Such a Beast Sexuality and Humanization in Dracula

Over the course of cinematic history, many filmmakers have attempted to recreate the chilling, unprecedented world of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Arguably very few have succeeded, for the majority of directors tend to avoid the pervasive sexuality inherent in the novel. It is a difficult task to achieve, considering the blatant imagery surrounding sex and vampirism, such as the reproduction following a vampiric encounter and the phallocentric nature of the violence committed both by and against these creatures: penetration is involved in their hunting, and one must impale them with a stake in order to destroy them. Readers are thereby forced to admit that Dracula is, in fact, a highly eroticized piece of literature, though whether or not†¦show more content†¦The fact that Jonathan goes so willingly into the allurement suggests that perhaps there is not such a big difference between man and beast, human and demon. Following in this trend of vampiric seductiveness, the next part of Stoker’s novel to hint at carnality occurs during Lucy’s metamorphosis from a â€Å"so sweet lady† to a creature of â€Å"voluptuous wantonness† (Stoker 173; 187). Stoker creates an unmistakable boundary between the two Lucy’s: the one preceding Dracula’s arrival to London, and the one following her transformation into the Un-dead. He dedicates two full paragraphs to describing the stark contrast between the two identities, pointing out aspects of her appearance – her expressions and her lips, among other things – and actions that have become polar opposites in her personality. During life, Miss Lucy Westenra is consistently described as possessing â€Å"sweetness† and â€Å"purity† (Stoker 173). Once Count Dracula has infected her, however, she physically changes from the woman she was in life, with her eyes going from â€Å"pure, gentle or bs† to eyes that are â€Å"unclean and full of hell-fire† (Stoker 174). Stoker makes this distinction intrinsically clear in order to illustrate for his audience the vast differences between human and vampire. As a woman she was fair and good; her vampire alter-ego is cruel,Show MoreRelatedVampires : The Symbolism Of Horror In Dracula By Bram Stoker1180 Words   |  5 PagesVampires have been around for centuries, they represent the fear of many things such as sexuality, race, gender, etc. and above all, they stand for the fear of diseases. Vampires have once been the symbol of horror due to their terrific depictions and were described as a threat to the humanity. Throughout time, the image of vampire has changed dramatically from a monstrous, inhumanely creature that doesn’t belong to human society to such an attractive and adaptive figure that expresses more of the

Physics Problems - 1088 Words

UNIFORMLY ACCELERATED MOTION Problem-Solving 1. A car traveling at 22.4 m/s skids to a stop in 2.55 s. Determine the skidding distance of the car (assume uniform acceleration). 2. A bike accelerates uniformly from rest to a speed of 7.10 m/s over a distance of 35.4 m. Determine the acceleration of the bike. 3. An engineer is designing the runway for an airport. Of the planes which will use the airport, the lowest acceleration rate is likely to be 3 m/s2. The takeoff speed for this plane will be 65 m/s. Assuming this minimum acceleration, what is the minimum allowed length for the runway? 4. If basketball player has a vertical leap of 1.29 m, then what is his takeoff speed and his hang time (total time to move†¦show more content†¦Hammy has jumped with initial velocity of 5 m/s at an angle of 250 for 1 second. Will he be able to reach the ice block? If not maintaining the same velocity and hang time, what should be the angle of his take off to be able to reach the ice block? 2. The target is located 100 m away from the cannon. The target is aimed at 250 angle. The target was hit after 2s. What is the velocity of the cannon ball upon being fired? At what distance from the ground is the peak of the projectile? 3. A bullet is fired with a velocity of 200 m/s at an angle of 450 from the horizontal, after approximately 2s, the target is hit. How far is the target placed? B. Target is higher than Launch point 1. The horizontal distance of the cannon from the target is 100 m away. However the target is on top of a hill with a height of 15 m. The cannon is aimed at 500 angle from the horizontal and upon firing cannon ball has a velocity of 150 m/s. Will the target be hit by the cannon? 2. Your opponent is located at a horizontal distance of 5m. But he is elevated at a height of 3m. Your cannon always fire the cannon ball at a velocity of 120m/s, the hang time of the cannon ball is 1.5 s. What should be your aim angle to be able to hit your opponent? With that aim angle, how high is the peak of the projectile? 