How And When Children Acquire Language English Language Essay

How And When Children Acquire Language English Language Essay Introduction: The question to consider is how children acquire language and at which stage they could improve their speaking and listening skills. In particular, syntax and vocabulary are the main concern of the language acquisition domain. The task of psycholinguistics is to discover the relationship between language and the human mind (Field: 2003). Many theories, therefore, have emerged in exploring this relationship, which seek to explain the way in which children understand and acquire language. Over the last five decades these theories have offered various ideas and interpretations of the relationship. For example, in Behaviourist theory, which is associated to skinners research into language, language acquisition is considered a collection of habits. It is thought that children learn how to form correct utterances through positive reinforcement from the people around them (Patten and Benati: 2010). Cognitive theory, which is associated with Piaget, is considered a way of discovering how ind ividuals create and use language in their social context (ibid, p71). Interaction theory, related to Bruner, holds that language comes from the interaction between children and their environment (ibid, p99). There are, however, two theories in the relevant acquisition literature which oppose one another and provoke countless debates: Chomskys theory and Tomasellos theory. In Chomskys theory, children biologically possess an innate ability to acquire their language. This ability is mainly specific to language. Whereas, in Tomasellos theory language is acquired through language use by means of social skills, such as, joint attention and general learning mechanisms (Behrene: 2009). This paper seeks to explore these two theories in order to contrast them. The first and second parts of the paper present an overview of the main ideas in the two theories. The third part focuses on their different aspects, including the: poverty of stimulus argument, linguistic creativity, modularity and language specific domain versus domain- general learning mechanisms. The fourth and final part, discusses some weak points in the two theories. Overview of Chomskys (Innatist) theory: In language acquisition domain, Chomskys theory is called an innatist theory, because he proposed that children biologically possess suitable abstract knowledge for the task of first language learning .This abstract knowledge shapes the linguistic system which they learn. In fact, through this innate knowledge children can discover the rules of their language system and reduce hypothesis formation and guessing. (Patten and Benati: 2010). Chomskys main argument is that all human beings are born with an innate knowledge which is particularly designed for language acquisition (ibid). This argument is indeed, opposed to the one that language is a result of the interaction between human beings and the environment or item-usage learning (e.g. Skinner, 1957; Tomasello, 2003). Furthermore, The term Language Acquisition Device (LAD) was coined by Chomsky in this context to refer to such innate knowledge or the little black box (Patten and Benati: 2010).The (LAD) comprises the universal princi ples of all languages, by which children can be kept on track and not confused by all the complex rules of particular languages. When this (LAD) is activated, the child can discover the structure of the language s/he is to learn by matching the innate knowledge of basic grammatical relationships to the structures of the special language in the environment (Lightbown and Spada: 1999). However, since the 1960s, instead of (LAD) universal grammar hypothesis (UG) was introduced by Chomsky. It was given much concern by him instead of, the (LAD), because, in Chomskys view this hypothesis means that there is an innate knowledge source which governs the shape of natural language (Patten and Benati: 2010). It should be noted that the first appearance of Chomskys theory was in 1959 in his critical review of Skinners book Verbal Behavior in 1957. Chomsky in his review pointed out many shortcomings in applying Skinners theories to language acquisition. For example, Skinners experiment using rat boxes is not relevant to language because the behaviour of rats is unlike human behaviour. As a result, Skinner has a mistaken understanding of the nature of language. Furthermore, the environment considered solely as learning mechanism can not be the basis of language acquisition and therefore, mans ability to acquire language must be innate (Aitchison, 2007). Overview of Tomasellos theory (usage-based theory): The account of language acquisition provided by Tomasello comes under the umbrella of usage-based theories. Recently, a new view of language and human linguistic competence has emerged (Tomasello: 2003). This view comes from a set of theories usually called cognitive-functional linguistics, and also called usage -based linguistics in order to emphasize their main ideas that language structure is produced or appears from language use (e.g. Langacker, 1987a ; Croft, 1991; Tomasello, 1995, 2003). It is note worthy that this view stands in direct opposition to Chomskys innatist theory. Because, Tomasello in his theory is mainly concerned with the question of how children get from here to there from the constructions of infant level speech to the abstract constructions of adult thought through one set of processes of acquisition (Tomasello: 2003:3). In Tomasellos theory it is impossible that humans can have been born with a specific collection of communicative behaviours