Comparison Of The Movie The Crucible - 827 Words

The Crucible, a movie directed by Nicholas Hytner, was critically acclaimed and earned several awards. It received an Academy Award nomination for best screenplay based on material previously produced or published, a BAFTA award for best-adapted screenplay, and Golden Globe awards for supporting actor and actress in a motion picture. In Empire’s review, they say, â€Å"In this almost perfect screen adaptation, the lingering question is the most important one: what caused such madness?† This movie adaptation is objectively superior than the written play for many reasons. One reason is how the characters are portrayed, specifically John Proctor. The way Nicholas Hytner deals with the other characters is exceptional as well. Nicholas Hytner’s The†¦show more content†¦The movie has a visual aspect that the play cannot provide. When reading the play, the reader must rely on their own imagination for visualizing the characters based on the descriptions given. Beyond the dialogue, the movie can show more explicitly how the characters are descending into madness. The play cannot show you facial expressions and body language that the actors in the movie can depict. One example is Goodwife Putnam, who is driven crazy from her daughter’s mysterious affliction. Frances Conroy’s performance in the movie brings the added layers of her desperate facial expressions and strident voice. Winona Ryder’s Abigail Williams is another great example, because as her character becomes more and more unhinged, we see her less kept together, and in one scene she is missing her bonnet. One might argue, if you want the best interpretation of The Crucible, you should read the original play because it is exactly what Arthur Miller wanted to express with the story. This would seem to be logical, as the play is his original work. However, one could also debate that most plays rely on the director’s and the actor’s interpretation while they are in production. Most plays or musicals rely heavily on the imagination of who is putting on the show. With this power in hand, they can change the play for better or for worse. And in the case of this movie, it was exceptional. To defend the playShow MoreRelatedThe Crucible1591 Words   |  7 PagesThe Crucible Many different parts form together to make up the society we see in The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller. Whether it be religion, government, or social roles; they all play some sort of impacting part to the characters we met while watching The Crucible. Who knew that religion and government could change a person’s life in a matter of minutes like it did so many times throughout the movie. The characters like Abigail Williams and John Proctor both knew the risks of going againstRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1358 Words   |  6 PagesA. The movie, The Crucible, was produced in 1996 and portrayed the dramatized play written by Arthur Miller in 1953. The movie story deals with the Salem, Massachusetts hysteria in 1692 with an irrational fear of the devil. Witch hunts and false accusations resulted. Trials took place and resulted in the hanging and associated death of more than 20 people and the false imprisonment of many others. B. The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraftRead MoreTelevision Interview : The Crucible 1118 Words   |  5 Pagesplayed the role of John Proctor in the movie, â€Å"The Crucible†. Tell us briefly about your role. D: Well, I play the role of John Proctor, Elizabeth’s husband, as a local farmer who is a stern, harsh-tongued man of high social standing and integrity and who hates hypocrisy. He is a proud man who places great emphasis on his reputation in society. ABC: As in most plays and movies, there are important themes represented. What are some of these in the movie? D: Well, there are several themesRead MoreLord Of The Flies And The Crucible Comparison Essay1255 Words   |  6 PagesFear can cause people do some crazy actions. The book, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding and the movie, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller both have many character traits in common. They both show variations of how everyone in both The Lord of the Flies and the Crucible, experience having the fear of the unknown. Each character from both the book and the movie express it in a different way. The fear of the unknown can haunt many characters. Parachute’s body and spectral evidence, Jack and AbigailRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1064 Words   |  5 PagesLucifer, Satan or his common name, the devil. From an English perspective, he is the first antagonist. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the Devil is the main cause of conflict. He is the root of Evil. Now the reaction to devilish behavior varies from person to person, possibly even society to soci ety. The Puritan society combats evil doing with actions that could be considered worse than the Devil s worst of deeds. This is demonstrated by Reverend Hale, whose importance starts initially as a figureheadRead MoreThe Crucible : Drama, History Essay707 Words   |  3 Pages Ryan Diraljal August 30, 2016 Period 2 The Crucible Drama, History Nicholas Hytner Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, Paul Scofield BAFTA Awards Best Actress, Best Screenplay The truth: Two girls, Betty and Abigail, were experimenting with horseshoes and Venus glass trying to raise demonic spirits. They later started acting very strangely and twitching. Betty and Abigail are accused of being possessed, andRead MoreThe Middle Of The 16th Century1571 Words   |  7 Pagesinnocence were executed, those who refused to name names were put in jail and tortured and lastly those who confessed were freed. Comparison Evaluation The film â€Å"The Crucible† can be considered very historically accurate as compared to the Salem Witch Trials that occurred in our history minus a few detail that were added to enhance the plot for the audience. In the movie Abigail was portrayed to be 17 years old but in realty she was actually 12 years old. This difference allows for viewers to haveRead MoreThe And Folklore Of All Hallows1629 Words   |  7 Pagesfor best actor and author. He then wrote his most famous play â€Å"The Crucible† which didn t get as high reviews on broadway at first, because it was considered â€Å"unamerican† by some, but then gained it s popularity. Then in the year 1956, Arthur married Marilyn Monroe. They were known as â€Å"The Brain and the Body† of hollywood. Through his work, Arthur Miller made a big impact on many American lives, such as using comparisons to help people view the world in different ways. He did this by writingRead MoreThe Devil Visited Salem Witch Trials1597 Words   |  7 PagesThe devil visited Salem in 1692, or did he? Nicholas Hytner’s The Crucible depicts the 1692 witchcraft epidemic in Salem, Massachusetts. The film was adapted from a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953. The film’s producers, Robert A. Miller and David V. Picker, released the film along with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation in 1996. The film focuses on one female resident of Salem and her revenge against her ex-lover. The revengeful girl and her group of friends begin to accuse other membersRead MoreEssay about Arthur Miller1626 Words   |  7 Pageswas blacklisted after refusing to give information about others who had been suspected of involvement with the Communist Party, however it was later revoked. In 1953 he was even denied a passport to attend the Brussels premiere of his own play The Crucible, a play in which he expressed his faith in the ability of an individual to resist conformist pressures. Whether it was the specific experience of being blacklisted by the government or another, Arthur Miller always wrote of social concerns relative

Cameras in Current Time Period Free Essays

