Parental Investment Theory Essay -- Gender Roles, Sex

The socio-biological theory suggests gender appropriate behaviour has evolved to allow humanity to survive. There is supporting evidence in the composition of the human body; men have a larger lung capacity and greater physical strength than women in order to better equip them for protecting their family. In contrast, women are born with child-bearing capacities and are therefore biologically predetermined to care for their children, thus ensuring the human race survives. In 1994 Kenrick introduced â€Å"Parental Investment Theory†. He claimed society is organised so that women are protected and remain faithful, ensuring men are able to impart their genes to future generations. This also allows for women to be selective to ensure their partner provides food, shelter and other basic human necessities. Kenrick’s ideas are supported by Buss’ 1994 experiment. Buss surveyed men and women in thirty seven countries to investigate important qualities in the opposite sex. The findings showed that women preferred resourcefulness and dependability whereas men valued chastity and youth. This study appears to support Kenrick’s â€Å"Parental Investment Theory† as Buss argues that men evolved to provide for their partners and are attracted to fertile women. Oestrogen receptors in the brain are believed to cause gender-appropriate behaviour. Oestrogen, a hormone found in the female genital tissue, acts as a ligand and, by activating the oestrogen receptors found on the surfaces of brain cells, causes notable changes in behaviour. Professors at Yale University have studied the effects of oestrogen and found the hormone increases neural connectivity in the brain resulting in a more accurate memory. Turnham et al (2002) supports this as upon investigation... ...o carry out a perfect experiment and consequently all evidence will be flawed. It is necessary to focus upon evaluating the severity of such flaws. One could argue that the biosocial theory is more convincing as the many strengths of the socio-biological and social learning theories are combined providing a credible explanation. This also means the scientific facts in the socio-biological theory are no longer undermined but indeed strengthened by evidence to support learnt gender-appropriate behaviours. The biosocial theory allows for both schools of thought to be equally considered. Overall the Hegelian dialectic mechanism can be applied; the hypothesis, in this case the socio-biological explanation, and the antithesis, the social learning paradigm, must co-exist to produce the resulting synthesis, gender-appropriate behaviours. Thus girls are both born and made.