3. You are located uphill at a height of 6m from the ground. Your opponent is at a horizontal distance of 260 m away fromShow MoreRelatedProblems on Physics613 Words   |  2 Pagesï » ¿Work out the following problems. Be sure to show your work in detail. See the hand out uploaded for examples of how the problems should be solved and presented.   1. A 55 gal. drum of organic solvent, full and sealed, weighs 400 lbs. The empty drum weights 40 lbs. What is the density of the solvent, in kg/L? What is its specific gravity? Density = p = mass/volume Mass of solvent = 400 lbs 40 lbs = 360 lbs = 360 lbs * (0.45359237 kg/lbs) = 163.29 kg 1 pound = 1 lbs = 0.45359237 kg (online conversionRead MoreSolving The Physics Of The Problem1393 Words   |  6 Pagesdimensionality of the dataset for viewing, which may help researchers in better understanding of the physics of the problem. Here, an expert needs to be careful while choosing a certain algorithm and associated parameters for a specific case. Additionally, an expert needs to be very careful while interpreting the findings from these algorithms. One must use the technical aspects regarding the basic physics of the problem so that their results are meaningful and for it to be accepted by the materials researchRead MoreThe Education and Skills Needed to Become a Physicist Essay920 Words   |  4 Pagescuriosity to be devoted to their pathway, which can be obtained as a imaginative child. From there, Dr. Michio Kaku states the physical learning begins. In high school, he thinks the best opportunities lie in physics books and science fair projects. (1) These practices i ntroduce the basis of physics. If needed, an interview with a physicist can help devote the passion to the job. A basic math knowledge is required so Calculus and other math classes will aid the journey. Also, good grades throughout theRead MorePlank, Einstein and Black Body Radiation1400 Words   |  6 Pagesscientific research. Towards the end of the 19th century physics was mostly thought to be at an apex. One man at the time, William Thomson Kelvin [cited by Glen Elert in The Physics Hypertextbook], said along the lines of â€Å"There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement.† This statement was to quickly become fiction with the beginnings of the 1900s. Two major problems in physics were still apparent; Theories on the luminiferous ether. ThatRead MoreFeasibility Report On Instructions For Building A Folded Paper985 Words   |  4 PagesPHYS 101. Problem PHYS 101: Physics for the Nonscientist is a course that aims to introduce the â€Å"nature of physical universe and the application of physical principles to life in the modern world† at Iowa State University (ISU Catalog). According to its syllabus, PHYS 101 is a 3 credits course with only lectures but not labs. Hence, the students in the course will not have the opportunity to experiment with the knowledge learned from lectures. It is almost impossible to learn physics just by theoriesRead MoreI Am Interested Into Learning1244 Words   |  5 Pageshave struggled with Calculus 1 and with Physics 1 and while initially that was very discouraging and made me want nothing to do with either subject, I now feel that struggling through those subjects may be the best thing I can do for myself, especially if my goal is to become an engineer. At the beginning of the year, I told my roommates that I wanted nothing to do with Physics or Calculus after this semester and yet now, I find m yself enrolled in both Physics 2 and Calculus 2. I have enjoyed bothRead MoreQuantum Mechanics and Islam Essay1602 Words   |  7 Pages Introduction Quantum mechanics or also known as quantum physics is a field of science which studies the behaviour of particles at sub-atomic level. This theory tells us that short-lived pairs of particles and their antiparticles are constantly being created and destroyed in an apparently empty space. In quantum mechanics the weird behaviour of electrons are not accurately explained and until now not a single theory is acceptable by the whole scientific community to postulate the phenomena. TheRead MoreThe Current Status Of Galaxy Formation1589 Words   |  7 PagesThe field of physics encompasses a variety of topics and sub-disciplines which include astronomy, cosmology, and particle physics, to name a few. As a student in the physics field, it is important to understand how physicists actually write and make arguments in their respective disciplines. By being able to analyze and rhetorically inspect an article, the material becomes more comprehensible and some potential implications of the writing begin to resound with the reader. The more we learn aboutRead MoreThe View Of The Leaning Process771 Words   |  4 Pagesphysicist and mathematician Isaac Newton, most famous for his law of gravitation, was instrumental in the scientific revolution of the 17th century; Italian sci entist and scholar Galileo made