Ageing Theory Essay

P4: In this assignment I will be explaining two theories which are the disengagement theory and the activity theory. Disengagement theory The disengagement theory suggests when people reach old age, they tend to naturally withdraw themselves from society and social involvement, elderly folk will also reduce their physical activity due to complications with poor health as they grow old. This among other reasons will result in restricted opportunities to interact with others and forms an individual mentality/approach to life due to becoming less concerned with the expectation of others/withdrawal. In 1975 Cumming argued that â€Å"it was appropriate and healthy for older people to withdraw from others† because it was deemed a natural part of the ageing process. The disengagement theory states that older people start to withdraw themselves from society and others because of their bodily issues i.e. hearing loss, loss of vision and reduction in physical movement. These complications can cause an older persons health to deteriorate which results in the loss of communication with others and withdrawal from society along with social interaction. Retirement can also be a contributing factor for elderly people not to be involved as much due to the inevitability that they will lose touch with their ex colleagues and friends. Older people may also have family that live far away therefore, they may not be able to travel much due to not having access to a car or even have access to technology such as the internet. This restricts the opportunity for social contact and leads to further disengagement due to being isolated from the new generation’s facilities. However, critics point out that disengagement can be discredited for a number of reasons. The majority of older people do remain socially involved with family and friends and many older people become more involved with close family as they become older. It may be that many older people choose to spend the time they have remaining with people they feel close to, rather than seeking to make new friends. If people only interact with close friends does this mean they are disengaged? It is also important to remember disengagement can often be enforced, rather than voluntary. For example, people who need to move to a nursing home experience restrictions on their social circle as well as limitations on their friends, this can result in fewer connections as friends die and depression/isolation occurs due to  inability to change the situation they are in. This is why many people don’t agree with the disengagement theory. Activity theory The activity theory suggests that older people need to disengage, but that they also need to remain â€Å"active† in order to limit the risks associated with disengagement i.e. stagnation, loss of mental and physical skills. Being mentally and physically active is viewed as being very important because it can improve mental and physical health in later life. The general ideology of the activity theory is the more you do, the better you will age. People who maintain an interest in life and continue to be engaged with family and friends tend to be healthier, happier and more in touch with what is going on around them. However, it is not sufficient merely to provide facilities for elderly people. They need to be educated to make use of them and encouraged to engage in a full day of activities, this will result in a high level of productivity and in theory slow down the ageing process. Furthermore, the activity theory can be argued against to some degree because it doesn’t remain true. It is somewhat difficult to suggest just being busy will help greatly with ageing. Therefore, a heightened level of activity is needed, but it needs to be engaging and fulfilling, rather than just busy work/stimulation. As people get older, nerve cells in the brain get weaker which results in memory loss, in order to prevent this from happening old people choose to be mentally active by taking courses and getting involved in studies, and physically active by going on walks, the gym even swimming. To conclude this theory implies by truly engaging ourselves in later life with purpose it can make us live longer. Overall I think it is best to stay active for as long as you can, it means a better social life and a healthy body and mind. It may even increase your life expectancy. I feel disengagement from society and social interaction would have serious consequences and would result in life expectancy being decreased. However, people may be forced in to disengagement through injury or onset of disease/disability. M2: I will be discussing the disengagement and active theories in relation to the individual I have chosen. Disengagement theory in relation to Barrack Obama When Barack Obama reaches old age, he may go through disengagement. This would include a withdrawal from society and social interaction. This may be caused by various factors as the ageing process begins to start and his physical and mental state declines. Obama may distance himself from family and friends which would restrict his opportunities, this is because older people tend to disengage themselves totally and chose not to be involved in social activities/interaction. Therefore, Obama could develop an individual approach and become stuck with this mentality which would result in isolation as he becomes less concerned with the expectations of others. A number of factors can contribute to Obama becoming further disengaged such as retirement. Due to the amount of stress and responsibilities he has had to deal with for a long period of time, he may feel a time out is required. This will inevitably mean the loss of friends and ex