Social Work Group Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Work Group Skills - Essay Example As work groups develop, the members come to play different parts in the socials structure. The emergence of different roles is a natural process. One of the most critical roles assumed by group members is that of leading the group. The essay is therefore written with the objective of presenting the results of a group video, specifically addressing the following, to wit: (1) method of intervention used in the group and the rationale for effectiveness; (2) identification of strengths and areas for development in leading groups; and (3) ways and means for group members to learn from each other. The method of intervention used by the group in the video is the cognitive behavior therapy. According to the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists (NACBT) (2009, par. 1), the cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is â€Å"a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do†. Cognitive behavior interventions are designed to educate and modify or change the clients’ attitudes and behaviors using nonpharmacological means (Delaune & Ladner, 2006, 1108). This approach is effective in terms of applying the garbage in – garbage out thinking where faulty thinking and information goes out to be replaced by new data which educates the client into effective recovery. It assists the client into developing skills to modify one’s behavior, identification of distraught thinking, assists in relating to others, minimize being indifferent and develop determination to change for the better. Negative thoughts are assessed and flushed out of the client’s mind, enabling new and improved mental processes to sink in and transform the client’s behavior and self concept. The exercise developed the following skills and strengths in leading the group: (1) cohesiveness where members are attracted to each other and engage in frequent social interaction. Feelings of belonging, acceptance and

Business in focus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business in focus - Essay Example However, this key environmental trend is causing many regional and international companies to rethink their existing business strategies in order to satisfy consumer demand for eco-friendly products through marketing and in areas of facilities management. This report identifies differing viewpoints on environmental consciousness along with an assessment of how this both positively and negatively impacts retail business operations and finance. Piell (2009) offers that certain regulatory entities, in international retail selling environments, are adding considerable pressure to companies to comply with energy usage reductions, which is especially noticeable in the consumer sales environment. The United States Environmental Protection Agency created its Energy Star labeling system which was a regulatory effort for appliance manufacturers to clearly list the energy-efficiency rating of their products, such as dishwashers, refrigerators and microwaves (Piell). Additionally, Verizon, one of the largest international mobile communications technology companies, proudly promotes the Energy Star labeling system in over 30 of its international retail stores that are at least 5,000 square feet in order to comply with these regulations and also show interested consumers that the business takes energy consumption at its stores quite seriously (Piell). This regulatory pressure forces many appliance retailers (and other energy-consuming product manufacturers) to change the internal energy mechanisms of their products in an effort to reduce a product’s carbon footprint, the volume of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by the devices. From a manufacturing perspective, this key trend in regulatory activities related to the environment can be a costly business operation as it often involves devoting more financial resources to research and development in order to meet new standards of energy consumption. Energy

Gender Differences In Aspects Of English Language Use

Gender Differences In Aspects Of English Language Use Language is largely influenced by socialization, shaped by conditioning and constant reinforcement. When parents speak to children they address boys and girls in different ways. In general, girls are treated more gently and spoken to more softly. Boys are encouraged to play roughly, to make a noise and to be expressive, but not to cry. Girls are encouraged to be less rowdy and may cry but not shout. They are discouraged from expressing anger. For boys, behavioural expectations are reinforced with expressions like You throw like a girl, and Big boys dont cry. As children develop, these differences begin to show more clearly in language. They become part of the communication style that is there for life. According to Mayor, B (1996, page 64), as they mature girls and boys increasingly differentiate their language use to reflect their gender roles. Girls use more indirect language than boys, and are more likely to modify their speech styles in varying contexts. Studies of childrens play behaviour demonstrate that boys are competitive and confrontational, and concentrate on the physical world, whereas girls are indirect, collaborative and are interested in motives and feelings. (Maybin, 1996 page 19). Generally speaking, boys and men are assertive, independent and objective. Girls and women are submissive, dependent and subjective. Of course, there is a wide range of communication styles and practices within each gender group, with most men and women using various conversation styles depending on the purpose and context, and also whether they are in single sex groups. In mixed company women usually talk less than men, and are more polite. They are less competitive and try to bring others into the conversation. This could be because