only for language . This collection more probably learned by children during their years from the linguistic conventions used around them. They must possess flexibility in order to learn both the different words and the suitable expressions of each language and the different types of abstract constructional pattern which historically these languages have grammaticized (ibid). Tomasello emphasizes, however, four points in his theory: First, the innate skills which people have are not specific to language but can be used as means for language learning. Second, theory of mind is central to symbol use, because humans can understand symbols while nonhuman do not possess this ability, because they use signal system. Thirdly, word-learning skills include: joint attention, which means the ability that children possess in their first year old whereby they can understand other people as intentional agents and interact socially through an object to which both pay attention; children note this attention to both it and themselves; Intention reading, means the ability to understand the social world around them through imitating adult acts; the construction-learning skills encompassing: analogy and pattern-finding. The latter means the distributional analysis based on statistical information in the primary linguistic data and the ability to form perceptual and conceptual figures of similar objects or situations (Tomasello: 2003). The differences between the two theories: It is noteworthy that the accounts provided by Chomsky and Tomasello comprise many opposed aspects, of which the main ones are as follows: 3.1. Poverty of stimulus argument: The basic argument of the nativist theory is based on Chomskys assumption of the poverty of stimulus (1965).This assumption means that the data provided by the input to which people exposed are not rich enough to account for language acquisition (Patten and Benati:2010). In other words, it means that the language to which children are exposed as their input or the primary linguistic data is solely a set of individual utterances yielding some abstract principles of grammar which seem ambiguous for language acquisition .The best solution he can provide is the universal grammar hypothesis (UG), which means that all humans are born with an innate universal language containing a number of abstract principles which can lead the acquisition process (Tomasello: 2003). Despite the fame of the poverty of stimulus argument in the language acquisition domain and childrens language research, it has certain, if we contrast it with the account provided by Tomasellos usage-based theory. We find that the research into the developmental psychology of language acquisition has provided many arguments which support the richness of stimulus in usage-based theories (e.g Clark2003, Tomasello 2003). In fact, the significance of social pragmatic interaction in language acquisition is evidenced by extensive findings in this domain (Tomasello: 2003). To put it more simple, Tomasello in his theory emphasizes that: There is no poverty of the stimulus when a structured inventory of construction is the adult endpoint (Tomasello: 2003:7). He notes that the hypothesis of an innate universal grammar has two major problems, namely, first, the linking problem and the problem of continuity. The first problem is how children can connect their abstract universal grammar with the particular language which they learn. The second problem deals with the developmental changes in childrens language, for example, how people can understand childrens language during their developmental change if we accept that universal grammar is always the same. It, therefore, seems useful to provide a description or explanation of child language acquisition which ignores any hypothesis of universal grammar which creates these problems (Tomasello: 2003). Accordingly, it is important to note that Chomsky and Tomasello are opposed on the argument of the poverty of stimulus. Tomasellos view, however, seems stronger, because nativists provide no support for their claims. As Pullum and Scholz (2002:47) point out, the poverty of stimulus argument still a waits even a single good supporting example. Moreover, Akhtar (2004) seems to agree with this criticism, in that she indicates that this argument was the basis for a number of nativist claims, yet indeed lack supporting empirical evidences. 3.2. Language is creative: Another difference between Chomsky and Tomasello is the formers belief that language is creative. From Chomsky perspective, creativity in language has three- fold support. First, people possess the ability to understand and produce strange sentences which they have never before heard or spoken (Aitchison: 2007). Second, the creative use of language is free from the external and internal affects of the stimulus control (Chomsky: 1968). Third, the way in which people use the language considered to be coherent and appropriate to the situation (Hegde: 1980). By the way of contrast, we can see that Tomasello does not ignore creativity in language, but he has little concern for it. According to him, it results from the attempt of humans to create categories in their own language (Tomasello: 1995). Chomsky asserts that the creativity in language is something which can not be acquired solely through environmental learning methods (Aitchison: 2007). Tomasello contrastingly asserts that, during a period of time, children obtain the communicative conventions are obtained step by step from the people around them. For example, their social cognitive skills and developing cognition are utilised to internalise these conventions. Childrens basic abilities