colleagues. Another factor could be the deterioration of his health for example, his eye sight, hearing and physical movement may all contribute to him socially disengaging. This would cause further complications and would also restrict Obama from travelling. The realization of death would then begin to linger while he considers the amount of time he has remaining. Furthermore, mental aspects may also occur due to contemplating his previous decisions he made while in power which could have a detrimental effect and may result in him developing depression. This will no doubt result in him no longer wanting his picture taken, and health services being required in order to help him cope with the situation he is in (mentally unstable maybe even forced disengagement). The mutual relationship he once had with society would then begin to evaporate as the disengagement process is completed. Activity theory in relation to Barrack Obama However, if Obama chooses to remain active, he will be more likely to overcome the negative factors that social disengagement causes. If Obama retires after his term as president of the United States, he could continue to work for the America government by being part of international relations. Therefore, he would continue to travel and have his photograph taken due to being an ambassador for his nation. This would mean he will maintain a heighted level of activity that would be engaging, fulfilling, and stimulate  his brain which would delay the aging process and in theory prolong any health issues. Furthermore, Obama would maintain an interest in life and continue to be engaged with family and friends, this would result in him being healthier, happier and more in touch with what was going on around him. He would also be involved in family gatherings and physical activities such as keeping fit i.e. running and attending the gym. All these active factors would form a physical and social routine which would no doubt prevent any sort of disengagement. D2: I will be evaluating how each theory is associated to health and social care provision and what influences health and social care can provide. Ageing and health and social care provision The activity and disengagement theory both relate to health and social care settings. Looking at the activity theory, it is clear that it still has an impact on health and social care settings, most services help people to be active by providing various physical and social activities i.e. care homes provide bingo, quizzes, chess, cards, music and sensory activities which keep elderly people occupied. These games are used in order to keep them entertained and their minds active, whereas day care centres offer days out, dancing and exercise. I believe these services help people to be involved rather than push them away and disengage them as they encourage physical and social interaction/participation. People are living longer due to these services and our good public health/lifestyle. Most health and social care provisions urge older people to remain active because it helps prolong body functions, boosts self esteem and in theory delays the negative effects of ageing. Doctor’s surgeries, community centres and hospitals will also have leaflets and posters with information on revealing how to stay active and will show activities and exercises that older people can do in order to keep healthy. It is now viewed as very important to remain active because as we grow older people tend to lose their memory. This is caused by a decrease in the number of brain cells and the body weakening. Therefore, maintaining a heighted level of activity that is engaging, fulfilling, and stimulates the brain helps delay complications and the aging process. Policies and procedures have changed over the years, giving older people more respect. Having these rights help older people feel more safe and secure in society. All these services for older people will aim to provide quality assurance, choice and ensure the upmost respect is given to the people they are caring for. Older people should always have a choice as to how active they wish to be. If some older people do not want to take part and be disengaged in activities and other participations then that is fine as they have free will in what they want to do and what they do not want to do. Some people may even have disabilities or mental health problems. Therefore, they may not want to take part as they will feel belittled or intimidated it is also a part of their human rights. Quality services will never attempt to force older people to be active and engaged, but they will provide opportunities and encouragement for individuals to maintain the continuity of their lives and remain as a ctive as they wish which must be respected and always taken into account. Looking at the disengagement theory, it is clear that it still has an impact on health and social care settings. Although there are many services that provide physical and social engagement, it can be difficult for elderly people to be involved. I believe there are a number of influences in today’s society that encourage disengagement. For example, Disabilities contribute when forming interaction socially and physically, travel expenses is also an issue, many people don’t have access to transport, although there are mini buses/bus passes now available for elderly people, lots of elderly, mentally challenged and disabled find it difficult to attend these services (forced disengagement). Some people may even struggle to adapt to retirement, someone who has been working all there life may find it difficult to find themselves out of the loop through the loss of ex colleagues and friends even death i.e. the loss of a loved one is a