women are brought up to be deferential to men. They are more hesitant and indirect, use more tag questions (isnt it? dont you think?), more polite forms (could you possibly?) and generally weaker vocabulary (words like lovely and Oh dear). (Maybin, 1996 page 19). Men on the other hand, interrupt more and give less feedback and support. In situations that require formal conversation, such as at conferences, business meetings, or other mixed-gender gatherings, men tend to initiate more of the interaction. Those who talk most are perceived to be leaders. (Coates, 1998, p.469). Amongst themselves, women tend to talk more. They show more concern for the relational aspects of conversation. In exclusively male groups, men tend to focus more on activities than on conversation (Coates, 1998, p.216). Of course, these are generalised descriptions of behaviour, and both sexes are able to modify their styles depending on the context. Maybin (1996, page 19) quotes a study of courtroom language in which high-status, expert female witnesses used masculine speaking styles, whilst lower status male witnesses used female style features. Dr. John Gray (author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus) says that women communicate for different reasons than men do. When men talk about problems, they are looking for solutions, whereas when women discuss problems they are sharing their feelings, because they find this therapeutic. In this context what women would like from men is empathy, and not solutions. The table on the following page shows clear differences in communication styles between men and women. Men Women They try to solve problems and troubles They try to match troubles by relating similar negative experiences They have a more analytical approach to problems They have a more emotional approach to problems They are less likely to ask for help. They try to figure things out on their own They are more likely to ask for help and accept it They are more task-oriented (i.e., What is everyone going to do?) They are more maintenance-oriented (i.e., Is everyone all right?) They appear less intuitive and less aware of details They appear more intuitive and more aware of details They have more difficulty in expressing intimate feelings They have less difficulty in expressing intimate feelings They are more apt to yell, shout and swear to release anger They are more apt to cry to release anger They talk more about what they did, where they went and less about relationships with others They talk more about how they feel and more about relationships with others They tend to take verbal rejection less personally They tend to take verbal rejection more personally (Glass, L. (1995) page 49). English has a natural gender, unlike many other languages. (Of course, it was not always so; before 1154, Old English nouns still used the Anglo-Saxon derived genders. (Bryson, B, 1990, page 49)). This means that words like woman, cow, ewe, are feminine because of their biological sex. In the same way, bull, boy and tomcat are masculine. This natural gender refers only to animals and not to objects. Historically, certain professions acquired genders: doctors, lawyers, politicians, engineers, architects and ministers were invariably male. Nurses, nannies and typists tended to be female. Nowadays, all of these professions are correctly gender-free. There are also words with male endings such as chairman, postman and fireman, which now have alternatives: chairperson, postal worker and fire-fighter. Regarding creative writing, women authors have tended to be under represented in most selections of literary texts. Writers such as the Brontà « sisters and Mary Anne Evans had to adopt male noms de plume (respectively Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, and George Elliot) even to get published. Apart from this gender based discrimination, there is also a strong feeling amongst many writers that the written, literary language itself was for so long a male preserve, that woman writers need their own idiom. In Thomas Hardys Far from the Madding Crowd, the heroine Bathsheba explains that It is difficult for a woman to define her feelings in language which is chiefly made by men to express theirs (Quoted in Menham, R. 1995, page 136). Menham also quotes from Virginia Wolf, who appeals for a new kind of writing that will take the natural shape of a womans thought without crushing or distorting it. In A room of Ones Own she says that the resources of the English language would be much put to t he stretch, and whole flights of words would need to wing their way illegitimately into existence in order for female sensibility to be adequately explored. She also associates maleness with a sterile rationalism and the aims of control and regulation, and femaleness with a fertile indiscipline, spontaneity, plenitude, a creative irrationalism. (Menham, R (1995) page 137). Referring to the work of French theorist Hà ©là ¨ne Cixous, Menham feels that her celebration of womans writing effects a great historical reversal of the traditional strengths and weaknesses of male and female language-use. It gives a positive value to precisely those qualities that men have always derogated in women: hysteria, lack of force, sensitivity. (Menham, R (1995) page 138.) In conclusion, there is no doubt that there are differences in English language use, both in speech and writing, based on gender. Most of these seem to be as a result of socialisation from an early age. The different, traditional gender roles and expectations coloured the way children were raised and educated, and in many respects these influences are still in place. Hopefully, as modern societies eliminate the largely artificial stereotypes of gender based roles and behaviours, we will all be able to experience, and articulate, the full panoply of human emotional and intellectual experience, regardless of gender.