Cameras nowadays are better than ever before with enhanced technology, high quality shots, and that images can now be digitally stored instead of worrying about wasting film. There are still some issues about the cameras such as high pricings or weather conditions, but you can agree that cameras now have improved extremely than when cameras are first invented decades ago. Some types of old cameras have come back to life, combined with the technology today to stay relevant to the current trend of digitalisation. We will write a custom essay sample on Cameras in Current Time Period or any similar topic only for you Order Now The most prominent cameras right now that people use especially professional and amateur photographers is a DSLR camera. DSLR stands for â€Å"Digital Single-Lens Reflex† due to the added digital imaging sensor to a SLR camera. DSLR cameras captures digital wise now, it requires a memory card or an SD card to store images digitally, in contrast of storing film. People were interested and love the incoming of DSLR cameras that during the 2000s, DSLR have already replaced SLR cameras. This was a huge step in the technology of cameras and DSLRs that it has evolved from film camera era and keeps on improving digital cameras years later. As of 2018, they remained the most common type of interchangeable lens cameras. DSLR was first created in 1975 by an engineer named Steven Sasson of Eastman Kodak. The first digital camera came from a challenge given by his employers to see if there was any practical use for a charged couple device (C.C.D). He was the man responsible for the process of digitalisation, turning electric pulses into numbers and having those to help create an image. The camera had a resolution of 0.01 megapixels and weighs 3.6 kg. The materials he used are very different to what cameras are made of now such as having a portable cassette recorder, analogue / digital converter and a dozen of circuits wired on circuit boards. His camera took 23 seconds to capture an image and 30 more for the black and white image to develop in the cassette tape (The camera’s â€Å"memory card†). The camera he invented was just for technical exercise only however and was never made for production until years later by other companies. Comparing to today’s cameras, they have better image quality and more advanced. Take the Canon EOS 6D Mark II as an example. The full frame DSLR camera was announced on 29 June 2017 and it is the first camera to feature an LCD screen due to only crop sensor cameras have this feature. Professional photographers like this feature so that they can discover new camera angles that most full frame cameras cannot do without the LCD screen. It has a resolution of 26.2 megapixels that is even greater than the first DSLR camera and only weighs 685 grams lighter. The images from this camera is stunning with its sharp focus and great work on low light photography. Mirrorless cameras are one of the few kinds of cameras to have brought back the trend in the early 2010s. As the name suggests, this camera does not have an optical mirror inside unlike DSLRs. They also do not have a viewfinder. but you can only see the images on LCD screens which displays what the camera image sensor sees rather than what the lens sees. Without the mirror, the camera body is smaller, lightweight and more compact in size which is why they are also called â€Å"Compact System Cameras†. This was considered an alternative option for other photographers than DSLRs to reduce equipment such as bigger lenses, tripods, etc. The first mirrorless camera, the RD1 Digital Rangefinder, consists of only a 6-megapixel APS-C sensor with only a 2-inch LCD screen monitor. The handling is similar of an analogue rangefinder. The images taken from this camera is surprisingly in good quality even though this was launch in 2004. What’s more surprising is that this camera came from Epson, the same company that manufactures printers. Mirrorless cameras are looking to overthrown DSLRs soon or in a few years. However, people have their own opinions about the two cameras and most might still prefer the DSLRs. In my opinion, I still prefer DSLRs although I’m interested to test out mirrorless cameras someday and test some couple of shots with it. Polaroid or instant cameras is the other kind of camera that came back due to the nostalgia of developing a printed image right after taking the picture. Polaroid cameras uses self-developing film for the printing process. Young adults and some adults love having these cameras for a throwback and that they can capture and print images for memories and put them up for decoration. The first polaroid camera, the â€Å"95 Land Camera† was dated back in 1948. Its large and bulky size is very different to the polaroid cameras that are produced now such as the popular Instax instant cameras. The Instax cameras are the well-known polaroid cameras today marketed by Fujifilm. This camera was made by a collaboration of polaroid companies such as Fujifilm, Polaroid Corporation and Lomography. In 2016, sales of Instax cameras have risen to 5 million units. These are available in three unique formats; Mini, Wide and Square. The only disadvantage of this is that Fujifilm didn’t make the cameras able to do colour and black and white together. For instance, if you have a colour only Instax camera and you like your printed image to be black and white, you’ll need to buy their black and white film packs. Nonetheless, the printed images are good, but sometimes the highlights can be blown out a bit because of the intense flash that the camera provided. Fujifilm then created the most advance polaroid camera ever made. The Instax Square SQ10 is a hybrid camera that combines the mechanics of a polaroid camera and the technology of digital cameras today. You can now view the images you’ve taken through the camera’s new display before even printing them. The Instax Square also has internal memory to be able to store the images you’ve captured and a micro SD card slot for more storage. One of the most notable features in this camera is that you can now edit or add filters to images before printing them out. This was a bit of a breakthrough for polaroid cameras as this has never been done before since the first polaroid camera exist. The camera also includes some settings from DSLRs such as double exposure, bulb, macro and thumbnail print. Finally, you can also print as many copies of an image as you can if you would like to send another copy of the image to a friend. This might be the start for the future of Polaroid cameras such as adding more settings from DSLRs and virtual video from images that you can scan the printed image with your phone and the image transforms to a short video. Overall, cameras nowadays are doing their best quality of images for all levels of photography. Inspiring photographers should learn and try out these other cameras other than just DSLRs to experience and learn its features. Maybe at the end of the day, they have their right to decide which camera would they want for the best of their photography work. References Baguely, R. (2018, May 9). DSLR vs. Mirrorless Cameras: Which Is Better for You? Retrieved from Tom’s Guide website: https://www.tomsguide.com/us/dslr-vs-mirrorless-cameras,news-17736.html Burgett, G. (2018, January 29). What is a Mirrorless Camera and What Makes It Different from a DSLR? | Digital Trends. Retrieved from Digital Trends website: https://www.digitaltrends.com/photography/what-is-a-mirrorless-camera/ Canon. (n.d.). Canon: EOS 6D Mark II | Sample Images ; Movies. Retrieved from Canon website: http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/samples/eos6dmk2/ Cassavoy, L. (2018, February 20). What Makes a Smartphone Smart? Retrieved from Life Wire website: https://www.lifewire.com/what-makes-a-smartphone-smart-579597 Dadfar, K. (n.d.). Beginners Guide to Different Types of Digital Cameras. Retrieved from Digital Photography School website: https://digital-photography-school.com/beginners-guide-different-types-digital-cameras/ David. (2018, May 17). 