contributing factor and provides an outlet to disengage completely. Furthermore, more people now use drugs, smoke and drink alcohol excessively. Alcohol is a depressant and if used inappropriately it can form an addiction which eventually results in people wanting to be on their own and not wanting to leave their homes. Drugs, smoking and alcohol can also cause diseases such as cancer, liver disease and mental illnesses which all affect how individuals engage. All  these factors could result in serious complications/implications i.e. people not waiting to interact physically or socialise at all. Conclusion Overall I personally believe that today’s society is based more on the activity theory. People are becoming less ill because of the NHS and living longer due to various health and social care services providing engagement both physically and socially. Campaigns on healthy eating, exercise and things to do to keep active is being put out in the open daily. This includes medicines, treatments and screenings. The activity theory provides some evidence of being effective because more and more older people are living in their own homes, keeping active both physically and socially and even cooking healthy meals for themselves as people are becoming more alert to what their body requires, retirement is also now shown to be enjoyable, elderly people ensure they maintain a routine which involves interacting with family and friends, in addition to volunteering which helps them engage and in theory, be more in touch with what is going on around them leading to a happier, healthier life. In my opinion the disengagement theory is very negative on society and on a person. Although it is sometimes viewed as an unavoidable weakness, no one in today’s world wants to be separated from society because of their age. I believe the theory to be ignorant to the fact that older people are still individuals regardless of the process of ageing there are still people who are capable of enjoying life and being part of society which deserve respect and the right to have choices and be independent. Although complications can occur as the ageing process takes place i.e. loss of mobility, illness, malfunction of the body. It is important that people rights are respected and if they want to disengage themselves from society they are free to do so.

Alcoholism and its link to poor self-esteem

Prior to maturity is the stage of adolescence. This is the period where physical and psychological changes take place. The beginning of adolescence is indicated by physical changes known as puberty. With these changes, entail the teenager’s self-perception regarding his physical transformation. Although this aspect is only one of the areas that might seriously affect an adolescent’s self-esteem, it is also a major consideration in the understanding of the youth’s developing self (Halonen & Santrock, 1996).These physical changes affect personality; radical changes in attitudes and interests may occur, but there is consciousness in acting the role of adults. Conflicts may be experienced or may arise as a result of psychosocial behavior patterns in the attempt to achieve maturity. Accepting one’s physique, therefore, is considered one of adolescent’s developmental tasks(Hilgard, 2001).In addition, there is also the emotional independence from parents; developing intellectual skills and concepts necessary for civic competence; desiring and achieving socially responsible behavior and building values in harmony with adequate scientific world-picture (Halpern, 1992). These are actually innate cravings of every individual person and must be resolved especially in such a critical period as adolescence. Problem statements Basic theoretical viewpoints in social psychology are divided on the effects of self-esteem on an individual’s functioning relative to his/her world.One extreme views self-esteem as the root cause of all of society’s problems and that raising it is to solve many social ills. Where poor performance in school is a perennial problem, unemployment or poverty is concerned, the advocates say that poor self-esteem is at their roots. Alcoholism for instance may indicate that an adolescent is having a problem with self-esteem (Pritchard, 2007). This research intends to show that there is a strong correlation betwe en the poor self-esteem and adolescent alcoholism in terms of a teenager’s deficiency and maladaptive patterns in confronting issues concerning himself and his role in his community.Also, in an attempt to provide appropriate recommendations that might be useful for a possible reduction to the incidence of adolescent alcoholism, underlying causes of such phenomena will be analyzed. Specific Main Questions and Sub-questions: Based on the developmental tasks that are expected to occur during the adolescent stage and the context in which self-esteem plays a role in alcoholism, the main research question of this study was drawn as to †¢ What is the correlation of poor self-esteem to adolescent alcoholism?The subsequent research sub-questions that will guide the framework of the research study are as follow: A. What is self-esteem? B. What are the effects of low self-esteem to adolescents? C. To what extent does alcoholism in adolescents a reflection of low-esteem? D. What are the reasons that contribute why adolescents with low self-esteem lead to such maladaptive behavior as alcoholism? E. What are the interventions available to help adolescents with low self-esteem who suffer in alcoholism. F.What strategic approaches could be used to reduce the incidence of lowered self-esteem? CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW Title: Self-esteem and its relationship to alcohol and