Free YGB Essay - Innocence vs Reality in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown :: Young Goodman Brown YGB

The story Young Goodman Brown presents two themes; loss of innocence and coping with reality. Loss of Innocence is a major theme of the story and is easily seen. A loss of innocence is when those that do not know something horrible or do not believe in its existence come to an understanding of that horrible thing that forever changes them. The innocents in the story are Goodman Brown and his wife, Faith. Faith, we see is capable of attaining heaven(577), a good place where evil is unknown. Brown is also an innocent as shown by when the devil reveals to him a series of horribles as the two walk through the woods-namely that his grandfather, his mentor, and the preacher have all communed with the devil before (578-580). In the passage, the devil puts it upon himself to rectify this lack of understanding by informing those who had hoped for good, that their very nature is evil. The truth is what Goodman Brown had said before "There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil ! for to thee is this world given(581)."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Coping with reality becomes a major issue after the loss of innocence. Both of our innocents must devise a way of dealing with the new found horribles. The devil, in our passage, suggests : "Evil must be your only happiness." When Brown denies the devil's truth(584), he chooses the alternative. Brown lives out his life an uphappy and distrustful man (584). His wife, once a happy person, due to evidence of the contrary, did not change and lived a happy life. So we can see there were two paths to follow once innocence has been lost-accepantance of the horrible truth which leads to happiness or the constant denial of it and consequent gloom (585).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These two themes point out two very separate beliefs of the sociohistorical period during which Hawthorne wrote. Puritanism had held sway over American thought for many generations prior to Hawthorne. It presented the idea that all men are born sinful due to Original Sin. That understanding was the basis for the loss of innocence theme described earlier. At Hawthorne's time puritanical beliefs were transforming. The new theology emphasized a connection of man to nature. Any truths to be found in nature were right and true. This presented the second theme or question of coping with reality.

The Influence of Humanity on Education and Women

The age of Enlightenment put forth the importance of humanism and reason, concepts that creates a balance between humanity's innate tendency to experience emotions while at the same time, cultivating a rational view of experiencing sensations and interactions around him/her. Indeed, discourses that were created and published in the 18th century reflected the use of reason in order to elucidate the nature of human beings. Enlightenment discourses,' in effect, provide an important insight into the humanism and reason that dwells inside the human mind. These important concepts of the Enlightenment were shown in the works of Mary Wollstonecraft and Jean Jacques Rousseau. Both being proponents and believers of the principles reflective of the Enlightenment, they expressed their views of how humanism and reason influenced their position about the role of women and feminism, and their relationship with education. In Wollstonecraft's â€Å"Vindication of the rights of women,† the author utilized reason as a tool to argue her point about the history of women's suppression when it comes to achieving quality education and fair regard with men in the society. Rousseau, meanwhile, in his work entitled â€Å"Emile† (or â€Å"On Education†), asserted that neither women nor men were suppressed or antagonized against each other, whether the comparison is on their rights, social status, and even privileges such as attaining education. He provided the ‘opposite face' of Wollstonecraft's argument of women suppression in society through their lack of education. Given these descriptions of the works of Wollstonecraft and Rousseau, this paper posits that the works of the authors share a similarity and difference that pertains to the issue of women's equality in attaining education and education in general. This paper argues that using both humanism and reason as foundations for their arguments, Wollstonecraft and Rousseau similarly believed that education must be achieved by all, although education in itself must not be confined to formal education, but to formative education done by the society as well. However, both differed in expressing their opinion concerning women's roles and feminism. Wollstonecraft believed that women had been suppressed and not given the privilege to acquire good formal and formative educations, while Rousseau believed that women were not hindered by society to receive education, and they can do so if they only willed themselves to achieve