209) The more widely help opinion comes in the form of opposition. The majority strikes out against euthanasia, targeting it as an instrument of the divine, a tool that humans, above democratic values and inalienable rights, dare not employ themselves lest they suffer the wrath of imposing on Almighty God. The human race as a whole must wipe their eyes of their own naà ¯vetà ©. Humans cannot play God. Encroaching on God’s proverbial territory would usurp divine function and interfere with divine plan. (Maguire 132) From Greek words meaning â€Å"good† and â€Å"death†, euthanasia is commonly referred to as mercy killing or physician assisted suicide.(Brody 75) The argument deals with the question of whether licensed physicians have the right to play a role in mercy killing. Indirectly executed and therefore viewed by and large with a lesser face of malcontent, a â€Å"Do Not Resuscitate† order, or DNR, refers to refraining from heroic measures to keep someone alive. In other words, a doctor may withhold treatment to let a person die naturally. Opposition arises in the form of protesters and activists, defrauding and doctor’s right to play God in trauma rooms and on operating tables. Unfortunately, courts and moral theorists ha long accepted the proposition that people have the right to refuse medical treatment they find painful or difficult to bear, even if that refusal means certain death. (Walter 176) A growing concern over medical costs questions family’s ability to make rational decisions as responsible caregivers. The cost of a dose of barbiturates and curare and the few hours in a hospital bed that it takes them to act is minute compared to the massive bills incurred by many patients in the last weeks and months of their lives. Legalizing euthanasia would render substantial monetary resources that could be used by the families or by the healthcare provider for more practical treatments. (Friedman 116) Permitting money to influence human life is overtly immoral, but nevertheless pressures the acceptance of euthanasia. If legalize, the natural evolution of policy and procedure would see growth in the category of patients for whom euthanasia is permitted.

Ordinary Or Proportionate Care

In medical terms, ordinary or proportionate care, which is beneficial, useful, and not unreasonably burdensome to the patient, is morally obligatory. On the other hand, extraordinary or disproportionate care, which may include exotic, experimental, or excessively burdensome treatments that are unlikely to benefit a patient or that include unreasonable costs relative to benefits, is not morally obligatory, though a patient may choose to accept it.The categories of proportionate and disproportionate care therefore, allow us to navigate between two dangerous extremes: the fundamentals that would have us preserve life at all costs by any means necessary without regard for the burdens imposed on the patient, and the fatalism that would tempt us to give up on gravely ill patients before their time and violate their rights to life and basic care.In the case of Roger Allen, his directive not to undergo surgery anymore if there is no guarantee that he will recover and assume a normal life is based on his right as an individual to decide what he wants to do with his body and to be protected from unwanted interference from others. In his perspective, Mr. Allen may be thinking that the burdens of treatment in terms pain, effort and costs are disproportionate relative to the anticipated benefits of the treatment.In the first place, there is no guarantee that the surgery will restore his health. If it fails, either he will die or he lives, only to be a burden to his two daughters and relatives in terms of financial costs as well as efforts of caregiving, not to mention the emotional pain that his daughters and relatives will be experiencing due to his condition. On the other hand, if we look at the daughters’ perspective, it is only natural that they will try to exhaust any means to save their father’s life.If surgery fails and in the end their father dies, at least their minds and hearts are at peace knowing that they have done their best to save him rather th an being tormented for the rest of their lives with the idea that they could have tried at that slim chance to save him. In my opinion however, the request of the daughters to monitor their father’s condition after surgery for six months is too long. I think one to two months would be long enough. By that span of time, the medical professionals would be able to assess if there is improvement and a chance that the father will recover.Also in that span of time, the daughters’ decision may also change considering the physical, mental and emotional toll that they had experienced in the care of their father. On the part of the doctor, I think that he has no other choice but to insist the father’s wish. He himself, cannot guarantee the success of the surgery and medical treatment may only be prolonging the agony of everyone concerned. Furthermore, in his perspective, discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate.No doubt, Mr. Allen’s treatment falls under this category since the diagnostic tests reveal significant brain damage and internal bleeding of unknown origin, requiring exploratory surgery. In his case, one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decision is made by the patient himself assuming that he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.

Investigating The Intrinsic Differences Among The...