are used to learn their first words. They create concepts so as to understand adult speech and then to produce suitable new words in their communicative contexts (Tomasello: 1995). It is thought, however, from the contrast between the two views that Chomskys view about the creativity of language has some limitations. For one thing, nativists assert that every utterance we hear and say is completely novel and accepted. This assertion seems to be wrong. The reason is that to accept it we would need to assume that each word or sentence has a separate existence. Moreover, we have to assume that our past language experience is sufficient to provide a clear understanding of the present utterances. But, if these assumptions are accepted, the result will be that human communicative behaviour has no continuity (Hegde: 1980). The second point, on the creativity of language free from the control of stimulus, seems to be weak, because, as discussed above in section (3.1) no evidence has been offered in its support. Furthermore, with regard to the third point, in Chomskys view the way that people use language is coherent and appropriate to the situation. It could be argued that this point is somewhat vague, since Chomsky admits that he can give no clear meaning to the terms appropriateness and coherent in this context (ibid). However, he stresses that the creative aspect of language is common. Humans constantly create novel utterances and many who lack this ability might be brain damaged (Aitchison: 2007). This view would be more popular if it took into account the effect of environmental learning methods in producing our utterances, since the one question that needs to be asked here is, how humans can produce them without communication with their input. 3.3. Modularity: In the areas of linguistics and philosophy of mind, the idea of modularity has raised a great deal of concern (Garfield: 1987). There seems to be another difference between Chomsky and Tomasello, about the modularity of mind in language acquisition. To illustrate, the definition of modularity according to Crystal (1998: 246) is: A term used in recent discussion of language in two slightly different ways. On the one hand, it is proposed, especially in J. A. Fodors The Modularity of Mind, that the mind is modular in the sense that it consists of a number of different systems ( modules) each has its own distinctive properties , such as the language system and the vision system. On the other hand, it is suggested, especially in government-binding theory that language system itself is modular in the sense that it consists of a number of different subsystems which interact in specific ways. The concept of modularity is that the brain is divided into separate parts, an idea to which Chomsky gives much attention (1965).He identifies the language area as a separate faculty of mind, in that language is autonomous in the mind and a separate module in the brain (Aitchison: 2007). Furthermore, he goes on to argue that the human mind is, like other complex biological systems, modular in its internal formation (Chomsky: 1984). The main idea of modularity, according to him, is that the modularity of syntax means that the structures of syntax are not the same as the structures exist in other cognitive (Chomsky: 1968 cited in Tomasello: 1995). By the way of contrast, we can see that Tomasello does not agree that language is a separated module in the brain, because, by his reasoning, in order to have a perfect grammatical theory the syntactic abilities should be combined into cognition and not like an autonomous sub-system (Parisse: 2005). To sum up, Chomskys view is a modular view in which there are different sub-parts in the mind each one possessing special characteristics. Tomasello, however, take the non-modular view that there are general principles employed in all cognitive domains which control the mind (Archibald: 1993). However, to return to the account of modularity provided by Chomsky, one of the difficulties with this account is the claim that syntactic structures are not like the structures which exist in other cognitive domains. This seems to be wrong, because it gives the idea that the syntax module is innate, yet if we give the example of the game of chess, we find that it possesses a number of unique structures, such as, the images of a knight fork or queen-a side attack- in human cognition. But there is no need to presume that this uniqueness chess- playing form needs an innate mental form (Bates et al. 1991). Moreover, the structures of cognitive thought which adults utilise in order to play the game of chess come through a process in which people employ general cognitive processes to face their problems in their social interaction which they may have had in learning to play a constructed game (Tomasello:1995). Hence, it is thought that Chomskys view seems to be weak because it is difficult to specify which part of the brain is responsible for language. As Bates asserts, it still far from knowing perfectly which parts of the brain are responsible for language (Bates in press, cited in, Tomasello 1995). 