it. Presentation, analysis, and discussion of these arguments are supported with texts from Wollstonecraft's â€Å"Vindication of the rights of women† and Rousseau's â€Å"Emile. Wollstonecraft and Rousseau presented similar arguments when they discussed the issue of how society should develop and implement education for children and the youth. Both acknowledged the fact that formal education is important, although its state (in the 18th century) leaves more to be desired; in fact, they cited the deficiencies that formal education can have to people's learning and intellectual and moral development. They believed that formal education must include formative education, which means people must not only learn through accumulation of facts and information in schools and educational institutions, but also learn through constant interaction with other people. The youth must learn not only from within the walls of the classroom, but in the real world as well. Rousseau expressed his strong belief in formative education in â€Å"Emile. † In fact, the creation of the discourse itself was meant to critique and analyze the state of formal education as Rousseau observed it during his time. One of his critiques against formal education is that it tended to provide knowledge that is ‘quite limited,' even â€Å"censored† for the students. In expressing his disagreement against â€Å"censored† material used in teaching students, he stated, â€Å"[t]he literature and science of our century tend to destroy rather than to build up. When we censor others we take on the tone of a pedagogue†¦ In spite of all those books whose only aim†¦ is public utility†¦ the art of training men-is still neglected. Books and instructional materials are only useful as aids towards learning, but if these educational materials are â€Å"censored† and created in order to suit the institutions' needs rather than the students', then the â€Å"training of men† is forfeited. What results is a society where children and the youth depend on education to provide its learning knowledge, taking for granted ‘lessons' learned in real life, such as knowledge that comes out from daily interaction with other people and learning lessons from their everyday experiences in the outside world. Apart from the censorship in the educational material taught to students, Rousseau also cited the seemingly lack of imagination in the educational system. By ‘imagination,' he meant that people have become heavily dependent on information and knowledge already extant in the society in all kinds of discipline. Gone is the drive to discover new things in the natural and social environment, which makes human knowledge and most importantly, intellectual development, stagnant. Learning and knowledge accumulation must be a process in which students must think â€Å"out of the box,† an idea that should have been supported because this is what led to the age of Enlightenment. Without humanity's imagination and drive to learn more about the world they live in, perhaps the age of Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution Rousseau's society was benefiting from would not happen. He explicated in better terms his idea of thinking â€Å"out of the box† in the following passage from â€Å"Emile†: By freely expressing my own sentiment I have so little idea of claiming authority that I always give my reasons. This way people may weigh and judge them for themselves. But while I do not wish to be stubborn in defending my ideas, I think it my duty to put them forward†¦ Propose what is feasible, they repeatedly tell me. It is as if I were being told to propose what people are doing already, or at least to propose some good which mixes well with the existing wrongs†¦ Wollstonecraft had similarly expressed Rousseau's sentiments concerning formal education. In expressing her views about education (in general), she focused on the effect that intellectual development from schools have over the moral development of the students. Rousseau, on one hand, had not expressed explicitly his desire for an moral, alongside intellectual, development for humanity's youth. Wollstonecraft, on the other hand, had been more than explicit in expressing her desire for moral development as an individual goes through intellectual development. In â€Å"Vindication,† she expressed concern that the public and private education systems are focusing too much on the intellectual development of the individual, and might, over time, experience greater knowledge and learning without a strong and firm moral character. By emphasizing on moral and intellectual developments, Wollstonecraft strove to put a balance between the humanism and reason, the pillars of the Enlightenment that helped promote intellectual and social progress in human societies. Her fears of escalating moral degeneration for the future of 18th century society was expressed in her discourse, where she declared, †¦ children would be entirely separated from their parents, and I question whether they would become better