3 Best Environmentally Eco-Friendly Green Android Smartphones. Retrieved from The Droid Guy website: https://thedroidguy.com/2018/05/3-best-environmentally-eco-friendly-green-android-smartphones-1067264 Diffen. (n.d.). DSLR vs SLR Camera – Difference and Comparison | Diffen. Retrieved from Diffen website: https://www.diffen.com/difference/DSLR_vs_SLR_Camera Digital Photography Review. (n.d.). Canon: EOS 6D Mark II sample gallery: Digital Photography Review. Retrieved from Digital Photography Review website: https://www.dpreview.com/sample-galleries/8212334571/canon-eos-6d-mark-ii-sample-gallery/6936040534 DP Reviews. (n.d.). Canon EOS 30D Review Samples: Digital Photography Review. Retrieved from DP Review website: https://www.dpreview.com/sample-galleries/1562011426/canon-eos-30d-review-samples Estrin, J. (2015, August 12). Kodak’s First Digital Moment – The New York Times. Retrieved from The New York Times website: https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/12/kodaks-first-digital-moment/ Ferron, E. (2017, May 9). 2017 Smartphone Comparison Guide. Retrieved from New Atlas website: https://newatlas.com/best-smartphones-specs-features-comparison-2017/49418/ Hession, M. (2014, January 29). The Very First Mirrorless Camera Was A Gem Made By Epson. Yep. Epson. | Gizmodo Australia. Retrieved from Gizmodo website: https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/01/the-very-first-mirrorless-camera-was-a-gem-made-by-epson-yep-epson/ Mahyuni, E. (2016, February 20). A brief history of mirrorless cameras | Stuff. Retrieved from Stuff website: https://www.stuff.tv/sg/features/brief-history-mirrorless-cameras Mansurov, N. (2018, April 3). Are Smartphones Threatening the Camera Industry? – Photography Life. Retrieved from Photography Life website: https://photographylife.com/are-smartphones-threatening-the-camera-industry O’Kane, S. (2018, February 26). Sony’s new A7 III is a $2,000 full-frame mirrorless camera that should terrify Canon and Nikon – The Verge. Retrieved from The Verge website: https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/2/26/17056162/sony-a7-iii-camera-price-specs-release-date Rastall, G. (2017, May 10). How are Smartphones Shaping the Future of Photography? – DigitalRev. Retrieved from DigitalRev website: https://www.digitalrev.com/article/how-are-smartphones-shaping-the-future-of-photography Reid Reviews. (2015, December). Epson R-D1 Review. Retrieved from Reid Reviews website: https://www.reidreviews.com/examples/r-d1.html Ruiz, I. B. (2017, June 3). Smartphones – not so smart for the planet. Retrieved from DW website: http://www.dw.com/en/smartphones-not-so-smart-for-the-planet/a-37824142 Schurman, K. (2017, November 17). Future Camera Technological Advances. Retrieved from Life Wire website: https://www.lifewire.com/cameras-of-the-future-493442 Wikipedia. (2018, April 13). Canon EOS 6D Mark II – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_6D_Mark_II#cite_note-peta-1 Wikipedia. (2018, May 10). Canon EOS D30 – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_D30 Wikipedia. (2018, May 9). Digital Photograhy – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_photography Wikipedia. (2018, March 5). Epson R-D1 – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epson_R-D1 Wikipedia. (2018, June 2). Instant Camera – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_camera#Polaroid_cameras Wikipedia. (2018, June 1). Instax – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instax Wikipedia. (2018, May 16). Mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirrorless_interchangeable-lens_camera#History Wikipedia. (2018, May 26). Smartphone – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone Wikipedia. (2018, May 22). Sony ?7 III – Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_%CE%B17_III Zhang, M. (2017, August 18). 10 Predictions About the Future of Photography. Retrieved from Peta Pixel website: https://petapixel.com/2017/08/18/10-predictions-future-photography/ How to cite Cameras in Current Time Period, Papers

Does Learning Change the Structure of the Brain

Question: Does Learning Change the Structure of the Brain? Answer: Introduction: This particular study seeks an in-depth insight on whether learning changes the structure of brain or not. The mental development of human is gradual and dynamic. With the gradual progress of life, the human being has to come across different learning processes with the help of which they can develop their mental skill and wisdom. This particular study has thrown an argument regarding this. I as a psychologist have to analyse the fact whether learning process can at all change the structure of brain or not. As a psychologist, I have to provide logical statement in support of my argument. I as a psychologist believe that with the progress of learning process, the structure of brain changes. Therefore, I have to produce an argument how mental ability changes with the rhythmic process of learning. Thesis statement: It was a psychological argument thrown by many eminent personalities that different learning process is one of the major tools of structuring brain. Brain signifies mental ability based on which the individual has enhanced their knowledge and wisdom. Buntod (2010) stated that different learning theories are one of the most effective framework based on which learners can absorb the information and utilize it when it is necessary. As per the behavioural theory, it is defined that individuals behaviour is highly dependent on the society, culture and the background where that individual belongs (Gibson and Hughes, 2009).Learning can never change anyones behaviour. On the other hand, Korkmaz et al. (2011) argued that the believers of cognitive theory believe can be developed through different phases of learning processes. As a result, one can simply differentiate the behaviour of a knowledgeable person and the behaviour of an ordinary fellow having least knowledge and perception on the learning process. Many theorists as Petersen et al. (2014) have differed this kind of arguments that only learning process is enough to build the mental development of a particular individual. They believe that as per the constructivism theory, learning process definitely helps to construct enough and skill to an individual; but through various learning process individual can never gain wisdom. There is a subtle difference between knowledge and wisdom. The renowned essayist, Russell (1872-1970) in his essay Knowledge and Wisdom, stated that gaining knowledge has both of its positive and negative effects; but those who gain knowledge for getting a positive outcome is possessed wisdom. He has pointed out one particular example such as one scientist can make dynamite with the help of which the world can be destroyed. On the other hand, biochemists select the dose of medicines that help a person to get back into new life. The essayist has highlighted two contradictory sentences in order to point out the fact that knowledge can always not be effective in order to build a persons mentality or psychology. In addition, with knowledge or learning, wisdom is also necessary that would help them to realize how knowledge can be utilized in various positive sides (Francis 2008). Therefore, this was the argument statement whether learning can change structure of brain of an individual based on which different essayists have made their arguments i n it. Discussing own Position and argument: As per the demand of the study, I have to expose my own argument in the position of psychology. At the very first stage, I would like to confess that I personally believe learning plays a major role in the developmental structure of brain and mind. In order to support my argument I would love to point out some of the relevant tools learning process in this regard that would help me to support my views. A learner can gain knowledge and information from group activities. While making a group discussion, the learner can develop knowledge and skill that was completely unknown for that person. Collective ideas and decision-making process helps an individual to widen the