3.4. Language- specific versus domain- general learning mechanisms: Another point of difference between Chomsky and Tomasello concerns the way in which children acquire language. is another different point between Chomsky and Tomasello. The difference lies in the contention over whether language should be a specific domain or a domain general learning mechanism. A specific domain in this context means a domain specific to language, whilst, domain general refers to learning mechanisms which are not specific to language, yet applied generally. From Chomskys perspective, since, human beings are able to learn language and animals are not, this ability is considered genetically inherited (Aitchison: 2007). Nativist theory, in fact, hypothesises that children are born with universal grammar (UG), a set of innate principles and parameters. This possession helps children to learn language without making errors as they learn (Conroy and Thornton: 2005). Therefore, this assumes that children possess a pre- existing domain- specific innate form which specifies the form of their language knowledge. Moreover, in language learning in particular, syntax children obtain ability without exposure to adequate stimulus (Chomsky; 1986, Pinker; 1994). However, Tomasello believes that it is false to suppose that children have genetically endowed grammar (Tomasello: 2003). To his mind, children in order to learn their language employ item-based learning integrated with some general learning mechanisms that are used in other cognitive domains , such as, analogy (Conroy and Thornton: 2005). Moreover, in Tomasellos view the properties of language structure come from joint attention figures and not from innate language specific mechanisms (Segalowitz: 2001). As a result, Tomasello significantly did not ignore language universals; however, to him they not universals of form or a special type of syntax or linguistic symbols but are instead, the universals of human communication and cognition. For example, human beings use language in similar social contexts in order to provide solutions in language for communicative tasks, such as, describing specific entities (Tomasello: 2003). Consequently, Chomskys view that language has a specific-do main is weak , because languages differ in their grammatical relations, of subject and object, for example, Acehnese, an Indonesian language, and Tagalog, a Philippine language, do not possess these grammatical relations ( Tomasello:1995). 4. Some weakness in both theories: Tomasello, then, introduced a new model of usage-based theories in language acquisition in which he paid attention to a main set of skills, namely, intention reading, joint attention and pattern-finding skills. These skills are general skills utilised also in other types of cognition and not in language alone. Furthermore, although they are innate, they are not like the universal grammar (UG) invented by Chomsky, because they are not specific to language (Tomasello, 2003). But Tomasellos account seems to entail some limitations. It is thought that he does not provide a clear explanation for the fact that these skills are sufficient for language acquisition. As Wilson (2006:138) points out: Tomasellos central claim is that joint attention and intention reading are foundational and prerequisite for language acquisition. It does seems reasonable to assume that they are necessary for language development, but the big question is, are they sufficient? Can they entirely account for all of the complexities of language à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ from parsing speech stream to the emergence of complex grammatical structures? Hollich et al. (2000), on the other hand, seems to agree with this criticism, because they assert that Tomasellos theory, which is one of the social constructivist theories, does not possess a complete or sufficient explanation for the fact that children can produce increasingly inserted sentences in their utterances. Moreover, the problem with these theories is that they still offer no clarification of childrens ability to discover the relationships between language units. In contrast to this, Chomskys theory is considered one of the famous theories in the language acquisition domain. It has indeed, affected the entire literature language acquisition, because of the controversy surrounding it. Yet this theory too attracts a number of criticisms. In this section, we focus on four critical points made against this theory. A major criticism concerns the universal grammar hypothesis (UG) which has been discussed above. Although (UG) aroused widespread interest in language acquisition debates, it is thought, that it is based solely on abstract thinking and lacks empirical support. As Kadarisman (2007a) points out, the concept of universal grammar must be without meaning unless it has empirical evidence. But, without adequate explanations, it seems to be more a slogan than a scientific effort. Moreover, due to its abstraction, (UG) neglects the local importance of language used in the cultural context (Becker: 1995). Second, Chomskys theory is criticised for relying on logical arguments only. As Palmer (2000) indicates, Chomskys nativist claims remain are still the same as they have been fir the past two decades. Because his claims are based on logical arguments instead of, direct evidences or reasonable interpretations, his argum ents have no external support. Tomasello seems, agree with Palmer in this criticism because he states that Chomsky in his account relies strongly on logical arguments, not using the scientific study of human behaviour and cognition (Tomasello: 1995). Third, it is criticised because it can not be tested. This creates some contention around Chomskys account. The reason is that his theory has no clear cut procedures which could be examined. To put it more simple, Chomsky considered theory-construction in linguistics as similar to theory- construction in the physical sciences, particular, physics. Yet, there is a deference between these two domains, because, the mathematical model in physics depends on physical phenomena and is testable, whereas, Chomskys model relies on subjective judgments made by individual native