pioneering observations that laid the foundation for modern physics and astronomy and ; Albert Einstein was a German-born physicist who developed the general theory of relativity, among other feats. He is considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century. These scientists are the inspiration to my philosophyRead MoreWhen Diving Into The Details Of Gravitational Theories800 Words   |  4 Pagestheory has the negative norm state called ghosts which allow the probability to be negative and hence breaks the unitarity. In fact, as back as in 1850, Mikhail Ostrogradsky showed that presence of time derivatives higher than two will lead to the problem of ghosts [35]. Combining all these ideas, Horava added only the terms containing higher spacial derivatives while keeping the time derivatives to second order. Also the power-counting renormalizability restricts the number of spatial derivatives

The Social Problem Of Legalizing Marijuana Essay - 1801 Words

Sociology 270 Legalizing Marijuana Jaraiyia Morris The social problem of legalizing marijuana has been an issue for many years. I argue that marijuana should be legalized in all the United States. Through research it has been proven that marijuana can bring benefits to society if it were to be legalized. Benefits include, assistance to those who have health issues, reducing crimes related to drugs, as well as uplifting the economy. Marijuana has caused various issues within the minority communities, those who live within a minority community are more likely to receive jail time if caught with the drug, if Marijuana were to be legalized this would prevent minorities from becoming incarcerated. This leads to the conflict theory. The conflict theory states, that â€Å"society is in a state of perpetual conflict due to competition for limited resources. It holds that social order is maintained by domination and power, rather than consensus and conformity.† This is a social conflict because through the resource marijuana those out side of the government are making a profit, but also risking their lives because of not conforming to society. In order for this social problem to be fixed, as a citizens we need to educate those who are unaware of the benefits verses the dangers of marijuana. Legalizing marijuana is a controversial topic within the country. Those who disagree with legalizing marijuana compare marijuana to harsh drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and even ecstasy.Show MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1314 Words   |  6 PagesMarijuana, also known as cannabis, has been deemed an unacceptable and illegal substance in Canada, as well as in many other nations. It is a drug which can alter an individual’s sense of perception and distort one’s senses, and may become addictive if used repeatedly. Although marijuana is looked down upon in society when used for recreational purposes, it serves several beneficial purposes in the medical field. The legalization of marijuana is a prominent growing issue in several Canadian provincesRead MoreEssay on Why Marijuana Should Not be Legalized1595 Words   |  7 PagesLegalization or decriminalization of marijuana is opposed by a vast majority of American’s and people around the world. Leaders in Marijuana prevention, education, treatment, and law enforcement adamantly oppose the substance, as do many political leaders. However, pro-drug advocacy groups, who support the use of illegal drugs, are making headlines. They are influencing decision making thru legislation and having a significant impact on the national policy debate here in the United States andRead MoreEssay about Benefits and Drawbacks of Legalizing Marijuana1177 Words   |  5 Pagescocaine and heroin, marijuana, also named as cannabis or hemp, is considered as a soft drug with less addiction and harm. In the 19th century, it was one of the most important crops in the American continent to the common wealth (Newton, 2013, p.32), but it has been banned to grow in most countries since the 20th century (Newton, 2013, p.45). Given the clamour for â€Å"decriminalization† of the personal possession of small amounts of marijuana is growing (Single, 2013, p.456) and the problem of pushing drugsRead MoreMari juana Legalization1424 Words   |  6 PagesLegalization of Marijuana Marijuana is the most common drug in America and all over the world. It is legalized in some countries, but most countries prohibit its use. It has proven medical abilities and was used for this purpose for a while before being federally criminalized. The United States has been debating on the legalization of marijuana with some states supporting the move and others against it. (10 Facts About Marijuana) Despite all these debates, the legalization of marijuana is the betterRead MoreThe Drug Marijuana916 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana is one of the most commonly abused drugs around the world and is categorized by the US Drug Enforcement Agency as a schedule I drug. This means it has a higher chance of being abused. (â€Å"Legalization of marijuana: potential impact on youth† 1825). Those who are in support of legalizing marijuana do not understand the negative effects of legalizing marijuana and marijuana use itself. There are several arguments for legalizing marijuana, howev er, the reasons for keeping it illegal outweighRead MoreLegalizing Recreational Pot1507 Words   |  7 PagesFebruary 2016 Legalizing Recreational Pot Heavy marijuana smokers are at risk for some of the same health effects as cigarette smokers, like bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses. Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal drug in the United States and around the world. Those who support its legalization, for medical or for recreational use, fail to recognize that the greatest costs of marijuana are not related to its prohibition; they are the costs resulting from marijuana use itself. IfRead MoreThe Economic Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana1068 Words   |  5 PagesBenefits of Legalizing Marijuana In 2007, the American economy took a downturn known as the recession. People began looking for a quick fix to our nation’s economic problems and one fix may be right in front of us, with the legalization of marijuana. The debate about legalizing marijuana has been going on for the last decade with no end in sight. Politicians, economists, and everyday people cannot come to an agreement over this growing issue. Today economists still converse over how marijuana canRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1010 Words   |  5 Pagesthat marijuana is natural, calms one down, and gives a good satisfying feeling. They also say that marijuana is not as dangerous as Marijuana is a huge issue in today society. With the new liberal government in place, Trudeau takes an irrational lead in legalizing marijuana. Marijuana contains an active ingredient, THC, which is responsible for the psychological effects of marijuana. The THC binds to the receptors in the brain and influence oneâ €™s memory, concentration, mood etc. If marijuana is alreadyRead MoreLegalizing The Legalization Of Marijuana1012 Words   |  5 Pagescontrol, and discourage is a way to fix the problem. Evident by Colorado and Washington, â€Å"the legalization of marijuana can stop most of these possession arrests† (Levine). After the first opening of the first retail marijuana stores on January 1, 2014, Colorado had decreased crime rates, decreased traffic fatalities and increase in economic output (DPA). Since 2010, the marijuana possession arrest have went down 84% since its legalization. The tactic of legalizing, controlling, and discouraging has beenRead MoreWhy We Should Legalize Weed Essay1088 Words   |  5 PagesLegalizing Weed How many times have you heard or read about legalizing marijuana in the last year? I have heard about it numerous times whether on TV, on the radio, on the Internet, or when reading a newspaper. Many people wants marijuana to be legalized and each has his or her own reason. Some of them want marijuana legalized to reduce drug related violence in southern states that border Mexico and in big cities such as Chicago. Others want marijuana legalized to offset the impact of the current

Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy Resources - 1840 Words

Renewable Vs. Non-renewable Energy Resources: Environmental and Economical Advantages and Disadvantages Imagine a life without washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, computers, televisions, lights, and cars. Imagine a planet so polluted that smog is in the air so bad that one cannot see very far, lakes and streams are poisoned, and land so badly scarred from people trying to find more energy sources. One day this may be a reality if we do not do something to change how we use our energy resources. This may be the case if society keeps using non-renewable energy resources at its current consumption rate. Our saving grace may be the development and use of using renewable energy resources. Renewable sources not only will help our planet†¦show more content†¦This also costs much money to dig or drill, clean or extract these sources, and to ship them out to other companies. Renewable Energy Resources Pollution Renewable energy resources are clean because they not only come from the environment but there is no need to change chemically the source in order to get usable energy. The sun for instance gives off heat, which warms our planet. This same heat can be used to warm water pipes, which can heat a business or home. This definitely requires no equipment to acquire this energy. The sun as a resource can also excite particles in a solar collector. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, solar collectors are various devices used in the absorption of solar radiation to heat water or produce electricity, (Dictionary and Thesauras - Marriam-Webster Online, 2007-2008). These excited particles generate electricity. There does not necessarily have to be direct sunlight, for this process. Even on a cloudy day, energy can be produced though lower than on a sunny day. Since the sun will be here for another million to billion years from now this process can continue forever. Using the sun as an energ y source means that no pollution will be generated from it being converted into usable energy. Wind power is another renewable energy source. Wind is generated from the sun heating the Earth. Humans have been harnessing the power in wind for hundreds of years. Humans have used itShow MoreRelatedEssay about Renewable Vs. Non-Renewable Energy Resources1748 Words   |  7 PagesRenewable Vs. Non-renewable Energy Resources: Environmental and Economical Advantages and Disadvantages Imagine a life without washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, computers, televisions, lights, and cars. Imagine a planet so polluted that smog is in the air so bad that one cannot see very far, lakes and streams are poisoned, and land so badly scarred from people trying to find more energy sources. One day this may be a reality if we do not do something to change how we use our energy resourcesRead MoreImpact Of Climate Change Policy On Employment Essay1313 Words   |  6 Pagesthe global warming. In 2013, 81.2% of the energy consumption in the world are produced by fossil fuel (International Energy Agency). Could you imagine how much greenhouse gases are produced? Ever since 1980s, scientist has found that the emission of the greenhouse gases is the major factor contributes to the global warming, which intensify the climate change that the human civilization may collapse one day. In the book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate, the author Naomi Klein describesRead MoreGlobal Warming And The Climate Change1740 Words   |  7 PagesBy 2014, about 81% of the total 98.3 quadrillion Btu of energy used are produced by burning petroleum, natural gas, and coal in the United States (US EIA). Could you imagine how much greenhouse gases are produced in the energy extraction process, and how could these gases intensify global warming and climate change? In Naomi Klein’s book, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate, Klein describes climate change as a catastrophic crisis that the whole world is encountering. Hundreds of citiesRead MoreMiddle School Curriculum Map Essay1323 Words   |  6 Pageskinetic energy related?  · Why does energy exist in different forms?  · How does energy change?  · How do humans use and manage their resources? Content: Science Energy 6.2 The student will investigate and understand basic sources of energy, their origins, transformations, and uses. Key concepts include a) potential and kinetic energy; b) the role of the sun in the formation of most energy sources on Earth; c) nonrenewable energy sources;Read MoreNuclear Fusion And Nuclear Energy Essay1638 Words   |  7 Pages ¬Nuclear energy is energy in the nucleus (core) of an atom. Atoms are tiny particles that make up every object in the universe. There is enormous energy in the bonds that hold atoms together. Nuclear energy can be used to make electricity. But first the energy must be released. It can be released from atoms in two ways: nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. In nuclear fusion, energy is released when atoms are combined or fused together to form a larger atom. This is how the sun produces energy. In nuclearRead MoreAdvantages and Uses of Biofuels Essay examples703 Words   |  3 PagesDefinition: According to Dr Andrew Zimmerman Jones, the Definition of energy is: Energy is the capacity of a physical system to perform work. Energy exists in several forms such as heat, kinetic or mechanical energy, light, potential energy, electrical, or other forms (1) A simpler definition is: Energy is the ability to do work and cause change (2) Renewable vs. non renewable: The definition of bio fuels: â€Å"Bio fuel is defined as solid, liquid or gaseous fuel obtained from relativelyRead More Renewable vs Nonrenewable Resources Essay1527 Words   |  7 PagesRenewable vs Nonrenewable Resources The United States has 4% of the worlds people, but as a country consumes 25% of the worlds oil. The U.S. and Western Europe are obsessed with a standard of living that is reliant on energy consumption maintained by the burning of fossil fuels. These nonrenewable resources continue to be depleted, despite the fact that solar power, wind power, hydropower, biomass, and many other renewable resources are available and accessible. The switch to these renewablesRead MoreAlternative Fossil Fuel Is