Abstract The following research paper tests and investigates the intrinsic differences among the two tasks present in the generation task and the affects it has on memory. We believe that the relation of generating a word compared to simply reading a word has a more lasting effect on the brain and its memory sensors. This experiment consisted of generated words or read words followed by a rule (associate, category, opposite, rhyme, synonym) in which the participant was given the first word and asked to read or generate the following word following the rule type. After a certain period of time the participants, which consisted of students currently enrolled at Texas AM, were asked to recall the words they generated or read. Results indicated that that when a word is generated it is recalled at a more accurate rate. This essay is geared to establish and report findings based on the phenomenon manifested among a vast amount of experiments over the years, the generation effect. While there were many informative articles which slightly applied to the generation effect no true conclusion is reached, therefore this essay attempts to compile all ideas to come to one solid finding. The generation effect was developed as a part of memory research, and it states that individuals tend to recall words that they personally generated better than words participants were given. Since this phenomenon has been an important part in many studies yet seemed to have no true solidShow MoreRelatedWhy I Am A Professor Essay4077 Words   |  17 Pages It has been the unexpected, unpredictable, and sometimes unsuccessful episodes in my academic career that have inspired my current pursuit of research and my goal to become a professor. As the daughter of two professors, I have always had an appreciation for critical thinking and the scientific method. One of my earliest experiences in scientific research was inspired by a television documentary on ants. Learning that ants communicate through chemical scents emitted onto the ground, I immediatelyRead MoreTechnology And Its Effect On Education10000 Words   |  40 Pagesperception of the provision of education and its quality in relation to digital transcendence and pedagogy (Dede, 2005a; Denham Gadbow, 2002; Geraci, 2005; Howe Strauss, 2000; O Neil, 1995; Oblinger, 2003; Strauss, 2005; Zemke, 2001). So what has changed so dramtically? How have we come to a point where students feel so disaffected that leaving the learning environment altogether seems the only viable option? Recent deficits in student outcomes in traditionally held values of literacy andRead MoreMarriage Guidance: Summary Notes19959 Words   |  80 Pagesand unconscious, about how he/she should behave as a loving partner → Consider the way your partner wants to be loved Individual differences and their impact on the couple relationship Couples enter a relationship with a set of expectations based largely on their past experiences, and further determined by gender and ethnic differences. Gender Differences Similarities → Both have fundamental needs of self-esteem, survival, intimacy and growth → Both need the sense of having some controlRead MoreEffects Of Point And Line Defects On The Properties Of Graphene9719 Words   |  39 Pagesbe attributed to its two dimensional (2-D) honeycomb space frame structure as illustrated in Fig. 1. Due to its exceptional properties, has attracted increasing research effort for developing new engineering applications such as nano-actuators,14-15 nano-sensors,14,16 gigahertz oscillators,14,17 drug deliverer,14, 18 field effect transistors (FET),11, 19-21 memory devices,20 sensors, transparent conductive films, clean energy devices,11 graphene field emission (FE), graphene based gas and bio sensorsRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pages L Self-Assessment Library How Much Do I Know About Organizational Behavior? 4 Myth or Science? â€Å"Most Acts of Workplace Bullying Are Men Attacking Women† 12 An Ethical Choice Can You Learn from Failure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices? 30 Point/Counterpoint Lost in Translation? 31 Questions for Review 32 Experiential Exercise Workforce Diversity 32 Ethical Dilemma Jekyll and Hyde 33 Case Incident 1 â€Å"Lessons for ‘Undercover’ Bosses† 34 Case Incident 2 EraRead MoreSociology and Group41984 Words   |  168 Pages People discussing the weather at an airport. c. Fans cheering at a baseball game. d. Jury members deliberating a court case. e. A congregation listening to a sermon. Answer: d. Jury members deliberating a court case. . A group with 7 members has the potential for _______ different types of interactions. a. 9 b. 90 c. 666 d. 900 e. 966 Answer: e. 966 . What is the ideal group size for a problem-solving discussion? a. 3–5 people b. 4–6 people c. 5–7 people d. 6–9 people e. 8–12 people Read MoreFactors Affecting the Career Choice of Senior High School Students9169 Words   |  37 PagesTechnology (SPAMAST), Matti, Digos City ____________________ Date Signed CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND Introduction Career choice is one of the many important decisions the student will make in determining plans. This decision will affect them throughout their lives. The essence of who the student is will revolve around what the student needs to do with their lifelong work. Career choices are free opportunity to select a desired career. It is also a decision – making in a confusingRead MoreLoss Causation Model9657 Words   |  39 PagesModels of Causation: Safety April, 2012 Copyright notice and licence terms First published in 2012 by the Safety Institute of Australia Ltd, Tullamarine, Victoria, Australia. Bibliography. ISBN 978-0-9808743-1-0 This work is copyright and has been published by the Safety Institute of Australia Ltd (SIA) under the auspices of HaSPA (Health and Safety Professionals Alliance). Except as may be expressly provided by law and subject to the conditions prescribed in the Copyright Act 1968 (CommonwealthRead MoreFactors Affecting Motivation to Learn English25117 Words   |  101 PagesLANGUAGE AMONG CHINESE STUDENTS IN JOHOR BAHRU BY OOI CHOON LEAN MP061113 EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 581225-07-5846 SUPERVISOR ASSOC PROF DR AZIZI HJ YAHAYA ii ABSTRACT There has been an ongoing debate about the importance of the English language. Employers are lamenting that new graduates these days lack communicative proficiency in English. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors which contribute to English proficiency in Chinese students in Johor Bahru. Investigating theRead MoreOcd - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment131367 Words   |  526 Pagesencouragement About the Author About the Author David A. Clark, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Canada. He received his PhD from the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, England. Dr. Clark has published numerous articles on cognitive theory and therapy of depression and obsessive–compulsive disorders (OCD), and is a Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. He is coauthor, with Aaron T. Beck, of Scientific Foundations of Cognitive