speakers who may disagree with each other. Consequently, it can not be tested (Moor and Carling: 1987). Fourth, Chomskys theory is criticised in terms of its ideas, if considered as philosophical ideas, for instance the adoption of such innatist ideas as, the universal grammar (UG) hypothesis which is based on the hypothesis of an innate language faculty. Subsequently, many linguists (e.g. Hegde, 1980; Moore and Claring, 1987) have strongly criticised these ideas. For example, Hegde asserts that the concept of a nativist theory is merely part of an ancient philosophical idea. Furthermore, Moore and carling believe that Chomskian linguistics are linked by these ideas to philosophy, in particular, epistemology, the part of philosophy concerned with knowledge theories. Conclusion: The domain of language acquisition possesses a varied collection of theories. Their main concern is to discover the way in which people, in particular children, can acquire language. The accounts given by Chomsky and Tomasello can be critically contrasted, as seen above. They obviously stand on two opposite sides. In Chomskys theory, children are born with an innate ability by which they acquire their language, whereas, in Tomasellos theory, language is acquired through language use and not by biologically innate ability. Furthermore, the innate abilities which children have are not specific to language. However, the main aspects which have been contrasted in this paper comprised: first, the poverty of stimulus argument, in which, according to Chomsky, the input is not sufficient to acquire language, while, from Tomasellos perspective there is no poverty of stimulus; second, Language to Chomsky is creative, because it is free from the control of stimulus while in Tomasellos view lang uage results from the attempt of humans to create categories in language; third, modularity, Chomskys assertion that the mind is separated into sub-parts, whereas Tomasello believes, that general principles control the mind; and fourth, Language- specific versus domain- general learning mechanisms; either there are universals specific to language, as in (UG) hypothesis of Chomsky or, as Tomasello states universals is not specific to language but apply to all human communication and cognition. Hence, we can conclude that Chomskys account strongly relies on the hypothesis of universal grammar (UG) to support his view on the poverty of stimulus argument, creativity of language, modularity and the language- specific domain. It should be noted that the universal grammar hypothesis (UG) brought a great deal of debate among scholars of language acquisition, even though one of its limitations is that it has no empirical evidence to support it. Tomasellos account, conversely, depends on general skills in language acquisition, such as, joint attention, intention reading and pattern finding skills. Yet he did not provide adequate explanation to convince us that these are sufficient for language acquisition.

Private Fitness Essay

Six months ago, Rosemary Worth established Private Fitness, Inc in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Her experience as an aerobics instructor and notoriety as a US Fitness model were the perfect tools for building a business. The facilities were paid for through personal savings and a bank loan. Rosemary used $150,000 of the funds to renovate the facilities and purchase equipment. Five rooms were created; two locker rooms, an office, a weight room containing free weights and machines, and an aerobics room with treadmills, stair climbers, and other similar pieces of machinery. As a way to set the business apart, Rosemary found five instructors with specialized skills to meet the wide variety of classes available to the members. These instructors are given a commission of twenty to fifty percent depending on experience and if the client was brought in by them or not. One of the instructors, Kate Hoffman, was given a salary in addition to the commission and expected to manage the facilit ies. This included marketing, bookkeeping, facilities upkeep, and record keeping of the clients. Kate was proving to be successful with the steady increase in clients. To provide the best experience for clients, the equipment is not open for members to use freely. During peak hours, clients are charged $50 for an hour of training with an instructor. Non-peak hours cost $35 an hour, students are charge $12, and discounts are offered for prepayment. Rosemary discovered that Kate was stealing from the company by verifying the register amounts and confronting Kate about discrepancies. Not only were deposits short, but Kate was training clients, offering discounts, and pocketing the entire fee. When confronted with this, she denied the accusation of theft multiple times, before finally admitting to it. Now, Rosemary must decide how to handle Kate’s theft and improve the weaknesses of the current control processes. The largest culprit for the theft (besides Kate’s poor choic e) is the lack of proper management control systems. Rosemary has the ability to implement four different control measures, results-based, action-based, personnel-based, and culture-based. According to Merchant and Van der Stede, results controls empower employees to make the best decisions for the organization by aligning the personal goals with the organization. To implement these MCSs, managers/owners need to know exactly what results are desired, how to monitor these results, any weaknesses that may be addressed, and the rewards that should be given for reaching the desired results  (2012). Rosemary attempted to implement this control when she offered a commission based