Nonrenewable, And It Damages Our Environment Essay1536 Words   |  7 PagesAs we all know the energy we use form fossil fuel is nonrenewable, and it damages our environment badly. The most energy is used in the industrials (31%), the second is used in transportation (28%), the third is used in residential (22%), and the last is used in commercial (19%). We also know that the more we use fossil fuel, the more greenhouse gas effect to our earth and killing our atmosphere by trap the gases and i t make our earth getting warmer and warmer. In this paper will go deep more intoRead MoreRenewable Energy: Is It the Solution?1571 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Renewable energy is considered a revolutionary thing, something that can save us from peak oil and climate change, but is it really what it seems? Renewable energy can help ease our predicament. There are multiple ways to achieve this, including the use of newer, greener technologies such as wind, solar power, and biomass. The purpose of this paper is to educate, theorize, and discuss various aspects of renewable energy, such as its history, development, and the advantages and disadvantagesRead MoreEssay on Concerns about Energy, the Economy and the Environment1860 Words   |  8 PagesMany concerns that some may have about the energy we use, the cost to produce and use this energy as well as the effects it has on the environment could possibly be alleviated, to some extent, but may not resolve all that has not yet been foreseen or even understood. The use of energy is in great demand, as population continues to grow in America and around the world. Every day, people in society rely upon some type of energy source to provide reasonable means to accommodate needs; such as to power

Examine Sheriff’s presentation of Stanhope in Act One in Journey’s End Free Essays

In Act One of Sheriff’s ‘Journey’s End’ we see Captain Stanhope presented as a highly respected individual by all members of the rank, who has been affected immensely psychologically by the war. We see Stanhope being respected throughout Act One, which can be seen in the beginning of the play where we see Osborne reacting in a defensive and protective way of Stanhope, saying that â€Å"He’s a long way the best company commander we’ve got† to Hardy on page 4 where we learn of Stanhope’s excessive drinking which makes the audience unsure of Stanhope as a character as Sheriff introduces us to this problem before we have met him, which instantly gives us a poor first impression of Stanhope. Sheriff then builds Stanhope’s character and the audience begin to realise that the effect of war has taken its toll on Stanhope, who we learn is a hardworking, young commander who is struggling with the pressures of the war and uses whiskey to help him get through. We will write a custom essay sample on Examine Sheriff’s presentation of Stanhope in Act One in Journey’s End or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is evident that Stanhope is good at commanding the company, as Osborne states â€Å"You’ve done longer than any man in the battalion. It’s time you went away for a rest. It’s due to you† on page 27, depicting that Stanhope has worked extremely hard in the last three years and should be proud with his achievements instead of being ashamed of himself because of what he has turned into. Osborne is a trustworthy character who Stanhope relies on and is a true friend. We also see Stanhope respected by Raleigh, a young boy who knew Stanhope personally before the war. Stanhope was Raleigh’s inspiration to join the army, saying that he was â€Å"frightfully keen to get into Dennis’s regiment† to Osborne on page 12. He also describes his friend as â€Å"splendid† and describes them as â€Å"terrific pals. † Stanhope had such an effect on Raleigh when they were at school together, and Stanhope even admits that he is Raleigh’s â€Å"hero† to Osborne on page 26. We also see in this scene that Stanhope has realised even more so with Raleigh’s arrival his change and deterioration with his personality in the last three years since the war began, saying â€Å"as long as the hero’s a hero† which he no longer thinks of himself as due to this drastic change. We also see in this scene Stanhope confide in Osborne, explaining that Raleigh’s sister â€Å"doesn’t know. She thinks I’m a wonderful chap – commanding a company† portraying his disappointment in himself and how he feels as if he would let down his love if she knew the truth. He seems extremely passionate towards Raleigh’s sister as he explains that he â€Å"couldn’t bear to meet her, in case she realised† the person he has become and becomes annoyed with Raleigh as he calls him a â€Å"little prig† when he believes he will no longer be able to return to Raleigh’s sister once the war is over. Here we see a vulnerable and ashamed character, which is portrayed by Sheriff as he