250 Million Years of Turtle Evolution

250 Million Years of Turtle Evolution In a way, turtle evolution is an easy story to follow: the basic turtle body plan arose very early in the history of life (during the late Triassic period), and has persisted pretty much unchanged down to the present day, with the usual variations in size, habitat, and ornamentation. As with most other types of animals, though, the turtle evolutionary tree includes its share of missing links (some identified, some not), false starts, and short-lived episodes of gigantism. Turtles That Werent: Placodonts of the Triassic Period Before discussing the evolution of genuine turtles, its important to say a few words about convergent evolution: the tendency of creatures that inhabit roughly the same ecosystems to develop roughly the same body plans. As you probably already know, the theme of squat, stubby-legged, slow-moving animal with a big, hard shell to defend itself against predators has been repeated numerous times throughout history: witness dinosaurs like Ankylosaurus and Euoplocephalus and giant Pleistocene mammals like Glyptodon and Doedicurus. This brings us to the placodonts, an obscure family of Triassic reptiles closely related to the plesiosaurs and pliosaurs of the Mesozoic Era. The poster genus for this group, Placodus, was an unremarkable-looking creature that spent most of its time on land, but some of its marine relativesincluding Henodus, Placochelys, and Psephodermalooked uncannily like genuine turtles, with their stubby heads and legs, hard shells, and tough, sometimes toothless beaks. These marine reptiles were as close as you could get to turtles without actually being turtles; sadly, they went extinct as a group about 200 million years ago. The First Turtles Paleontologists still havent identified the exact family of prehistoric reptiles that spawned modern turtles and tortoises, but they do know one thing: it wasnt the placodonts. Lately, the bulk of the evidence points to an ancestral role for Eunotosaurus, a late Permian reptile whose wide, elongated ribs curved over its back (a striking adumbration of the hard shells of later turtles). Eunotosaurus itself seems to have been a pareiasaur, an obscure family of ancient reptiles the most notable member of which was the (completely unshelled) Scutosaurus. Until recently, fossil evidence linking the land-dwelling Eunotosaurus and the giant, marine turtles of the late Cretaceous period was sorely lacking. That all changed in 2008 with two major discoveries: first up was the late Jurassic, western European Eileanchelys, touted by researchers as the earliest marine turtle yet identified. Unfortunately, only a few weeks later, Chinese paleontologists announced the discovery of Odontochelys, which lived a whopping 50 million years earlier. Crucially, this soft-shelled marine turtle possessed a full set of teeth, which subsequent turtles gradually shed over tens of millions of years of evolution. (A new development as of June 2015: researchers have identified a late Triassic proto-turtle, Pappochelys, that was intermediate in form between Eunotosaurus and Odontochelys and thus fills an important gap in the fossil record!) Odontochelys prowled the shallow waters of eastern Asia about 220 million years ago; another important prehistoric turtle, Proganochelys, pops up in the western European fossil record about 10 million years later. This much bigger turtle had fewer teeth than Odontochelys, and the prominent spikes on its neck meant that it couldnt fully retract its head under its shell (it also possessed  an ankylosaur-like clubbed tail). Most important, the carapace of Proganochelys was fully baked: hard, snug and pretty much impervious to hungry predators. The Giant Turtles of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras By the early Jurassic period, about 200 million years ago, prehistoric turtles and tortoises were pretty much locked into their modern body plans, though there was still room for innovation. The most notable turtles of the Cretaceous period were a pair of marine giants, Archelon and Protostega, both measuring about 10 feet long from head to tail and weighing about two tons. As you might expect, these giant turtles were equipped with broad, powerful front flippers, the better to propel their bulk through the water; their closest living relative is the much smaller (less than one ton) Leatherback. You have to fast-forward about 60 million years, to the Pleistocene epoch, to find prehistoric turtles that approached the size of this duo (this doesnt mean that  giant turtles werent around in the intervening years, just that we havent found much evidence). The one-ton, southern Asian Colossochelys (formerly classified as a species of Testudo) can pretty much be described as a plus-sized Galapagos tortoise, while the slightly smaller Meiolania from Australia improved on the basic turtle body plan with a spiked tail and a huge, weirdly armored head. (By the way, Meiolania received its nameGreek for little wandererin reference to the contemporary Megalania, a two-ton monitor lizard.) The turtles mentioned above all belong to the cryptodire family, which accounts for the vast majority of marine and terrestrial species. But no discussion about prehistoric turtles would be complete without a mention of the aptly named Stupendemys, a two-ton pleurodire turtle of Pleistocene South America (what distinguishes pleurodire from cryptodire turtles is that they pull their heads into their shells with a sideways, rather than a front-to-back, motion). Stupendemys was far and away the largest freshwater turtle that ever lived; most modern side-necks weigh about 20 pounds, max! And while were on the subject, lets not forget the comparably ginormous Carbonemys, which may have done battle with the giant prehistoric snake Titanoboa 60 million years ago in the swamps of South America.