on the direct impact an instructor had in bringing in a new client. She left the control incomplete when she failed to properly segregate duties between the manager and instructors. Kate had a conflict of interest since she was paid salary, regardless if she enacting as a manager or instructor, and could gain more by working as an instructor. Without any additional costs, Rosemary would be better suited to hire a manager specifically trained in marketing and back office work, rather than an instru ctor. By continuing to pay the manager a set salary, he or she will not be tempted to steal clients. As a reward for growing the business, the manager can be directly rewarded for reaching certain revenue thresholds. The instructors should be rewarded for bringing in a certain amount of new clientele. If an instructor brings in five additional clients, they see a $100 bonus in their pay. Only the manager can approve new clientele and Rosemary must sign off on any paycheck that includes this bonus as a way to review who is bringing in new business or manipulating the system. The action controls are a direct management control that places constraints on employees to ensure bad decisions are not possible or at least difficult to perform (Merchant & Van der Stede, 2012). Rosemary failed with this control when she placed Kate in the managerial role with full control of the record keeping, cash box, deposits, and access to the facilities. Kate’s actions proved in the end that she w as not capable of handling the responsibilities. By hiring a new manager and front desk clerk, Rosemary can ensure they meet the needs of the company and incorporate additional segregation of duties. The clerk can run the deposits to the bank, while the manager can be responsible with preparing the deposits. All instructors should be required to submit new clients to the manager and provide a log of training sessions. This will allow instructors to see what is owed to them and keep them accountable for all training sessions. Personnel and Cultural controls are put into place to ensure that properly trained employees have an established culture to cultivate desired results (Merchant & Van Der Stede, 2012). Private Fitness, Inc. is still very new and has not established a set culture. Rosemary needs to create a code of conduct for employees to live by and reinforce the importance of acting with integrity. Additionally, key employees should be in positions to influence others and push this culture. Disciplinary actions need to be enforced for all breaches in misconduct. These actions can range from written warnings, penalties in pay, or even termination. Rosemary should hire a permanent manager with the skills to properly market the business, run the back office, and keep the integrity necessary to prevent fraud. To reward the manager, a financial incentive should be offered for meeting specific revenue goals and meeting a specific level of customer satisfaction with the facilities. An additional tiered reward should be awarded for new customers being brought in by the instructors. Instructors will not be allowed to hold managerial positions and the front desk clerk can run the register and make deposits after the new manager prepares the deposit. A new code of conduct list should be established and signed by all employees. The manager, Rosemary, and another instructor who exemplifies these characteristics should be responsible for holding others to these standards. Kate should be removed the managerial role and reprimanded by paying back all lost revenues. Additionally, she should be placed on probation. The reason she should not be fired is because she has proved to be an asset to the company. Also, clearly defined expectations had not been established. This allows Rosemary to recoup some of her losses and keep a full and diversified group of instructors. With the new controls in place, Kate will not be able to cheat Rosemary out of business again. The proposed solution tightens the current controls and adds necessary components to proactively combat operational deficiencies. Rosemary will still have the ability to spend time with her children. She can feel confident her business is running with the right standards in place, even when she is not present. In addition, the business will not face additional costs that will make success unlikely. References Merchant, Kenneth A. and Van der Stede, Wim A. Management control systems: performance measurement, evaluation and incentives. (3rd ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson Education Limited.

Exercise 31

1. What are the two groups whose results are reflected by the t ratios in Tables 2 and 3? The two groups are pre-test and 3-month measures and pre-test and 6-month measures. 2. Which t ratio in Table 2 represents the greatest relative or standardized difference between the pretest and 3 months outcomes? Is this t ratio statistically significant? Provide a rationale for your answer. The t ratio for Total risk score represents the greatest relative or standardized difference between the pre-test and 3 months outcomes because the value of t test statistics is bigger than any other group.This ratio is statistically significant because the p-value corresponding to this group is less than 0. 05. 3. Which t ratio listed in Table 3 represents the smallest relative difference between the pretest and 3 months? Is this t ratio statistically significant? What does this result mean? The t ratio for Stress management the smallest relative difference between the pre-test and 3 months because the va lues of t test statistics is smaller than any other group. This ratio is not statistically significant because here the p-value is bigger than 0. 