mental horizon. Learning through classroom activities is one of the most effective ways to gain enough information for building the mental development. In a classroom, the mentor or a teacher likes to provide sufficient knowledge and information regarding various fields. Learners get the opportunity to interact with the teacher in order to clarify their doubt. With the help of exchanging immediate feedback to each other, learners can develop their mind. Interpersonal exchange of views is one of the most effective ways of enhancing mental ability and skill. In an interpersonal communication, both the sender and the receiver like to maintain face-to-face communication with each other. As a result, the feedback they get from each other is immediate. Consequently, they acquire enough opportunity to correct their misconception. One of the most notable benefits of making interpersonal communication is that both the sender and the receiver can expose their emotion more frankly as they are known to each other. It is a major tool of learning process. Here, learners get immense opportunity to develop their ability and skill. On the contrary Bassett et al. (2011) has opined that class room activities, group activities, interpersonal exchange of views can never be the effective tool of learning based on which the mind and the structure of brain of a learner would be changed. Surroundings and the environment are the major factors for the mental development of a learner. I personally having a psychological background strongly oppose the point of view of May (2011). As per my knowledge and experience is concerned, I have gained enough the society and background of a particular learner can be one of the effective parts of building the mental skill and development; but it can never be the whole. For an example, without different phases of learning process from school to college, one individual child can never be able to take any matured decision because this particular child would not be able to make any difference between good or bad Sullivan et al. (2011). Only society is not enough to structure the brain of a child. Many examples can be developed in this regard where I can show that a child coming from backward society is successful enough to take a perfect decision about career or any other else. Whereas a child in spite of having a high profile background does not know how to behave with seniors in order to show them respect and dignity Taubert et al. (2010). Therefore, this fact is undeniable that environment is one of the major factors for making the mental ability of a learner; but it can never be the only factors based on which an individual learner can develop their knowledge and skill. Without proper learning, no one would be able to develop his or her mentality Zatorre et al (2012). Summary and Conclusion: This particular study has clearly focused to establish an argument whether learning can change the structure of a brain. Different stalwarts from the psychological background have expressed their point of views. Some of them have supported this opinion and some of them have denied its relevance. I also have been appointed to express my personal opinion. However, I have supported the view, as I personally believe the process of learning has an immense contribution in order to develop the mental ability of a learner. Many eminent personalities have considered my opinion as irrelevant because they personally believe that environment is more important than learning for developing mental skill of a learner. I have provided enough statements relating to the practical examples in support of my viewpoints. Reference List: Bassett, D. S., Wymbs, N. F., Porter, M. A., Mucha, P. J., Carlson, J. M., Grafton, S. T. (2011). Dynamic reconfiguration of human brain networks during learning.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,108(18), 7641-7646. Buntod, (2010). Effects of Learning Environmental Education on Science Process Skills and Critical Thinking. Journal of Social Sciences, 6(1), pp.60-63. Francis, P. (2008). Developing education students' conceptions of the learning process in different learning environments. Learning and Instruction, 7(3), pp.277-292. Gibson, M. and Hughes, P. (2009). The Supervisory Process in Action Learning. Management Learning, 18(4), pp.264-276. Korkmaz, F., Ozsaker, E., Tasdemir, N. and Karacabay, K. (2011). Analysis of the effects of two different assessment methods on the learning process in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. European Journal of Cardiovascular, 10(23), pp.22-24. May, A. (2011). Experience-dependent structural plasticity in the adult human brain.Trends in cognitive sciences,15(10), 475-482. Petersen, A., Boer, H. and Gertsen, F. (2014). Learning in different modes: the interaction between incremental and radical change. Knowl. Process Mgmt., 11(4), pp.228-238. Sullivan, E. V., Pfefferbaum, A., Rohlfing, T., Baker, F. C., Padilla, M. L., Colrain, I. M. (2011). Developmental change in regional brain structure over 7 months in early adolescence: comparison of approaches for longitudinal atlas-based parcellation.Neuroimage,57(1), 214-224. Taubert, M., Draganski, B., Anwander, A., Mller, K., Horstmann, A., Villringer, A., Ragert, P. (2010). Dynamic properties of human brain structure: learning-related changes in cortical areas and associated fiber connections.The Journal of Neuroscience,30(35), 11670-11677. Zatorre, R. J., Fields, R. D., Johansen-Berg, H. (2012). Plasticity in gray and white: neuroimaging changes in brain structure during learning.Nature neuroscience,15(4), 528-536

Self Portrait free essay sample

Shes never been called glamorous or even an enthusiastic pretty. Her acorn-colored hair hangs simply above her shoulders and sometimes catches a glitter from the reflecting sun. Shes constantly trying to keep it tucked behind her ear in hopes that it wont stray, but it usually half-covers her eye in hopes that it one day will cover her whole face and hide her emotions from everyone. Her blue eyes are like a chameleon changing with her every outfit. Sometimes as blue as the ocean on a Caribbean beach while other times they are as dark as a storm rolling across the hills. Her freckled face makes her appear younger and in the summer they serve to cover most of her nose. Her mother and friends used to tell her that they could tell when she was lying because a freckle under her right eye twitched. She now knows that they were mistaken because she has pulled a few over on them. We will write a custom essay sample on Self Portrait or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Her thin frame often struggles to endure all her emotions. She tries to encase her slender legs with baggy jeans, but her baggy jeans are still a childrens size. Most of her clothes end up being hand-me-downs from her friend, so they already have that worn-in look that she loves. Her dream is to see Michael Jordan play basketball and her goal is to visit the Sistine Chapel in Rome. She has no desire to save the world or become the first woman president. She already fulfilled her greatest ambition when she proved the doctors wrong, winning her battle with cancer. Because of this she would ultimately like to find a cure for cancer and save a mother from the same worries her mother had. She longs to find her own style and not just be another face in the crowd. She has never been one for make-up. In the winter you can see a faint glitter of blush surrounding her cheekbones but in the summer her face is overwrought with red, peeling flesh. Because of her contacts it is hard to do much with her small, marble eyes. If she could make one wish it would be that she could see perfectly. She attempts to appear strong and confident on the outside but on the inside she is still that shy, insecure, pig-tailed ten-year-old. She is often crying on the inside while laughing out loud. She longs to be accepted but claims others opinions dont really matter. She preaches that self love is important while she is her own worst enemy.