citizens by sacrificing the preparatory affections, by destroying the force of relationships that render the marriage state as necessary as respectable. But, if a private education produces self-importance, or insulates a man in his family, the evil is only shifted, not remedied. By claiming that â€Å"evil is only shifted, not remedied,† Wollstonecraft meant that formal education does not prepare people for the knowledge that would become more important and useful in real life. This knowledge is not the wide expanse of information that one knows, nor the deep understanding of a discipline or study, but rather, the knowledge that one has in having the best judgment and manner of interacting with other people. Moral development, in effect, was considered more important than intellectual development because it is through a healthy psyche that humanity is able to move forward and leave the ways of the ‘primitive human. ‘ This primitive being is one who is not able to control his emotions and desires, seeking and pursuing these at the detriment of other people's lives and welfare. With social progress in mind, Wollstonecraft proposes that education or intellectual development is not the sole key to it, but morality reigning in human societies as well. Wollstonecraft and Rousseau expressed their similarities in the belief that moral development is just as important in attaining intellectual development. However, when it comes to discussing role of women in the society and feminism, the authors have different perspective toward these issues. Wollstonecraft's view of women and feminism is more radical and attempts to break the status quo (i. e. , the perceived dominance of males over females). Rousseau, meanwhile, sought to establish the fact that in general, men and women are equal in that they complement each other's differences. Thus, for him, their differences are nature's way of creating a balanced whole and harmony in the society. Wollstonecraft's views were apparent in her discussion of education, where, after criticizing education in general, she applied the issue of the achievement of formal education in the context of the women's sector and feminism. In her discussion of moral development as an essential factor in developing intellectual growth, she argued that women's lack of opportunity to achieve formal education also resulted to their lack of moral growth. This means that because they were not exposed to ideas that would encourage the development of a moral character, women were left to act and behave attitudes and character that they deemed as ‘right' and ‘pleasing' to the society. She expressed dismay over women's lack of privilege in education, both moral and intellectual, relegated her to the low and weak status in the society: No, it is indolence and vanity-the love of pleasure and the love of sway, that will rain paramount in an empty mind. I say empty emphatically, because the education which women now receive scarcely deserves the name. For the little knowledge that they are led to acquire, during the important years of youth, is merely relative to accomplishments; and accomplishments without a bottom, for unless the understanding be cultivated, superficial and monotonous is every grace. This passage reflected the fact that the perpetuation of a patriarchal society in the 18th century was due to many factors, which included the tolerance of women's lack of privilege to develop themselves intellectually and morally. If women will not understand the repercussions that education can have in their lives, they will remain as â€Å"indolent† individuals possessing an â€Å"empty mind†-individuals who remain unchallenged and unknowing because they lack the knowledge to survive in a world where survival not only depended on physically, but intellectually and morally as well. Rousseau offered an opposing opinion to Wollstonecraft's feminist ideals. In â€Å"Emile† (Book Five), he made it clear that â€Å"[t]o cultivate the masculine virtues in women and to neglect their own is obviously to do them an injury. Women are too clear-sighted to be thus deceived. When they try to usurp our privileges they do not abandon them. But the result is that being unable to manage the two, because they are incompatible, they fall below their own potential without reaching our's and loose half their worth. † This assertion reflected how women, in their desire to be equal in skills and knowledge as men, weaken themselves in the process, for they were not able to cultivate their own skills and knowledge. Attaining equality with men by aspiring for their characteristics is abandoning one's self and acquiring the identity of the other, thereby creating confusion and guilt. The woman is then left feeling weak because she had abandoned her true, strong self. It is through this point that Rousseau was able to explicate how males and females are equal in that they complement each other: one draws strength from the other, and become weak when they try to be not their true, strong selves.