An Analysis of the Character Du Tenth in the poem Essay

Du Mei is the lead female character in Feng Meng-Long’s poem â€Å"Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger†. She was a famous courtesan belonging to one of the brothels located in the Northern capital of China during the Ming Dynasty. Du Mei was also known as Du Tenth by virtue of being the â€Å"tenth-born of her generation† (837). She was described to be extremely attractive and alluring. Her beauty was said to be flawless and could only be compared to what is most beautiful in nature. Below is an excerpt from the poem: Two arcs of eyebrow traced with green of distant hills; a pair of eyes bright with welling autumn floods. Face like a lotus bud – just like Wen-jun of the Zhou clan; Lips like cherries†¦ (837) Her reputation was so renowned that a jingle was composed in her honor which remarked on her effect on men and how other women pale beside her. Du Tenth exhibited no qualms about taking advantage of her charms. She was more cunning than coy. From the age of thirteen when she lost her virginity and up until the age of nineteen when she met and chose her favored lover Li Jia, she enthralled men and controlled them to squander their fortunes on her. Her cunning once more came to the fore as she negotiated the terms of her freedom. As her greedy madam was trying to manipulate her to get rid of Li Jia who by that time had run out of money, Du Tenth outmaneuvered her and pounced on the prattle of her madam about Li buying her freedom. She worked on the madam’s innate skepticism and managed to get the price down and extend the deadline from three days to ten days. She even got the madam to commit to her word. She likewise worked on Li to commit to his word to buy her freedom and to take her away with him as his wife and start a new life. More so at that time, having a former whore as a wife was unacceptable to polite society and most especially to political families to which Li Jia was a member of. Du Tenth also showed her romantic side and her sense of loyalty by sticking beside Li in spite of his lack of financial capability, his weak personality and numerous shortcomings. She nudged him on and encouraged him by putting up half of the buy-out money and allowing him to save face by giving him the opportunity to complete the other half. She was able to accomplish this without causing undue embarrassment to him. She was level-headed and showed strength in her demeanor not even once shedding tears of frustration unlike Li who cried in torrents. Not once did she waiver on her objective. She was able to deliberate her actions, carefully plan each step and anticipated every need that may come up in her quest for a new life with Li. She also expressed gratitude freely and forged lasting relationships with her sisters in the quarters instead of envy and enmity for being far beautiful than they. Du Tenth’s intelligence and woman’s guile further manifested itself during her travel with Li. She made suggestions instead of outright commands on the best steps to take to gain acceptance back into his family. She demonstrated a keen sense of self-control. She kept her cards close to chest and did not reveal all her plans to Li perhaps in the hope that he just might be able to come up with a plan on his own that would benefit them both. However, in return, he betrayed her instead to Sun Fu. Sun belonged to a family of salt merchants who harbored a malicious intent towards Du Tenth after hearing her excellent singing. Li betrayed her to Sun by revealing her as a whore and he again betrayed her by selling her off for a thousand taels. Upon learning of this betrayal from Li herself, Du Tenth continued to outwardly look calm and collected while seething inside from disappointment and rage. True to form, Li missed the sarcasm of her remark, â€Å"The man who devised this plan for you is truly a great hero. The fortune of a thousand taels will enable you to restore your position in your family, and I will go to another man so as not to be a burden to you† (852). Regardless, she continued to harbor hope that Li might see the error of his ways and fight for their love as she did. However, as soon as the thousand taels exchanged hands, her anger boiled over. She was a woman scorned and she showed her anger in the same deliberate way she acted all her life. Her actions were controlled and measured. She did not scream and throw a fit. Instead, the embarrassment that she had been saving Li from, she finally used against him to maximum effect. She used her cunning and maneuvered to gather as much of a crowd as she can by gradually producing her precious jewelry and with spectacle, threw them overboard one by one. Once she had the attention of the crowd, she cursed Sun and unleashed her disdain for Li. She announced his betrayal of the devoted and everlasting love that she offered. She drove home his error in accepting the thousand taels and made it known to him that with her, he could have had more had he only shown the same loyalty and faithfulness. She had coped with a shameful life and Li further shamed her by casting her aside. In revenge, she shamed both by jumping into the river and drowned herself. Yet, even in death, she showed her gratitude for the kindness she had received while living. Liu Yu-chun, Li Jia’s friend who actually raised the remaining half of the buy-out money, found himself at the other end of Du Tenth’s eternal gratitude. It was because of him, he who believed in the power of the love and devotion that she had for Li, that she was able to experience life of a free woman, albeit fleeting, without the indignity of being a whore. In return, Du Tenth gifted him with the remaining contents of her jewel box. Du Tenth was a cunning and strong-willed woman. She knew what she wanted, had the ability to devise plans and was willing to work on the means to get it. Regardless, she had not failed to show appreciation to all those who helped her along the way. Her experience as a courtesan should have left her jaded. Yet, deep inside, she remained a romantic at heart.

Learning Essay

Learning something new it’s no easy. I have learned a lot of things in my life like cooking, surfing and horse riding, and I’ve always known that to be pessimistic is not a good choice. That’s why I decided to put a good face to the idea of learn how to dance salsa. A few months ago, I decided to sign up for salsa classes, everything began when we were celebrating the birthday of a friend and suddenly they all got up of their seats to dance salsa, everyone, except for me. Not knowing how to dance salsa is not something special but that day, at that moment, in that birthday, it meant a lot to me because my father was a professional salsa dancer and I am supposed to have that gene in my veins. The first few weeks were the hardest in the dance studio. I was scared, I felt that I had two left feet and for my bad luck always touched me dance with the most awkward of the boys. His name was Marcos. A very friendly guy, handsome and gentlemanly, but dancing was not his best skill. The first steps that we learned were basic but the most painful, I was not used to dance that type of music because it is a very fast dance and every song seemed endless. â€Å"The Salsa is very spontaneous, involves a lot of movement of the hips and feet† always said our instructor, he was a very funny man but what we most love about him was his patience and commitment to us. He showed us that we must first overcome the fear and shame that involves dancing in from of a group of people so we can show all the confidence that we have. And that’s exactly what I did, with time and practice I became the best in my class. Salsa dancing became my obsession I could not stop thinking about it, especially knowing, that the last session was a competition dance. The prize was a medal and that medal was my goal. I practiced day and night, in every spare moment, until the day of competition. I confess I was very nervous but I still succeed in overcoming all my fears and given the best of me on that dance floor. And you know what? I won, I won the medal and became the best in my class, I am very proud of myself because I showed that it is never late to learn something new and that everything in life involves patience, effort, practice and above all dedication . All these aspects made ​​me the person that I am now. A person more confident of itself and of what can be achieved in life. So if you still do not know how to dance salsa, what are you waiting for? It’s never too late, because now I’m sure that for the next birthday of one of my friends, I’ll be ready for dance Salsa until dawn.