How to Become a Successful Student Essays

How to Become a Successful Student Essays How to Become a Successful Student Essay How to Become a Successful Student Essay To become a successful student, do your BEST. Doing your BEST means to Be an active listener, Establish a study group, Self-discipline, and Talk about what they’re learning. Be an active listener in order to take good notes. Many professors do not write everything they say on the board. This means that you really have to listen well to take good notes. Make sure you listen especially about the things your professor writes on the board. These things are usually the most important subjects. If you take good notes, this will really help you when you are studying. Also it will help you learn more of the material because writing things down causes some people to remember it. Establish a study group. This is very helpful in learning material. Since your professor may not always be around to answer your questions, the people in your study group may be able to help. Not only can they help you, but a study group is way more fun than doing it alone. It is also a way to meet people in your classes. Develop self-discipline by using time wisely. Do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of what you may not feel like doing. Refrain from being a procrastinator. Be continually and consistently prepared. Talking about something, with friends or classmates, is not only good for checking whether or not you know something, it’s a proven learning tool. Transferring ideas into words provides the most direct path for moving knowledge from short-term to long-term memory. You really dont know material until you can put it into words. So, next time you study, dont do it silently. Talk about notes, problems, readings, etc. with friends, recite to a chair, organize an oral study group, pretend youre teaching your peers. Talk-learning produces a whole host of memory traces that result in more learning. These are some of the many tips you should remember to become a successful student.

Behavioural Finance

The occurrence of stock market bubbles and crashes is often cited as evidence against the efficient market hypothesis. It is argued that new information is rarely, if ever, capable of explaining the sudden and dramatic share price movements observed during bubbles and crashes. Samuelson (1998) distinguished between micro efficiency and macro efficiency. Samuelson took the view that major stock markets are micro efficient in the sense that stocks are (nearly) correctly priced relative to each other, whereas the stock markets are macro inefficient. Macro inefficiency means that prices, at the aggregate level, can deviate from fair values over time. Jung and Shiller (2002) concurred with Samuelson’s view and suggested that waves of over- and undervaluation occur for the aggregate market over time. Stock markets are seen as having some predictability in the aggregate and over the long runBubbles and crashes have a history that goes back at least to the seventeenth century (MacKay 1852). Some writers have suggested that bubbles show common characteristics. Band (1989) said that market tops exhibited the following features: 1. Prices have risen dramatically. 2. Widespread rejection of the conventional methods of share valuation, and the emergence of new ‘theories’ to explain why share prices should be much higher than the conventional methods would indicate. 3. Proliferation of investment schemes offering very high returns very quickly. 4. Intense, and temporarily successful, speculation by uninformed investors. 5. Popular enthusiasm for leveraged (geared) investments. 6. Selling by corporate insiders, and other long-term investors. Extremely high trading volume in shares. Kindleberger (1989) and Kindleberger and Aliber (2005) argued that most bubbles and crashes have common characteristics. Bubbles feature large and rapid price increases, which result in share prices rising to unrealistically high levels. Bubbles typically begin with a justifiable rise in stock prices. The justification may be a technological advance, or a general rise in prosperity. Examples of technological advance stimulating share price rises might include the development of the automobile and radio in the 1920s and the emergence of the Internet in the late 1990s. Examples of increasing prosperity leading to price rises could be the United States,Western Europe, and Japan in the 1980s. Cassidy (2002) suggested that this initial stage is characterised by a new idea or product causing changes in expectations about the future. Early investors in companies involved with the innovation make very high returns, which attract the attention of others. The rise in share prices, if substantial and prolonged, leads to members of the public believing that prices will continue to rise. People who do not normally invest begin to buy shares in the belief that prices will continue to rise. More and more people, typically people who have no knowledge of financial markets, buy shares. This pushes up prices even further. There is euphoria and manic buying. This causes further price rises. There is a self-fulfilling prophecy wherein the belief that prices will rise brings about the rise, since it leads to buying. People with no knowledge of investment often believe that if share prices have risen recently, those prices will continue to rise in the future. Cassidy (2002) divides this process into a boom stage and a euphoria stage. In the boom stage share price rises generate media interest, which spreads the excitement across a wider audience. Even the professionals working for institutional investors become involved. In the euphoria stage investment principles, and even common sense, are discarded. Conventional wisdom is rejected in favour of the view that it is ‘all different this time’. Prices lose touch with reality. One assumption of the efficient market hypothesis is that investors are rational. This does not require all investors to be rational, but it does require that the rational investors outweigh the irrational ones. However there are times when irrational investors are dominant. A possible cause of market overreaction is the tendency of some investors (often small investors) to follow the market. Such investors believe that recent stock price movements are indicators of future price movements. In other words they extrapolate price movements. They buy when prices have been rising and thereby tend to push prices to unrealistically high levels. They sell when prices have been falling and thereby drive prices to excessively low levels. There are times when such naive investors outweigh those that invest on the basis of fundamental analysis of the intrinsic value of the shares. Such irrational investors help to generate bubbles and crashes in stock markets. Some professional investors may also participate on the basis of the greater fool theory. The greater fool theory states that it does not matter if the price paid is higher than the fundamental value, so long as someone (the greater fool) will be prepared to pay an even higher price. The theory of rational bubbles suggests that investors weigh the probability of further rises against the probability of falls. So it may be rational for an investor to buy shares, knowing that they are overvalued, if the probability-weighted expectation of gain exceeds the probability-weighted expectation of loss. Montier (2002) offers Keynes’s (1936) beauty contest as an explanation of stock market bubbles. The first level of the contest is to choose the stocks that you believe to offer the best prospects. The second level is to choose stocks that you believe others will see as offering the best prospects. A third level is to choose the stocks that you believe that others will expect the average investor to select. A fourth stage might involve choosing stocks that you believe that others will expect the average investor to see as most popular amongst investors. In other words, the beauty contest view sees investors as indulging in levels of second-guessing other investors. Even if every investor believes that a stock market crash is coming they may not sell stocks. They may even continue to buy. They may plan to sell just before others sell. In this way they expect to maximise their profits from the rising market. The result is that markets continue to rise beyond what the vast majority of investors would consider to be the values consistent with economic fundamentals. It is interesting to note that Shiller’s survey following the 1987 crash (Shiller 1987) found that 84% of institutional investors and 72% of private investors said that they had believed that the market was overpriced just before the crash. Shiller suggested that people did not realise how many others shared their views that the market was overpriced. As Hirshleifer (2001) points out, people have a tendency to conform to the judgements and behaviours of others. People may follow others without any apparent reason. Such behaviour