In the name of the Father, Death and the Maiden, The Torture Question, Movie Review

In the name of the Father, Death and the Maiden, The Torture Question, The killing Fields, or The Burning Season - Movie Review Example Later after he started to work and settled in the same area he was accused and considered to be responsible for the Guilford bombing. In this case he was not the only one to have been accused, but his family and friends were considered to be responsible either. Thus, the filmmakers began â€Å"to explore their real theme, which is the intimate emotional consequences of oppression and prejudice" (The New Yorker n. p.). The story revolved around an era known as â€Å"The troubles.’’ This era faced conflicts between two forces: the first one was the IRA, that is the Irish Republican Army, and the second one was UVF, that is Ulster Volunteer Force. The reason behind the conflicts that started in 960 was the change or the raise in the trend of bombing, terrorism and riots. The area where our protagonist dwelled was Belfast, the city in Northern Ireland, which was transformed into a battle zone and became a barrier between the two forces. It came to be known as ‘†™the barricaded city’’. The story dealt with a boy named Gerry. The IRA considered that he was the person who spread terror and was the one responsible to plant a bomb, the accident that resulted in killing five innocent people. The people who were suspected for this crime were Paddy, Gerry, Paul and Carol, were literally abused and physically tortured during their seven day interrogation. The worst part was when Gerry Conlon refused to speak up and the agency threatened to kill his father. This got him in a very weird situation when he had to confess, although he had not committed any sort of a crime. Gerry Conlon served 15 years of imprisonment and was eventually released. The Lawyer of Gerry, namely, Gareth Pierse, discovered a proof that the IRA tried to hide from the courts and the media. After these facts of evidence were brought to the authorities the "Guilford four" was released after a period of 15 years in jail. During this time Gerry Conlon lost his father , who died while he was in jail (Kenigsberg n. p.). This story revolves around the life of man, which cannot be called an ordinary one, and depicts his battle against the forces that made him go through a terrible experience. He faces the most brutal and unfair treatment by the British judiciary and casts into question the competence of the system that was being enforced back then. There were lots of people who experienced torture being innocent citizens and could not simply live in peace having become the victims of the unfair system. The protagonist of the story is the embodiment of every individual who experienced brutality and injustice of the said era. This movie has an irresistible and moving plot. The book, which was eventually transformed into a movie, was considered by critics as "thoughtful and thought provoking book that proposes suggestions for fixing society through common sense and faith" (Breckenridge-ayers 48). The movie has a unique style, which is seldom on the big screen. The way it condemns the British system is very brave in its own way. The thing about this movie is that it certainly does not intend to exaggerate the impact of the IRA. Likewise, it is not made with the purpose to promote getting out of the British Government from Northern Ireland or damage the Crown Prosecution Service in any way. The reason behind this movie was to narrate the story of the local masses that are stuck in the wrong place at wrong time and try hard to resist injustice. It also deals with

Age diversity and an ageing population in a new age management Essay

Age diversity and an ageing population in a new age management strategy - Essay Example The new holistic age management strategy provides a new perspective of viewing employee capacity. This has been different from the previous fixed retirement age with the notion of younger breeds of employees are much better than older ones, since the former was perceived as aggressive, more innovative, more creative, and are thus, more productive. The statistics posed by UK labour force indicative of a necessity for UK to attract 2.1 million entrants to the adult workforce signifies the adult's demand for these jobs, and hence, a designed HR strategy focussing towards this scenario. The holistic management strategy suggests a more participatory stance for the ageing population. However, as the UK has a default retirement age of 65 alongside limited opportunities for older workers leading to the inference that the demographics are not in employers' favour, it goes to say then that a tighter law must ensure the welfare of the aged employees in terms of retirement (Blyton and Turnbull 1 992). For the organisation, this would suggest a restructuring of retirement scheme, extending the retirement age for employees while others might continue with their phased retirement, caused by a not too stringent policy on retirement. As the report concludes that the need can be met only through a combination of most adults working longer and an increase in the number of adults, such as unemployed people and mothers re-entering the labour market, the organisation will be impacted with retraining of these people who used to be outside the work force for a long time. The HR function will have to synergize with the modification of the workplace that either rises the retirement age of its ageing employees and/or hires unemployed people and mothers, who have diverse needs and different job approaches. The HR would have to structure its functions to these people, who need to employ greater adaptability in order to adjust to the new work setting (Brewster 1995). Female employees who use d to be full-time mothers have likewise diverse needs that the HR should focus on and must be able to provide, such as a day care system within the workplace in which mothers can frequently visit for their infants. This is one option of the organisation in terms of hiring adults to the workforce but not necessarily extending the retirement age of ageing employees. Extending employees' retirement age can be viewed in two ways; either positively or negatively. People who view that the psychological and physical capabilities of ageing people might not be as healthy as those of the younger ones would say that it is just appropriate that the organisation give them a retirement pay and let them rest from the tiresome buzz of everyday work. It may also be viewed in a way in which retirement age must be fixed and pursuing an otherwise policy means catering to the demand of the capitalist market to extract more labour power from the workers, despite their ageing condition. On the other hand, advocates of holistic age management strategy view the extended retirement period as one that only enhances the capacity of ageing population and viewing them as still productive members of the organisation and society despite their age (Rubinstein and Kochan 2001). This might also cater to the view that older people are wiser, more experienced, and are more learne d than the younger ones. This scenario impacts the individual in two ways as well. The pro-active might see this as a greater opportunity for the ageing employees to exhibit their capabilities, talents and skills in the workplace that enhances their self-esteem, while the other side of the fence might view this as the reverse of the former; in that ageing employees are still