Social Darwinism1 essays

Social Darwinism1 essays In the late 19th Century a term called Social Darwinism was established to describe the idea that humans, like plants and animals, compete in a struggle for existence. Social Darwinists base their beliefs on theories of evolution developed by British scientist and naturalist Charles Darwin. Darwin also created "The Survival of the Fittest," meaning that the strong will survive and the weak will perish. Some social darwinists deny that they approve of the theory that the strongest will survive, but many of their arguments justify imbalances of power because they consider some people more fit to survive than others. Social Darwinism is a variety of social policies and theories from reducing the power of government to exploring the biological causes of human behavior. Many social darwinists opposed government aid to the poor, laws against child labor, and free public education. Many darwinists did not want government to restrict competition in any way. They believed in the policy called laissez-faire, which means that the government should leave business alone. Darwin believed that human society is constantly changing. He also believed that competition between humans is normal and natural, which produces a better society and a better human being. There were many problems with the laissez-faire theory. Without some government control, businesses would have the freedom to exploit natural resources, use cutthroat competition, cheat customers and abuse labor. Social Darwinism accounts for the difference between the rich and the poor. It is said to be a "Welfare for the Rich," meaning that it helps the rich get richer and the poor stay poor. I think that Social Darwinism is wrong because not everyone has the ability to be the "fittest." There are people prone to diseases such as cancer, Parkinson disease, multiple sorceress, etc., and no matter how hard someone tries, there are people that just canno...