results in a form of herding, which helps to explain the development of bubbles and crashes. If there is a uniformity of view concerning the direction of a market, the result is likely to be a movement of the market in that direction. Furthermore, the herd may stampede. Shiller (2000) said that the meaning of herd behaviour is that investors tend to do as other investors do. They imitate the behaviour of others and disregard their own information. Brown (1999) examined the effect of noise traders (non-professionals with no special information) on the volatility of the prices of closed-end funds (investment trusts). A shift in sentiment entailed these investors moving together and an increase in price volatility resulted. Walter and Weber (2006) found herding to be present among managers of mutual funds. Walter and Weber (2006) distinguished between intentional and unintentional herding. Intentional herding was seen as arising from attempts to copy others. Unintentional herding emerges as a result of investors analysing the same information in the same way. Intentional herding could develop as a consequence of poor availability of information. Investors might copy the behaviour of others in the belief that those others have traded on the basis of information. When copying others in the belief that they are acting on information becomes widespread, there is an informational cascade. Another possible cause of intentional herding arises as a consequence of career risk. If a fund manager loses money whilst others make money, that fund manager’s job may be in jeopardy. If a fund manager loses money whilst others lose money, there is more job security. So it can be in the fund manager’s interests to do as others do (this is sometimes referred to as the reputational reason for herding). Since fund managers are often evaluated in relation to benchmarks based on the average performance of fund managers, or based on stock indices, there could be an incentive to copy others since that would prevent substantial underperformance relative to the benchmark. Walter and Weber (2006) found positive feedback trading by mutual fund managers. In other words the managers bought stocks following price rises and sold following falls. If such momentum trading is common, it could be a cause of unintentional herding. Investors do the same thing because they are following the same strategy. It can be difficult to know whether observed herding is intentional or unintentional. Hwang and Salmon (2006) investigated herding in the sense that investors, following the performance of the market as a whole, buy or sell simultaneously. Investigating in the United States, the UK, and South Korea they found that herding increases with market sentiment. They found that herding occurs to a greater extent when investor expectations are relatively homogeneous. Herding is strongest when there is confidence about the direction in which the market is heading. Herding appeared to be persistent and slow moving. This is consistent with the observation that some bubbles have taken years to develop. Kirman (1991) suggests that investors may not necessarily base decisions on their own views about investments but upon what they see as the majority view. The majority being followed are not necessarily well-informed rational investors. The investors that are followed may be uninformed and subject to psychological biases that render their behaviour irrational (from the perspective of economists). Rational investors may even focus on predicting the behaviour of irrational investors rather than trying to ascertain fundamental value (this may explain the popularity of technical analysis among market professionals). There are theories of the diffusion of information based on models of epidemics. In such models there are ‘carriers’ who meet ‘susceptibles’ (Shiller 1989). Stock market (and property market) bubbles and crashes are likened to the spread of epidemics. There is evidence that ideas can remain dormant for long periods and then be triggered by an apparently trivial event. Face-to-face communication appears to be dominant, but the media also plays a role. Cassidy (2002) suggested that people want to become players in an ongoing drama in which ownership of stocks gives them a sense of being part of a social movement. People invest because they do not want to be left out of the exciting developments. The media are an integral part of market events because they want to attract viewers and readers. Generally, significant market events occur only if there is similar thinking among large groups of people, and the news media are vehicles for the spreading of ideas. The news media are attracted to financial markets because there is a persistent flow of news in the form of daily price changes and company reports. The media seek interesting news. The media can be fundamental propagators of speculative price movements through their efforts to make news interesting (Shiller 2000). They may try to enhance interest by attaching news stories to stock price movements, thereby focusing greater attention on the movements. The media are also prone to focus attention on particular stories for long periods. Shiller refers to this as an ‘attention cascade’. Attention cascades can contribute to stock market bubbles and crashes. Davis (2006) confirmed the role of the media in the development of extreme market movements. The media were found to exaggerate market responses to news, and to magnify irrational market expectations. At times of market crisis the media can push trading activity to extremes. The media can trigger and reinforce opinions. It has been suggested that memes may play a part in the process by which ideas spread (Lynch 2001). Memes are contagious ideas. It has been suggested that the success of a meme depends upon three critical factors: transmissivity, receptivity, and longevity. Transmissivity is the amount of dissemination from those with the idea. Receptivity concerns how believable, or acceptable, the idea is. Longevity relates to how long investors keep the idea in mind. Smith (1991) put forward the view that bubbles and crashes seem to have their origin in social influences. Social influence may mean following a leader, reacting simultaneously and identically with other investors in response to new information, or imitation of others who are either directly observed or observed indirectly through the media. Social influence appears to be strongest when an individual feels uncertain and finds no directly applicable earlier personal experience. Deutsch and Gerard (1955) distinguish between ‘normative social influence’ and ‘informational social influence’. Normative social influence does not involve a change in perceptions or beliefs, merely conformity for the benefits of conformity. An example of normative social influence would be that of professional investment managers who copy each other on the grounds that being wrong when everyone else is wrong does not jeopardise one’s career, but being wrong when the majority get it right can result in job loss. This is a form of regret avoidance. If a bad decision were made, a result would be the pain of regret. By following the decisions of others, the risk of regret is reduced. This is safety in numbers. There is less fear of regret when others are making the same decisions. Informational social influence entails acceptance of a group’s beliefs as providing information. For example share purchases by others delivers information that they believe that prices will rise in future. This is accepted as useful information about the stock market and leads others to buy also. This is an informational cascade; people see the actions of others as providing information and act on that information. Investors buy because they know that others are buying, and in buying provide information to other investors who buy in their turn. Informational cascades can cause large, and economically unjustified, swings in stock market levels. Investors cease to make their own judgements based on factual information, and use the apparent information conveyed by the actions of others instead. Investment decisions based on relevant information cease, and hence the process whereby stock prices come to reflect relevant information comes to an end. Share price movements come to be disconnected from relevant information. Both of the types of social influence identified by Deutsch and Gerard (1955) can lead to positive feedback trading. Positive feedback trading involves buying because prices have been rising and selling when prices have been falling, since price movements are seen as providing information about the views of other investors. Buying pushes prices yet higher (and thereby stimulates more buying) and selling pushes prices lower (and hence encourages more selling). Such trading behaviour contributes to stock market bubbles and crashes. People in a peer group tend to develop the same tastes, interests, and opinions (Ellison and Fudenberg 1993). Social norms emerge