says â€Å"if I went up those steps into the front line – without being doped with whiskey – I’d go mad with fright. † This conveys the necessity for Stanhope to drink and that he would not be able to command the company as successfully as he does without having had whiskey. Osborne warns Raleigh on page 13, explaining to him â€Å"you mustn’t expect to find him – quite the same† and how the war â€Å"tells on a man – rather badly† portraying the psychological effects of war and how there has been a complete change in Stanhope since joining the war. Raleigh remembers his hero as someone who was anti-alcohol, which he was before the war saying â€Å"the roof nearly blew off† when he caught some boys at school with a bottle of whiskey. This shows the desperation on Stanhope’s behalf to cope with the war and has turned to alcohol for comfort, something that appears he was against three years earlier. Sheriff presents Stanhope as an individual trying to cope with the pressure of the war in Act One, who appears to have changed drastically since the war began, helping the audience understand the psychological effects soldiers due to the war; an issue to which they could possibly relate to as the war was a big part of their lives. How to cite Examine Sheriff’s presentation of Stanhope in Act One in Journey’s End, Papers

Little Albert free essay sample

To support the theory that environment is more powerful than genetics, Watson designed an experiment on an infant commonly known as the Little Albert experiment. This experiment focused on Ivan Pavlov’s process of classical conditioning. Watson believed and wanted to prove that all human psychology can be explained by this process (McLeod, 2008). The other studies that I will be comparing the Little Albert experiment to will be â€Å"Elevated fear conditioning to socially relevant unconditioned stimuli in Social Anxiety Disorder† (Lissek, Levson, Biggs, et all, 2008) and the study of Pavlov’s dogs (Pavlov, 1928). These studies will enable me to make a justified evaluation of the Little Albert study by making comparisons to these two other studies. The Little Albert experiment was conducted by John Watson and Rosalie Rayner in 1920. They chose nine month old Baby Albert for the study because Albert had been reared almost from birth in Harriet Lane home for Invalid Children where his mother was a wet nurse. Albert was deemed extremely stable and well developed which determined his suitability for the experiment (McLeod, 2007). The focus of their study was to continue on from Pavlov’s experiment involving the classical conditioning of dogs, and determine whether this empirical evidence was also evident in humans (Watson, 1924). More specifically, they were focusing on conditioned emotional responses. In determining these aspects they conducted a series of different tests involving a variation of stimulus. Before the experiment commenced, they gave Albert a sequence of baseline tests to determine his initial fear responses to stimuli. They presented him with burning paper, a monkey, a dog, cotton wool, a fur coat (seal), various masks and a white rat. During the baseline, Albert showed no initial fear to these items. Throughout the study these items (fluffy white objects) served as the independent variables. The dependant variable was whether or not Albert cried or showed distress. During the study Albert was positioned on a mattress on a table. Albert was presented with a white rat and just as he reached out to touch it, a metal bar was struck with a hammer behind him. Albert jumped and fell forward, burring his head into the mattress, but did not cry. After these two stimuli were paired on several occasions, Albert was presented with only the white rat. As the rat appeared in front of him he became distressed and turned away, puckered his lips, began to cry and crawled away (Watson, 1924). From this, it became obvious that Albert’s fear had been conditioned. Albert had associated the white rat with a loud noise producing fear, thus having conditioned fear of the white rat. The experiment showed that Little Albert generalized his response from furry animals to anything furry. Albert showed the same reactions as the initial experiment when Watson presented him with a furry dog, seal-skin coat and even a Santa-Claus mask (Watson, 1924). The way in which Albert’s responses were measured was through the amount of distress to the stimuli he presented. The Little Albert study is a highly popular study especially across the field of Psychology. Although the study has provided valuable knowledge and understanding of learned behaviours and the development of phobias, it’s procedures considering ethics are questionable. The fact that Albert was only nine months old deems this study unethical. Albert’s mother was obviously desperate for money to support her son, so the bribe of money probably