Amur Leopard Facts

Amur Leopard Facts The Far Eastern or Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is one of the worlds most endangered cats. It is a solitary, nocturnal leopard with a wild population estimated at over 84 individuals who mostly reside in the Amur River basin of eastern Russia with a few scattered in neighboring China and in a relatively new refuge established in 2012. They are particularly vulnerable to extinction because Amur leopards have the lowest levels of genetic variation of any leopard subspecies. Fast Facts: Amur Leopard Scientific Name: Panthera pardus orientalisCommon Names: Amurland leopard, Far Eastern leopard,  Manchurian leopard, Korean leopardBasic Animal Group:  MammalSize: 25–31 inches at the shoulder, 42–54 inches longWeight: 70–110 poundsLifespan: 10–15  yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat:  Primorye region of southeastern Russia and northern ChinaPopulation:  More than 80Conservation  Status: Critically Endangered Description The Amur leopard is a subspecies of leopard with a thick coat of long, dense hair varying in color from creamy yellow to rusty orange, depending on their habitat. Amur leopards in the snowier Amur River Basin of Russia develop lighter coats in the winter and tend to have more cream-colored coats than their Chinese kin. Their rosettes (spots) are more widely spaced with thicker black borders than other subspecies of leopards. They also have larger legs and wider paws than other subspecies, an adaptation that facilitates movement through deep snow.   Both males and females range in height between 25 to 31 inches at the shoulder and are typically 42 to 54 inches long. Their tales measure approximately 32 inches in length. Males are typically heavier at 70 to 110 pounds while females typically weigh 55 to 75 pounds.   Thomas Kitchin Victoria Hurst​/Getty Images Habitat and Range Amur leopards can survive in temperate forest and mountain regions, keeping mostly to south-facing rocky slopes in winter (where less snow accumulates). Individuals territories can range from 19 to 120 square miles, depending upon age, sex, and prey density- the latter of which has greatly diminished in recent years, though they are on increase in protected areas. Historically, Amur leopards have been found in eastern China, southeastern Russia, and throughout the Korean Peninsula. The first known documentation was a skin found by German zoologist Hermann Schlegel in 1857 in Korea.  More recently, the few remaining leopards are scattered throughout approximately 1,200 square miles in the area where the borders of Russia, China, and North Korea meet the Sea of Japan. Today, Amur leopards are increasing in numbers, due to the creation of protected areas and other conservation efforts. Diet and Behavior The Amur leopard is a strictly carnivorous predator that primarily hunts roe and sika deer but will also eat wild boar, Manchurian wapiti, musk deer, and moose. It will opportunistically prey on hares, badgers, raccoon dogs, fowl, mice, and even young Eurasian black bears. Reproduction and Offspring Amur leopards reach reproductive maturity between the ages of two and three years. Females estrus period last from 12 to 18 days with gestation taking approximately 90 to 95 days. Cubs are typically born from the end of March through May and weigh a little over one pound at birth. Like domestic cats, their eyes remain closed for about a week and they begin to crawl 12 to 15 days after birth. Young Amur leopards have been reported to remain with their mother for up to two years. Amur leopards have been known to live for up to 21 years in captivity, though their lifespan in the wild is typically 10 to 15 years. Kuzmichstudio/Getty Images Conservation Status According to the World Wildlife Fund, Amur leopards received a safe haven in 2012 when the government of Russia declared a new protected area. Called Land of the Leopard National Park, this marked a major effort to save the world’s rarest cat. Extending nearly 650,000 acres it includes all of the Amur leopard’s breeding areas and about 60 percent of the critically endangered cat’s remaining habitat. In addition, conservationists have been successful in reducing illegal and unsustainable logging practices and facilitating trade between companies committed to responsible forestry practices. In 2007, WWF and other conservationists successfully lobbied the Russian government to reroute a planned oil pipeline that would have endangered the leopards habitat. The IUCN Species Survival Commission has considered Amur leopards  Critically Endangered (IUCN 1996)  since 1996. As of 2019, more than 84 individuals remain in the wild (mostly in protected areas) and 170 to 180 live in captivity. The primary causes for their low population are habitat destruction from commercial logging and farming from 1970 to 1983 and illegal poaching for fur over the last 40 years. Fortunately, conservation efforts by organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) are working to recover the species from extinction. Threats Although human interference plays a key role in Amur leopards endangered status, their low level of genetic variation due to recent dwindling population size has led to many health complications including reduced fertility.   Habitat destruction:  Between 1970 and 1983, 80 percent of the Amur leopards habitat was lost due to logging, forest fires, and agricultural land conversion projects (this loss of habitat also affected the leopards prey species, which have become increasingly scarce as well).Human Conflict:  With less wild prey to hunt, leopards have gravitated to deer farms where they have been killed by farmers.Poaching:  The Amur leopard is illegally hunted for its fur, which is sold on the black market. Habitat loss has made it easier to locate and kill leopards within the past 40 years.Small Population Size:  The Amur leopards critically low population is at risk from disease or environmental catastrophes that could wipe out all remaining individuals.Lack of Genetic Variation:  Because there are so few individual leopards left in the wild, they are subject to inbreeding. Inbred offspring are prone to health problems, including reduced fertility which further reduces the populations cha nce of survival. Though these issues are being addressed and the number of Amur leopards has increased, the species is still considered to be critically endangered. Amur Leopards and Humans The Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) works in close cooperation with local, regional, and federal organizations to protect the regions biological wealth through conservation, sustainable development, and local community involvement. They maintain four anti-poaching teams with a total of 15 members in the Amur leopard range, monitor the Amur leopard population through snow track counts and camera trap counts, restore leopard habitats, support ungulate recovery, and run a media campaign to create awareness about the Amur leopards plight. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has established anti-poaching teams and environmental education programs to increase appreciation for the leopard among local communities within the leopards range. WWF also implements programs to stop the traffic in Amur leopard parts and to increase the population of prey species in the leopards habitat such as the 2003 Forest Conservation Programme in the Russian Far East Ecoregion Complex, the 2007 lobbying effort to reroute a planned oil pipeline, and the 2012 establishment of a large refuge for Amur leopards, tigers, and other endangered species. Sources â€Å"About the Amur Leopard.†Ã‚  About the Amur Leopard | Russian Geographical Society, www.rgo.ru/en/projects/protection-endangered-species-amur-leopard/about-amur-leopard.â€Å"Amur Leopard.†Ã‚  WWF, World Wildlife Fund, www.worldwildlife.org/species/amur-leopard#.â€Å"Amur Leopard-Worlds Rarest Cat-Doubles in Population.†Ã‚  WWF, World Wildlife Fund, 23 Feb. 2015, www.worldwildlife.org/stories/amur-leopard-world-s-rarest-cat-doubles-in-population.