in relation to shared beliefs. These social norms include beliefs about investing. The social environment of an investor influences investment decisions. This applies not only to individual investors, but also to market professionals. Fund managers are a peer group; fundamental analysts are a peer group; technical analysts are a peer group. Indeed market professionals in aggregate form a peer group. It is likely that there are times when these peer groups develop common beliefs about the direction of the stock market. Common beliefs tend to engender stock market bubbles and crashes. Welch (2000) investigated herding among investment analysts. Herding was seen as occurring when analysts appeared to mimic the recommendations of other analysts. It was found that there was herding towards the prevailing consensus, and towards recent revisions of the forecasts of other analysts. A conclusion of the research was that in bull markets the rise in share prices would be reinforced by herding. Research on investor psychology has indicated certain features about the behaviour of uninformed investors, who are often referred to as noise traders in the academic literature. Tversky and Kahneman (1982) found that they have a tendency to overreact to news. DeBondt (1993) found that they extrapolate trends, in other words they tend to believe that the recent direction of movement of share prices will continue. Shleifer and Summers (1990) found evidence that they become overconfident in their forecasts. This latter point is consistent with the view that bubbles and crashes are characterised by some investors forgetting that financial markets are uncertain, and coming to believe that the direction of movement of share prices can be forecast with certainty. Barberis et al. (1998) suggested that noise traders, as a result of misinterpretation of information, see patterns where there are none. Lee (1998) mentioned that a sudden and drastic trend reversal may mean that earlier cues of a change in trend had been neglected. Clarke and Statman (1998) found that noise traders tend to follow newsletters, which in turn are prone to herding. It seems that many investors not only extrapolate price trends but also extrapolate streams of good or bad news, for example a succession of pieces of good news leads to the expectation that future news will also be good. Barberis et al. (1998) showed that shares that had experienced a succession of positive items of news tended to become overpriced. This indicates that stock prices overreact to consistent patterns of good or bad news. Lakonishok et al. (1994) concluded that investors appeared to extrapolate the past too far into the future. There is evidence that the flow of money into institutional investment funds (such as unit trusts) has an impact on stock market movements. Evidence for a positive relationship between fund flows and subsequent stock market returns comes from Edelen and Warner (2001), Neal and Wheatley (1998), Randall et al. (2003), and Warther (1995). It has been suggested by Indro (2004) that market sentiment (an aspect of crowd psychology) plays an important role. Indro found that poll-based measures of market sentiment were related to the size of net inflows into equity funds. It appears that improved sentiment (optimism) generates investment into institutional funds, which in turn brings about a rise in stock market prices (and vice versa for increased pessimism). If stock market rises render market sentiment more optimistic, a circular process occurs in which rising prices and improving sentiment reinforce each other. It has often been suggested that small investors have a tendency to buy when the market has risen and to sell when the market falls. Karceski (2002) reported that between 1984 and 1996 average monthly inflows into US equity mutual funds were about eight times higher in bull markets than in bear markets. The largest inflows were found to occur after the market had moved higher and the smallest inflows followed falls. Mosebach and Najand (1999) found interrelationships between stock market rises and flows of funds into the market. Rises in the market were related to its own previous rises, indicating a momentum effect, and to previous cash inflows to the market. Cash inflows also showed momentum, and were related to previous market rises. A high net inflow of funds increased stock market prices, and price rises increased the net inflow of funds. In other words, positive feedback trading was identified. This buy high/sell low investment strategy may be predicted by the ‘house money’ and ‘snake bite’ effects (Thaler and Johnson 1990). After making a gain people are willing to take risks with the winnings since they do not fully regard the money gained as their own (it is the ‘house money’). So people may be more willing to buy following a price rise. Conversely the ‘snake bite’ effect renders people more risk-averse following a loss. The pain of a loss (the snake bite) can cause people to avoid the risk of more loss by selling investments seen as risky. When many investors are affected by these biases, the market as a whole may be affected. The house money effect can contribute to the emergence of a stock market bubble. The snake bite effect can contribute to a crash. The tendency to buy following a stock market rise, and to sell following a fall, can also be explained in terms of changes in attitude towards risk. Clarke and Statman (1998) reported that risk tolerance fell dramatically just after the stock market crash of 1987. In consequence investors became less willing to invest in the stock market after the crash. MacKillop (2003) and Yao et al. (2004) found a relationship between market prices and risk tolerance. The findings were that investors became more tolerant of risk following market rises, and less risk tolerant following falls. The implication is that people are more inclined to buy shares when markets have been rising and more inclined to sell when they have been falling; behaviour which reinforces the direction of market movement. Shefrin (2000) found similar effects among financial advisers and institutional investors. Grable et al. 2004) found a positive relationship between stock market closing prices and risk tolerance. As the previous week’s closing price increased, risk tolerance increased. When the market dropped, the following week’s risk tolerance also dropped. Since risk tolerance affects the willingness of investors to buy risky assets such as shares, the relationshi p between market movements and risk tolerance tends to reinforce the direction of market movement. During market rises people become more inclined to buy shares, thus pushing share prices up further. After market falls investors are more likely to sell, thereby pushing the market down further. Projection bias is high sensitivity to momentary information and feelings such that current attitudes and preferences are expected to continue into the future (Loewenstein et al. 2003). Mehra and Sah (2002) found that risk tolerance varied over time and that people behaved as if their current risk preference would persist into the future. In other words the current level of risk tolerance was subject to a projection bias such that it was expected to continue into the future. Grable et al. (2006) pointed out that this interacts with the effects of market movements on risk tolerance. A rise in the market enhances risk tolerance, projection bias leads to a belief that current risk tolerance will persist, people buy more shares, share purchases cause price rises, price rises increase risk tolerance, and so forth. A virtuous circle of rising prices and rising risk tolerance could emerge. Conversely there could be a vicious circle entailing falling prices and rising risk-aversion. The Role of Social Mood People transmit moods to one another when interacting socially. People not only receive information and opinions in the process of social interaction, they also receive moods and emotions. Moods and emotions interact with cognitive processes when people make decisions. There are times when such feelings can be particularly important, such as in periods of uncertainty and when the decision is very complex. The moods and emotions may be unrelated to a decision, but nonetheless affect the decision. The general level of optimism or pessimism in society will influence individuals and their decisions, including their financial decisions There is a distinction between emotions and moods. Emotions are often short term and tend to be related to a particular person, object, or situation. Moods are free-floating and not attached to something specific. A mood is a general state of mind and can persist for long periods. Mood may have no particular causal stimulus and have no particular target. Positive mood is accompanied by emotions such as optimism, happiness, and hope. These feelings can become extreme and result in euphoria. Negative mood is associated with emotions such as fear, pessimism, and antagonism. Nofsinger (2005a) suggested that social mood is quickly reflected in the stock market, such that the stock market becomes an indicator of social mood. Prechter (1999, 2001), in proposing a socionomics hypothesis, argued that moods cause financial market trends and contribute to a tendency for investors to act in a concerted manner and to exhibit herding behaviour. Many psychologists would argue that actions are driven by what people think, which is heavily influenced by how they feel. How people feel is partly determined by their interactions with others. Prechter’s socionomic hypothesis suggests that human interactions spread moods and emotions. When moods and emotions become widely shared, the resulting feelings of optimism or pessimism cause uniformity in financial decision-making. This amounts to herding and has impacts on financial markets at the aggregate level. Slovic et al. (2002) proposed an affect heuristic. Affect refers to feelings, which are subtle and of which people may be unaware. Impressions and feelings based on affect are often easier bases for decision-making than an objective evaluation, particularly when the decision is complex. Since the use of affect in decision-making is a form of short cut, it could be regarded as a heuristic. Loewenstein et al. (2001) showed how emotions interact with cognitive thought processes and how at times the emotional process can dominate cognitive processes. Forgas (1995) took the view that the role of emotions increased as the complexity and uncertainty facing the decision-maker increased. Information can spread through society in a number of ways: books, magazines, newspapers, television, radio, the Internet, and personal contact. Nofsinger suggests that personal contact is particularly important since it readily conveys mood and emotion as well as information. Interpersonal contact is important to the propagation of social mood. Such contact results in shared mood as well as shared information. Prechter suggested that economic expansions and equity bull markets are associated with positive feelings such as optimism and enthusiasm whereas economic recessions and bear markets correspond to an increase in negative emotions like pessimism, fear, and anger. During a stock market uptrend society and investors are characterised by feelings of calmness and contentment, at the market top they are happy and enthusiastic, during the market downturn the feelings are ones of sadness and insecurity, whilst the market bottom is associated with feelings of anger, hostility, and tension. Dreman (2001) suggested that at the peaks and troughs of social mood, characterised by manias and panics, psychological influences play the biggest role in the decisions of investment analysts and fund managers. Forecasts will be the most positive at the peak of social mood and most negative at the troughs. Psychological influences can contaminate rational decision-making, and may be dominant at the extreme highs and lows of social mood. At the extremes of social mood the traditional techniques of investment analysis might be rejected by many as being no longer applicable in the new era. Shiller (1984) took the view that stock prices are likely to be particularly vulnerable to social mood because there is no generally accepted approach to stock pricing; different analysts use different models in different ways. The potential influence of social mood is even greater among non-professionals who have little, or no, understanding of pricing models and financial analysis. Nofsinger (2005a) saw the link to be so strong that stock market prices could be used as a measure of social mood. Peaks and troughs of social mood are characterised by emotional decision-making rather than rational evaluation. Cognitive evaluations indicating that stocks are overpriced are dominated by a mood of optimism. Support for one’s downplaying of rational evaluation receives support from the fact that others downplay rational evaluation. The optimism of others validates one’s own optimism. It is often argued that the normal methods of evaluation are no longer applicable in the new era. Fisher and Statman (2002) surveyed investors during the high-tech bubble of the late 1990s and found that although many investors believed stocks to be overpriced, they expected prices to continue rising. Eventually social mood passes its peak and cognitive rationality comes to dominate social mood. Investors sell and prices fall. If social mood continues to fall, the result could be a crash in which stock prices fall too far. The situation is then characterised by an unjustified level of pessimism, and investors sell shares even when they are already underpriced. Investors’ sales drive prices down further and increase the degree of underpricing. Fisher and Statman (2000) provided evidence that stock market movements affect sentiment. A vicious circle could develop in which falling sentiment causes prices to fall and declining prices lower sentiment. Taffler and Tuckett (2002) provided a psychoanalytic perspective on the technology stock bubble and crash of the late 1990s and early 2000s, and in so doing gave a description of investor behaviour totally at odds with the efficient markets view of rational decision-making based on all relevant information. They made it clear that people do not share a common perception of reality; instead everyone has their own psychic reality.

The importance of iron in the human body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The importance of iron in the human body - Essay Example Deficiency of iron is found to affect the normal functioning of the human body in several ways indicating the importance of iron to the human body. This requirement varies based on age and gender. (1). Iron is an important element for the normal functioning of the human body The Importance of Iron to the Human Body Among the many metals found in the earth’s crust iron is the second most abundant metal. During the course of evolution of living organisms iron became a key metal for the existence of living organisms and this is reflected in the importance of iron to the human body. Many of the functions in the human body at the cell level find iron playing a significant. In the human body normally about 50mg per kilogram of body weight is the quantum of iron present. On an average this works out to between 3-4gms in a human adult. Of this amount of iron in the human body approximately 60% is present in the form of hemoglobin in the erythrocytes. Nearly ten percent of iron present in the human body is found in myoglobin in the muscle. Iron containing proteins like cytochromes, iron-sulphide enzymes and iron storage and transporting proteins is where the remaining 30% of the iron on the human body can be found. This shows that iron is not present in the body as free ions in the body fluids or tissues. (2). Taken at glance the main functions of iron in the human body consists of DNA synthesis and cell formation; sensing of oxygen and cellular uptake of oxygen, transportation and storage of oxygen within the blood and muscles; electron transfer and conversion of oxygen to adenosine triphosphate (ATP); antioxidant as well as pro-oxidant functions; and regulation of inter-cellular iron. The many functions of iron in the human is the reason that iron is present in the human body in its functional forms rather than as free ions in the body fluids and tissues. (3). Hemoglobin Iron is essential as a cofactor in the formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin and it i s a part of the structure of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin makes up most of the cytoplasm of erythrocytes. Each molecule is made up of four protein or globin chains, which is attached to prosthetic heme group. The heme group has an iron molecule that is complexed at the centre of a porphyrin ring. Hemoglobin is very efficient at binding and carrying oxygen. This efficiency is reflected in its ability to causer blood to carry almost hundred times the oxygen in comparison to plasma alone. An added factor in this ability of hemoglobin to act as the transporter of oxygen in the human body is the capability of hemoglobin to modulate oxygen binding under different conditions. This feature of hemoglobin permits adaptation to a wide variety of environments and demands within the human body. When there is a deficiency of iron normal erythrocyte and hemoglobin production in the human body is affected. The lack of iron causes a reduction in the synthesis of the heme group, which gets translated into effects on the globin production. The reduced presence of the heme group in the red blood cells make the cells smaller and gives them a paler appearance than red blood cells produced that are produced when adequate levels of iron are present. In the presence of adequate levels of iron the maturing red blood cells continue dividing as per their development program till such time as the hemoglobin gas attained appropriate levels. When iron is not present in adequate levels the