Group dynamics in The Breakfast Club Essay

Whether groups are formed for social or task oriented purposes, the ability to produce and maintain a sense of affiliation, peer support and collaboration is important for overall group functioning. The cohesion of a social group is produced through the establishment of a set of group norms, which are later defined as a guide for conduct accepted within a group of individuals. However, in order for a group to perform and produce results, the team leader should guide his/her team through the proper stages of group development, which includes the following steps: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. Although teams should follow all these stages of group development, the forming and the norming stages are the most important, since these develop and foster the development of the group norm which prevents segregation within a group. In addition, an autocratic leadership style, which is a very authoritative method is useful in cohering a poorly organized group, especially a group of young high school students as in the movie, The Breakfast Club. The first stage of group development is the forming stage. Forming is when members get to know each other and find common ground, while the group leader provides structure, direction and ground rules. For example, in the movie, The Breakfast Club, the forming stage was the point at which students were forced into a group during detention, which provided structure and rules and allowed individuals to become familiar with one another. The second stage in group development is the storming phase, which usually involves arguments, power struggles, debates and general conflict of interest, often resulting in individuals perceiving such gathering as a waste of time. An example of this stage also seen in the The Breakfast Club is where differing opinions and ideas due to variations in social norms created conflict and arguments within the group. However, if a team leader is able to get past this stage by reminding members of the general goal, group members will begin to work as a team and will move onto the norming stage. At this stage, the group begins to realize the more positive points of individuals within the group, which promotes the development of trust and respect which begins to build group cohesion. The next stage is the performing stage, which is typical of high-performing teams that are able to function as a group and figure out various options to get the job done smoothly and effectively without supervision. The final stage is the adjourning phase, which is the final step in completing tasks  and breaking up the team. The groups that are formed as adolescents often determine group associations as adults and define an individual within their social group that will either set them with or against other groups. This is described in an article on social groupings by Colin Allen, which mentions that our social asso ciations as adolescents are strong indicators to future patterns of social norms as adults. Therefore, the group of students in the movie, The Breakfast Club, can also be extrapolated to adult group dynamics. However, the varying social norms between groups can present conflicts when adults are required to function within a very diverse group of individuals. In The Breakfast Club, the Jock, Geek, Prom Queen, Delinquent, and the Freak groups are brought together initially through an autocratic or directive leadership role, used to bring the group together in order to proceed to the next phase of group development. This stage is particularly important within a group of varying personalities, such as a group of high school students, since it is most often the only way such a diverse group can become familiar with each other. Then through the forming stage, the group members move away from differing group norms, interact and eventually find common ground within the group and establish a unified group norm. The importance of developing a group norm is also illustrated in an experimental study done on group norms and self-aggressive behaviors, which indicated that the establishment of a group norm played a crucial role in the expression of self-inflicted aggression. This tendency to conform to a group norm was shown to influence individual behavior, such as the enhancement of self-image associated with group identification. Therefore, the formation stage in a group process is important, since it develops group norms by requiring the individual to gather data and impressions on similarities and differences within the group and rely on a strong authoritative leader for guidance. The second important stage in group development is the norming stage, which emphasizes interpersonal relations and group cohesion. This is the stage at which the members are actively acknowledging each other through learning about one another and developing group cohesion. Through this stage, individuals begin to share leadership roles and dissolve former cliques and contribute to the overall success of group functioning. This will also increase the sense of group belonging, and individual invested interest in solving any issues within the group. This stage is characterized  by sharing, soliciting information, accepting and finally, providing feedback, and increased creativity. In the film, The Breakfast Club, this stage occurs later when the group has already gone through the forming stage, where the individuals are able to function as a group towards the same goals. In general, if this stage is achieved, members of the group will become more open with each other and information sharing will occur, which will benefit the effectiveness of the group. At this stage a more relaxed leadership style can also be implemented, such as the democratic or laissaize-fair methods. In conclusion, the development of a group who vary in social norms is very dependant on the forming and norming stages, since these steps allow the group to develop a unified group norm. Depending on the characteristics of the group, normally an authoritative style should initially be implemented in order to bring some cohesion to the group. As an example, a group of first year nursing students would benefit from the forming stage, under the direction of an autocratic leadership, since this would offer a solid foundation on which to build a unified group norm. After the group is formed and rules have been learned and accepted by the students, a less authoritative leadership style can be implemented in the norming stage. This will allow students the freedom to learn and explore the field of nursing and develop their individual self-confidence within the field.