Chinese Culture and Modern Therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinese Culture and Modern Therapy - Essay Example Representatives of different cultures have diverse values, demonstrate varying behaviors, adopt different perspectives, and in some cases even varied susceptibility to diseases. Cultural differences are more profound than individual variations due to patient illness, social class, economic status, or educational background. A popular view among health professionals is that showing respect is the key to resolving absolute majority of cultural problems. Unfortunately, this simple recipe is not always effective: the profound differences between Chinese and American cultures presented below demonstrate that respect is only one aspect of cultural competence. Chinese culture is characterized by specific attitude toward self. Thus, American Peter Hessler claims this to be the biggest difference between the West and what he observed while teaching literature in one of the Chinese provinces: "the sense of self seemed largely external; you were identified by the way that others viewed you" (Hessler 2001: 282). This difference is also reflected on the famous Geert Hofstede's model of cultural value orientation. The model consists of five dimensions, one of which is individualism. This dimension reveals the degree to which the society reinforces individual or collective achievement. In case the IDV index is high, individuality and individual rights are emphasized by the society: citizens in such societies rely primarily upon themselves, and form a little number of closer relationships. If the IDV is low, the society is characterized by high degree of collectivism and closer relationships between individuals: such societies reinforce extended families and collectives with responsibility being shared between all members. The difference between the United States and China is literally striking on this dimension: the U.S. ranks at 91 on Hofstede's scale (100 points is maximum) while China - at only 15, which is the lowest score (Hofstede, 2003). The high ranking for the United States indicates a society with a more individualistic attitude and relatively loose bonds with others. Self-reliance is the most distinctive feature of such society. The low ranking of Chine indicates and absolutely different system of attitudes toward self and implies much closer bonds with others. Consequently, American health practitioners adopt more patient-centered approach putting emphasis on autonomy of the patients and their "right to know" precisely because American culture paying relatively little attention to social groups (including families) they belong to. This attitude is not common in Chinese health care because it contradicts the cultural orientation toward collectivism. The custom in Chinese culture is to first inform a patient's family about a prognosis, especially when the prognosis is bad. After that the family makes a decision about the information the patient himself should receive. Members of Chinese and other similar cultural groups may feel that it would be wrong and insensitive to inform the patient about the risks associated with his illness: "this would only cause the patient great stress and even hasten death by destroying hope" (Galanti, 2000:335). Treatment decisions made by Chinese patients are strongly influenced by the family or social groups t hey are affiliated with. Therefore, involvement of family members in the process of treatment is likely to make the therapy

Dangerous Liaison Vs Cruel Intentions Coursework

Dangerous Liaison Vs Cruel Intentions - Coursework Example Cruel Intentions is a modern day adaptation of the novel with love, evil, gullibility and manipulation combined with moral cynicism and lust for domination by the primary protagonists. The main characters in the novel were French aristocrats and adults, while the movie depicts the protagonists as young adults who combine manipulation and revenge to achieve their ulterior goals. The lack of social and moral authority which is denounced by Laclos in the novel is transformed into the lack of parental influence on Catherine and Sebastian in the movie. The two siblings are free to pursue their dangerous game of playing with others’ feelings and reputations. The movie also has many erotic messages which create a mental image of what the protagonists is up-to. The novel on the other hand provides the action through a veil of language. Laclos establishes the hypocrisy of the main characters by a series of letters in which they show their various facets to different recipients. The mov ie highlights the hypocrisy of the lead characters in the opening credits as they get ready to mingle with society. Both Merteuil and Catherine are respected members of their societies without anyone their true nature. In Dangerous Liaisons, Valmont dies in a sword fight with Danceny. Before dying he gives him letters which would ruin the reputation of Merteuil. Her reputation is shattered and she eventually dies of misery. Cruel Intentions provides a more heroic and tragic ending of Sebastian who is killed in a car accident. He pushes Annette out of the care before being killed. Annette and Cecile ensure that Catherine is humiliated in front of the student body. Her drug addiction becomes public which tarnishes her reputation. The subject of drug abuse amongst young adults is a major theme of the movie. The movie also portrays the independence of modern women. Cecile and Annette fight back against the manipulation and deceit of