5. This result depicts that there is no significant difference in the stress management at pre-test and after 3 months. Stress management is same at pre-test and at 3 months. 4. What are the assumptions for conducting a t-test for dependent groups in a study? Which of these assumptions do you think were met by this study? The assumptions for conducting a t-test for dependent groups in a study are the data for both group should be normally distributed and the groups are correlated with each other.The groups are correlated because the same measurement is taken over from the same subject at pre-test, 3 months and at 6 months. There are 25 subjects in this study and out of 25, 21 have completed the study, it means that the data is enough to conduct the paired sample t test. Also the data should be continuous and this assumption was met because the data is obtained on a interval or ratio scale. 5. Compare the 3 months and 6 months t ratios for the variable Exercise from Table 3. What is your conclusion about the long-term effect of the health-promotion intervention on Exercise in this study?We can see that the magnitude of the score value is larger at 3 months and levels off at 6 months, thus we conclude that over time the long-term health-promotion intervention on Exercise in this study has less of an effect than in the short-term. 6. What is the smallest, significant t ratio listed in Table 2? Provide a rationale for your answer. The smallest significant t ratio is 2. 03 for variable Cholesterol at 3 months. This ratio is significant at 5% level and this is smallest among all other significant t ratios. 7. Why are the larger t ratios more likely to be statistically significant?The larger t ratios are more likely to be statistically significant because it takes a larger difference between the treatment and comparator wit h smaller variation. The larger the t ratios the more confident we are about our results. In terms of mathematics, the 99% of the observation for t distribution falls between -3 and +3. So if the t ratio lies outside these values we are more likely to get significant results. 8. Did the health-promotion program have a statistically significant effect on Systolic blood pressure (BP) in this study? Provide a rationale for your answer.No, the health-promotion program do not have a statistically significant effect on Systolic blood pressure (BP) in this study because at both end points such as 3 months and 6 months, the p-values are bigger than 0. 05, so we can conclude that the health-promotion program do not have a statistically significant effect on Systolic blood pressure (BP). 9. Examine the means and standard deviations for Systolic BP at pretest, 3 months (completion of the treatment), and 6 months. What do these results indicate? Are these results clinically important? Provide a rationale for your answer.The mean and standard deviation for Systolic BP for pre-test is 121. 7 and 14. 6, for 3 months the means and standard deviations is 117. 2 and 12. 3 and for 6 months the mean and standard deviation is 115. 6 and 13. 4. These results are clinically important because we can see that the mean Systolic BP is decreased after 3 months and after 6 months. The treatment is effective in lowering the Systolic BP as the time passes. In a long run, these results can be significant. 10. Is this study design strong or weak? Provide a rationale for your answer.The design for this study is strong because the there is only one group and we want to see whether there is any significant difference or reduction in some measurement after receiving the treatment or therapy. This design serves the purpose of the study. The only drawback in this design is that there is no blinding of treatment. Table 2 *p < 0. 05. aPaired t-test results between the pretest and 3-month measures. bP aired t-test results between the pretest and 6-month measures. Table 3 *p < 0. 05. aPaired t-test results between the pretest and 3-month measures. bPaired t-test results between the pretest and 6-month measures.

Lord Of The Flies Nature Analysis - 1027 Words

Brooke Cline Ms.Tantlinger Honors English 10 2 January 2018 Man’s Evil State of Nature shown through the Loss of Innocence in Jack and the Hunters The novel Lord of the Flies, is an excellent exemplar written by William Golding in showing the true evil state of man’s nature. It captures young british school boys who have landed on an island due to a plane crash who work their way into losing innocence, acting like adults and starting caos. The boys were placed into a dream location for kids with no adults around with rules and no consequences for any wrongdoing. Ralph is chosen as leader of the tribe and Jack is put in charge of the hunters. This weak form of government soon falls apart separating the boys where evil starts to exist.