substance abuse prevention in adolescents Author: Joseph, Donnelly, PhD. Studies regarding substance abuse (alcohol included) yielded results that clearly associate self esteem closely to it. Those who are engaged in alcohol use in later or older age do so because they have learned the use of it in their early and moldable years (11 years old or 5th & 6th grade).Consequently, attempts have been made to deal with the area of self-esteem in hopes that when this psychological problem among teens is addressed properly, substance abuse might somehow be curbed. There are programs that cater to this need and they are actually placed side by side with the traditional curriculums of some schools. The specific aim of the program is prevention and anticipates a positive effect since it seeks to deal with the potential problem of alcohol use before its actual occurrence.Experts and researchers believe that this quandary of alcohol abuse among teens may be helped by treating it in a stage where it is less obvious – that is, when the youngster is not yet manifesting or is obviously using alcohol, but on the brink of experimenting on it (Donnelly, 2007). Advocates of the program are optimistic to the efficacy of their method. The line of attack of this particular method is directed towards factors that are crucial to the make up of adolescents’ life experiences.Understanding the transitions that teenagers most likely will go through is the underlying principle that facilitated the study that eventually led to the formation of this program. Hence, the high hopes that the p roponents of this program maintain. In this paper, the author tries to explore and explain the rubric of the particular synopsis mentioned above and to finally (in the process) convince its readers of its viability in decreasing the problem of alcoholism among teens and young adults in the coming years.It will explain the rationale behind the effectiveness of the curriculum since the whole program is aimed at the core level of the perpetual potential problem of alcohol addiction. ~Feasibility of the Program The National Association for Self-Esteem (NASE), as the very name of the association clearly implies, believe that the self-esteem of the individual plays a major role why or why not that particular person is using/abusing or not using/abusing alcohol.The observation is that teenagers with low self esteem have higher likelihood to experiment not only with alcohol but with other harmful psychoactive substances than those with high self-esteem. Furthermore, their studies yield evid ences that point to the fact that individuals with positive self-esteem show not only little serious involvement with addictive substances but lesser tendency to risk trying the pleasures of these drugs. Convinced of this observation, self-esteem proponents constantly research and write articles that speak to the issue.They support a prevention program which has within it as crucial part â€Å"self-esteem enhancement. † Not any prevention program or traditional approach to the problem will achieve a longer-lasting effect. Overwhelming data available have proven that traditional school programs are not sufficient to address the issue; in order to be really effective in curbing alcoholism among teenagers, it is very important that as researches yield additional information, new strategies should be incorporated and employed as well.Important factors along with self-esteem that must be tackled include: personal efficacy, ability to decide wisely for oneself, and communication sk ills, etc. These areas must be developed since they influence and affect the behavior of an individual. It is believed that when these basic skills are taught and cultivated, rather than concentrating on the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs, the benefits will be much more than the reduction of the likelihood of teenagers and young adults to use and abuse drugs.Involvement with other behavioral correlates like unsafe sexual encounters, and teenage pregnancy, will also diminish. The timing of the implementation of this kind of preventive program in schools for it to really achieve its goal among teenagers is also emphasized. It has to be implemented early, or else, its efficacy will lessen. Dr. Joseph Donnelly (self-esteem proponent) said: â€Å"It is much easier to prevent adolescents from ever engaging in the use of substances than it is to deter that use once it has begun. † Title: Self Esteem Author: Dr. E. PritchardAccording to the author, the concept on self esteem hinges around the physical attractiveness of a person rather than on objective values or qualities. Dr. Pritchard attempts further that for most people who regard physical attractiveness as pre-eminent to be on top of the world of men, self-esteem then will become an issue. The author narrows the two important salient features in concept of self esteem which includes: -â€Å"a feeling of being lovable† -â€Å"a feeling of being competent† He qualifies also such distinction that low self esteem is not the same as depression.He also identifies two strong motivations people have: the need for praise or compliment or a positive feedback, and the need for self-verification. He further mentions that ecological niches in every individual provide a clue as to the degree that our self-view is adversely affected. In a related study on Marital Bliss, couples are said to be observed as more committed to each other due to their consistent self-view; i. e. , one who has a positive self-view is more committed to the other who also has a positive self-view.Furthermore, Pritchard examines the validity of the claim and states his own argument against what is seemingly narrow understanding of the