out-weighted the possible harm caused to her son. Albert’s mother probably wasn’t entirely aware of the potential risks involved. Albert’s fear was supposed to be extinguished at the end of the experiment, but he moved away. Other ethical codes that have been violated in this study are that of the distress that it caused. Little Albert was never desensitized from the conditioning undergone meaning that because he had a conditioned fear of white furry objects, he would forever be terrified of white furry objects (Watson, 1924). In today’s code of ethics, the welfare of the participant/s is the most important factor and under no circumstances should this protection be hindered, unless the participant has given consent to be put under this distress. It is also now deemed unethical to purposely cause distress to a participant in laboratory circumstances (Weiten, 2008). These unethical procedures could have been corrected quite simply. In the study of fear conditioning in people with social anxiety disorder, they conducted what called an extinction process where the participants were desensitized from any fear conditioning that took part throughout the experiment (Lissek, Levson, Biggs, et al, 2008). This experiment is clearly ethical as it was only conducted in 2008 and would have had to have been passed by the ethics board in order to be conducted. The Little Albert study is a valid study; however it was not measured effectively. The way in which Little Albert’s fear was measured was just whether or not he cried or showed distress. The way in which they measured this could have been improved in order to get more valid and reliable results. In this case, the studies operational definition was not valid. The Little Albert study could have used apparatus in order to get more valid results. For example, they could have measured Albert’s fear by assessing his skin conductivity. This would have measured Albert’s distress through measuring the arousals in his skin i. e. weat. They also could have used the blink-startle response measurement as used in â€Å"Elevated fear conditioning to socially relevant unconditioned stimuli in Social Anxiety Disorder† (Lissek, Levson, Biggs, et al, 2008). This method measures how much the participant blinks when presented with a stimuli. If the participant is startled (scared) by something, they will blink a lot more than if they are not startled. The re liability of the Little Albert study is not strong. If the same study was conducted today, the same results would not be found. Little Albert’s responses to the stimuli that he was presented with could have been a result of his general fear of animals, not that he conditioned a fear of white fluffy objects. Most people would agree with me when I say that if you were a nine month old baby and an animal was jumping up at your face, you would be scared and would become distressed. Being a nine month old baby, Albert also could have just been tired, bored, and hungry or just missed his Mother. None of these factors were accounted for during the trials. If the same study was conducted today, it would become extremely obvious that times have changed and so too should the design of the study. The reliability of the experiment is hindered by the fact that the method of measurement is simply observation and there is no concrete evidence being analysed. For example if they were to measure brain activity or use the blink-startle reaction measurement, these results would be a lot more concrete and therefore the study would be classed a lot more reliable. In comparison, the 1928 study of Pavlov’s dogs (Pavlov, 1928) is a lot more reliable even though it is only a few years newer than the Little Albert study. If Pavlov’s experiment was replicated today, very similar if not the same results would be found. The fact that Pavlov used concrete methods of measuring his data deemed his study a lot more reliable. If he was to measure the amount that the dogs salivate by just observing them, it would not be as valid. To conclude, through the evaluation of the Little Albert study and comparison to â€Å"â€Å"Elevated fear conditioning to socially relevant unconditioned stimuli in Social Anxiety Disorder† (Lissek, Levson, Biggs, et al, 2008) and Pavlov’s dogs (Pavlov, 1928) it has come to my attention that the Little Albert study does not comply to today’s code of ethics, the reliability is not strong and could be improved on however it is a valid study, but the operational definition could be improved. I feel that the contributions to knowledge of conditioned fear are valuable to society and has proved useful in various situations and other studies. Future studies on this topic would prove extremely valuable to society and our understanding on fear conditioning. References McLeod, S. A. (2007). Simply Psychology; Nature Nurture in Psychology. Retrieved 3 April 2012