†¦show more content†¦After the boys killed the pig they had a reenactment of the killing. It all started out okay until Robert said â€Å"Ow! Stop it! You’re hurting† (Golding 114). When they realized they were hurting Robert they stopped. As Jack stopped â€Å"He wiped his face with a dirty arm, and made an effort to retrieve his status† (Golding 115). This goes to show even though the boys have lost innocence with the first killing they are still able to be civil and stop before things go too far. For now. The diction surrounding the killing of the sow feeding her piglets Golding uses is a rape language. Golding uses negative words like â€Å"squealed...terror...stabbing downward...scream...hot blood...danced...immediacy...kill†(197). This shows the boys terrorized the sow by having the sow squeal in terror as they sat on her pusing until the â€Å"spear moved forward inch by inch† (Golding 135). They did it slowly to make her more miserable and more fun for the boys. The language was negative to give the reader a sense of horror the boys have brought upon the sow and her piglets. This action committed by the boys is a sacrifice and not using the whole pig to its full potential of being eaten for survival. Through this the innocence is gone forever and will not be restored. Golding uses these words to show how the civilization is gone within the boys and they are similar to wild animals that are going in for a hunt. The interesting diction of the words shows the state tha t the boys are in withShow MoreRelatedLord Of The Flies Nature Analysis708 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Golding’s experiences in World War II deeply influenced his views on man’s nature. Golding’s allegorical novel Lord of The Flies explores the frightening and consistent, yet ignored, truths of man’s nature. British schoolboys board a plane in hopes to escape their war torn land. Unfortunately, the plane is shot down, thrusting the boys into a deserted island and leaving them to their own devices. At first, the boys look to find independence and freedom in the island. However, as the boysRead MoreLord Of The Flies Human Nature Analysis1537 Words   |  7 Pagesnurtured to be peaceful and civil. 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Hobbes describes man’s nature to be, â€Å"if any two men desire the same thingRead MoreLord of the Flies Nature of Man1726 Words   |  7 PagesLord of the Flies: The Nature of Man William Golding’s Lord of the Flies is a gritty allegory of adolescence, innocence, and the unspoken side of human nature. Countless social issues are portrayed, however one of the most reoccurring is the nature of man. Throughout the novel there is an ever-present focus on the loss of innocence amongst the boys, shown by the deterioration of social skills and their retrogression into a barbaric form of society. Also portrayed is the juxtaposition of a cruelRead MoreLord of the Flies, Coral Island and the Role of Adults - Essay1558 Words   |  7 PagesIt is known that to fully appreciate the novel â€Å"Lord of the Flies† (1954) by William Golding (1911-1993) it is necessary to have read Robert Michael Ballantyne’s (1825-1894) â€Å"Coral Island† (1858), or at least to understand its theme and treatment. And so, since it was Golding’s intention to set himself to write an island story that deliberately challenged Ballantyne’s model in à ¢â‚¬Å"Coral Island† -by inverting its assumptions and values- we can explore multiple angles from which the two novels can beRead MoreUtopia:The Flawed Pursuit for Perfection1000 Words   |  4 Pagesbecome prominent in modern works and form the basis for this analysis in William Golding’s The Lord of the Flies and Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games. Through their most recognised pieces, Golding and Collins demonstrate that free will and control cannot be moderated effectively to sustain a utopian society. Demonstrating that human greed and corruption dismantle these ideals, effectively creating a dystopia. Through The Lord of the Flies, Golding demonstrates the degradation of a potentially utopicRead MoreThe Hangmans Horror: Roger, Sadism, and Psychopathy in Lord of the Flies1506 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Golding used Lord of the Flies as not only a historical allegory and a pulpit from which to address the darkness in all men, but also as a metaphor and a example that no one is exempt from human nature. Golding’s characters in Lord of the Flies reflect this idea greatly, but none more so than Roger. Throughout Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the character of Roger to show the follies of mankind and the ability of all people to turn to savagery, as well as the inherent nature of man and society’sRead MoreWilliam Golding And Lord Of The Flies Analysis1031 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Golding fulfills Hobbes’ ideas about man with Lord of the Flies in the moments when Jack and Ralph argue over whether to hunt for meat or build shelters, when Simon is killed by th e boys, and when Samneric betray Ralph and join Jack’s tribe. An early example in the novel where Golding supports Hobbes’ ideas about man is when Jack and Ralph argue over whether to hunt for meat or build shelters. Hobbes discusses the competition between men with the same desires as he writes, â€Å"And thereforeRead MoreWilliam Golding s Lord Of The Flies1389 Words   |  6 PagesA response to Lord Of The Flies Imagine an airplane crash. The heat of flames scorch passengers’ backs in addition to the wind burning their faces. Lucky, this crash was over water and near an island so most passengers survive, with an exception of the airplane staff and the pilot. Even though alive, many are in fits of fear and panic, and others are in shock. After hurried deliberation, a lone member of the group is elected leader in hopes that they will calm the panic, and make the hard, but necessaryRead MoreSocietal Breakdown On The Island1720 Words   |  7 PagesSocietal breakdown on the island in ‘Lord of the Flies’ is due to the inherent evil of man 3.8: Develop an informed understanding of literature and/or language using critical texts. Hypothesis: Societal breakdown on the island is due to the inherent evil of man Jason Carvalho ‘Lord of the Flies’ is the name of William Golding’s historically famous novel, yet it is more than just a title. It is a kind of statement, a way of mocking the very existences of humanity. Reading this book I came