concept: if self-esteem may be a root problem in society’s problems and if the resulting ills that society is recipient of is suffering from poor self-esteem, then it is logical that raising it will positively eradicate if not remove the problems of people. Title: Urban-rural differences in adolescent self- esteem, leisure boredom, and sensation-seeking as predictors of leisure-time usage and satisfactionAuthor: Winsome Rose Gordon and Marie Louise Caltabiano The author seeks to establish the mediation of low self-esteem over the adolescents’ choice to opt for deviant behavior rather than on more socially acceptable conduct. Deviant behavior refers to use and abuse of drugs as observed in the study. Other factors such as leisure boredom and se nsation-seeking as possible mediators as self-esteem is known to be more effective in drawing an adolescent to engage in rather in more productive venues. Title: Evaluating the effects of self-esteem on substance abuse among homeless men (evaluating self-esteem)Author: Barris P. Malcolm It is especially significant that even in studying homeless men, it is important that studies like these further cement the role of self-esteem plays in the choice to use chemical or other substances. It also reviews the studies done by Kaplan in that a strong link tying self-esteem to the possible dependence of individuals to alcohol and other harmful substances. The study seeks to provide the theoretical framework to support the notion risky behaviors including indulgence with alcohol and drugs are associated with low self.In similar attempts to elaborate the research, the author also cited the inconsistent reports and studies done by several authors which claims that alcoholism results to higher s elf-esteem rather than its opposite. Title: Self-esteem: the costs and causes of low self- worth Author: Nicholas Emler Emler collated and presented his facts on several studies that support the close correlation that a poor self-esteem influences the individual’s choice to adopt a destructive lifestyle. However, in this study, Emler clarifies that o Self-esteem can actually be measured and quantified reliablyo Parental influences play a direct part in developing the child’s view of self hence, a low self-esteem stems from such factors as parenting styles, physical and sexual abuse o The interventions that have been developed by experts are still limited and are not known to be effective for a long period of time. o Strategic approaches implemented and public policies have their specific outputs as a response to the position that low self-esteem can be equated with self-destructive patterns. o Other factors such as belonging to a particular minority group, race or gend er may be root causes that a person like an adolescent is specifically tempted.The review and in-depth report reflect the negative correlation between self-esteem and the factors just enumerated. Reference: 1. Donnelly, Joseph. 2004. Self-Esteem and it's Relationship to Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention in Adolescents. Dept. of Health Professions/PERLS National Association for Self-esteem. 2. Emler, Nicholas. 2001. The costs and causes of low self-esteem. Joseph Rowntree foundation. 3. Gordon, Winsome Rose. 1996. Urban-rural differences in adolescent self-esteem, leisure boredom, and sensation-seeking as predictors of leisure-time usage and satisfaction. Adolescence. p. 1 4. Halonen, JS, & JW Santrock.1996. Psychology: contexts of behavior. Dubuque, IA: Brown and Benchmark, p. 810. 5. Hilgard. E, et al. 1983. Introduction to Psychology. 7th edition. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanich. 6. Malcolm, Barris. 2004. Evaluating the effects of self-esteem on substance abuse among homele ss men (evaluating self-esteem. Journal of Alcohol and Drug Addiction. 7. Pritchard, John. Self Esteem. Accessed September 27, 2007 < file:///D:/Documents%20and%20Settings/alan/My%20Documents/ALCOHOLSIM%20AND%20SELFESTEEM/social98b. html> 8. Halpern, D. F. 1992. Sex differences in cognitive abilities. 2nd ed. Hillsdale, NJ; Lawrence Erlbaum.

Identity theft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Identity theft - Essay Example Credit card fraud falls under the category identity theft. Credit card fraud means a fraud or theft committed, using a credit card or any similar payment mechanism. The intention of such a fraud is to obtain unauthorized funds from an account or receive goods without paying. It is estimated that the cost of credit frauds runs in to billions of dollars annually. Credit card fraud begins with either compromise of the account information or theft of the physical card. The drastic increase of credit cards has made data base security lapses very costly. If a credit card is stolen, it can be reported quickly by the owner, but a compromised account can be concealed by a thief for weeks or months. In most cases the owner or the credit card holder may not be able to discover the fraudulent use till he receives the billing statement which is delivered only once per month. When a credit card is stolen or lost, it remains unknown to the bank till the owner informs them that the card is lost. So it is possible for a stealer to make purchases till the card is cancelled. Signature panel is the only common security measures on all cards, but signatures are relatively easy to counterfeit. In some cases, credit cards bear the holder’s photograph. However, self serve payment system such as kiosks, gas station, which are used by the thieves, have no way to verify the card holders’ identity. Nowadays many websites which contain card information such as name of the card holder, account number, expiration date and verification code etc.

Jean Roberge - vice president of ABS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Jean Roberge - vice president of ABS - Essay Example The project tends to bring all 3 sub-units (which were previously 3 different businesses) on to one platform so that resources can be shared profitably especially in accounting and human resource management department. Even in marketing department, if the plan of marketing from all three entities is in line with each other due to the presence of an integrated management system, it will prove less costly and more effective. The project will cost $50 million, which Mr. Roberge plan to spread over the period of 24 months. The major targets of ABS from incorporation of this new system are to ensure consistent and reliable data retrieval, harmonization of accounting and financial process, improving process efficiency in HR management and to create an integrated market vision for the new ABS entity. The challenges as identified by Mr. Roberge include the fact that there is a huge amount of information that needs to be sorted out and placed rightly to be accessed when required and this too must be done without a single error. The existing systems and soft wares cannot be considered obsolete for no reason. Instead, the best option is to make as little as possible change to the soft wares in use already. This will help in keeping the system understandable for the users. Also, it is a huge project which will have a direct impact over the way IT department of ABS works. It will have an impact over the future of IT department in ABS. Another great challenge is that Mr. Roberge needs to hire a competent project manager. Case 1: Question 1: There are few other issues which at this point seem that Mr. Roberge has not considered. The biggest issue is reaction of ABS employees to this huge change. It has been mentioned in the case study that IT department staff is already a little uneasy about it as such a system can lead towards downsizing of their department. Such an automated system might result in lower number of jobs in IT department. This thus has an impact over performan ce of staff especially in the IT department. On the same line, the reaction of employees from other departments will also be important. Marketing department for example might not be very comfortable with such an integrated system. They are not used to discussing their micro plans with a huge audience. An important aspect that is thus being overlooked at this stage in my opinion is change management. Case Study 2: Question 1: In my opinion there are a few key points in the presentation which include the following: First of all, the presentation must have included the scope, budget, requirement and justification of having such a huge system in place. This is something which Mr. Roberge’s own presentation to the committee had in detail. The issues which he found a little untouched in his own presentation and was impressed when he saw added to consultant’s presentation are a detailed break up of the additional resources ABS will require for implementation of such a huge sy stem. When ERP is incorporated in any huge corporate of public culture, there is a lot of staff requirement, capital resource requirement and hardware and soft ware requirements to be taken care of by the parent company. Though Mr. Roberge has done thorough cost analysis, the requirement of staff was brought up by the consultant. Other important point that was highlighted in the presentation of the consultant was that change management must be a well planned process. The consultant has been a part of essentially many such ERP incorporations and from his experience he has pointed out that firms see highest turn over rate during the time when such huge changes are taking place. He pointed out that change management should be a well planned process and employees from every tier must be involved so that

Chris Burden, Shakira and Jack Kerouac Research Paper

Chris Burden, Shakira and Jack Kerouac - Research Paper Example The discussion of the paper "Chris Burden, Shakira and Jack Kerouac " will further emphasize on the professional career of the three personalities to conclude on the influences develop by them on the society. Chris Burden was born in 1946 and achieved an international recognition in 1970s as a West Coast body artist and a performer of conceptual arts. Chris Burden was also recognized as a controversial figure as a participant in the Conceptual Art movement and influenced his audiences by getting himself shot, crucified, electrocuted and almost drowned. These were again used in his videos during 1974 which significantly influenced the society. Shakira was born in 1977 in Colombia. Until the beginning of the 21st century, she gained recognition as the most famous female international crossovers in representing Latin pops. After her recognition in the international music industry, she was stated as one of the most influencing popular singer, dancer and lyricist. She also sang the theme song of FIFA World Cup in 2010 which was again a hit. Jack Kerouac was born on 1922 and was recognized as a novelist in the early 1940s. The author travelled in many places including San Francisco, California, Mexico, North Carolina and other states which inspired him to write novels based on the social lives of the people of those regions. This in turn influenced the society quite strongly. Jack Kerouac died in 1969 when his age was only 47 years in Saint Petersburg, because of a hemorrhage in his abdomen.

Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Methodology - Essay Example Finally, inductive approaches do not always allow researchers to capture the complexity of various social phenomena (Cargan 2007). This is why, when researchers cannot overcome the major limitations of inductive data, they begin their study with a theory, followed by a hypothesis and research (Saunders et al., 2007). In other words, they apply for deductive research approaches. Deductive data is usually derived from the study of earlier experiments, empirical and theoretical literature. In other words, deductive approaches rely on the previous studies and lead to the creation of generalizations and assumptions from earlier formulations (Cargan 2007). The use of deductive data in research is very common. According to Saunders et al (2007), deductive data allows developing conceptual frameworks from theories considered in the literature. These frameworks are then tested using the data (Saunders et al. 2007). Researchers who use deductive data develop new theories, based on the earlier studies in the same field. In deductive approaches, researchers usually begin with the analysis of literature. At times, meta-analysis designs are used to systematize earlier research findings. All these steps are integral to deductive approaches in research. With deductive data, researchers find it easier to make generalizations and develop recommendations for future research. ... Mixed methods research Mixed methods have already become a defining feature of contemporary research. Mixed studies are often valued for their strength and reliability. Basically, mixed methods designs involve the use of both quantitative and qualitative features (Denscombe 2010). The concept of mixed methods can be traced to the end of the 1950s (Creswell 2003). Mixed methods exemplify a logical and promising response to the limitations inherent in all research methods. With the help of mixed methods, researchers can â€Å"neutralize or cancel the biases of other methods† (Creswell 2003, p.15). Triangulation is a popular method of research, which is used to ensure better validity and reliability of the study findings (Creswell 2003). For example, the results obtained from one method can be used to inform another method of research, or one method can be nested within another research strategy to ensure effective analysis of the different levels of data (Creswell 2003). Researc hers who use mixed methods in their studies can choose from three research procedures. First, in sequential mixed method approaches, researchers use the data obtained from one research method to improve the quality of the results obtained from another method (Creswell 2003). The data obtained from one method can also be used to improve the second method used a mixed study design. Second, researchers can also use concurrent procedures, when qualitative and quantitative data are used simultaneously to study one research question (Creswell 2003). Finally, there are also transformative procedures when a particular theoretical framework is used to interpret both quantitative and qualitative study findings (Creswell 2003). The choice of particular procedures and

Critical Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Critical Review - Essay Example The inclusive settings may be community-based such as private preschool programmes in day care centres, or may be public school based preschool programmes. For inclusion to be successful, children with disabilities have to be provided with all the necessary supports, to facilitate their forming friendships with peers, to actively participate in all classroom activities, and to accomplish the individualised goals designed to meet his or her needs. Both the disabled children and their non-disabled peers benefit from the integrated environment (Power-deFur & Orelove, 1997). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to write a critical review of the article by Odom (2000). First, the article will be summarised, followed by a background section giving a brief account of the reason why the article was chosen, its significance and the relevance to one’s research interest. The critical review of the article will include an investigation of the topic and key issues raised in the paper; also the author’s findings and suggestions; the arguments put forward by the article; and an evaluation of the strengths and shortcomings of the paper. In early childhood special education, it is now a primary service option to include children with disabilities with normally developing peers with typical growth patterns, in integrated classroom settings. This is a relatively new development, from the 1990s, although inclusion of preschool children was known since the early 1970s. There has been a gradual shift from special education programmes for school age children to those designed for preschool age children, to programmes in which children with disabilities are included in mainstream classrooms, with continued development in the settings offered for achieving improved outcomes (Odom, 2000). In this paper, the author Odom (2000) briefly investigates the literature available on the topic. Some research findings on