The Social Contract of John Locke Essay Example for Free

The Social Contract of John Locke Essay Introduction The concept of the social contract comes from Socrates, as described by Plato in Crito. â€Å"Then the laws will say: ‘Consider, Socrates, if we are speaking truly that in your present attempt you are going to do us an injury. For, having brought you into the world, and nurtured and educated you, and given you and every other citizen a share in every good which we had to give, we further proclaim to any Athenian by the liberty which we allow him, that if he does not like us when he has become of age and has seen the ways of the city, and made our acquaintance, he may go where he pleases and take his goods with him. None of us laws will forbid him or interfere with him. Anyone who does not like us and the city, and who wants to emigrate to a colony or to any other city, may go where he likes, retaining his property. But he who has experience of the manner in which we order justice and administer the state, and still remains, has entered into an implied contract that he will do as we commend him. And he who disobeys us is, as we maintain, thrice wrong; first, because in disobeying us he is disobeying his parents; secondly, because we are the authors of his education; thirdly, because he has made an agreement with us that he will duly obey our commands; and he neither obeys them nor convinces us that our commands are unjust; and we do not rudely impose them, but give him the alternative of obeying or convincing us;—that is what we offer, and he does neither (Philosophy, 2011).† According to social contract theory (SCT), morality consists in the set of rules governing behavior that rational people would accept, on condition that others accept them as well (Kary, 2000). There are several implications of SCT. These implications are things that are necessary for the survival of any society (Kary, 2000). 1. Protection of life and property. This will create the need for a police force. So as to insure that murders, assault, theft and vandalism crimes are not committed. 2. Rules that would be needed to secure the benefits of social living. This is creating consequences for the breaking of contracts (e.g. promises) and a general requirement of truth-telling. 3. Protection of society against outside threats. This implication creates the need for an army. 4. Other  important stuff – these are things that are arguably, should be a part of the social contract (i.e. it would be in everyone’s interest to have them include (Kary, 2000). The caveat to that is, a society might be able to survive (if not thrive) without them. The author will discuss the different theories but more specifically John Locke’s social contract theory and how it relates to the criminal justice system and security agents. Four Main Social Contract Theories There are four critical social contract theories that the author will discuss, compare and contrast. They are: consent of the governed, natural law and constitutionalism, tacit consent and voluntarism. Consent of the Governed â€Å"Consent of the governed† is a phrase from the United States Declaration of Independence. It is synonymous with a political theory wherein a government’s legitimacy and moral right to use state power is only justified and legal when derived from the people or society over which the political power is exercised (Bookman, 1984). This theory of â€Å"consent† is historically contrasted to the divine right of kings and has often been invoked against the legitimacy of colonialism (Bookman, 1984). There are several types of consent: unanimous consent, hypothetical consent and overt versus tacit consent (Bookman, 1984). The details of each type of consent are not discussed in this project, but are mentioned so that the reader is aware that they exist. Natural law and Constitutionalism Natural law is a law or body of laws that derives from nature and is believed to be binding upon human actions apart from or in conjunction with laws established by human authority. Constitutionalism in its simplest form is â€Å"a complex of ideas, attitudes, and patterns of behavior elaborating the principle that the authority of government derives from and is limited by a body of fundamental law. Tacit Consent. The (law) tacit is passive approval of someone’s wrongdoing. Also it is also described as secret approval or connivance. Another way of saying this is  when one does not actually state their agreement, but does not raise any objection (in voice or in writing) to a certain course of action (i.e.; by standing mute). Voluntarism. Voluntarism is use of or reliance on voluntary action to maintain an institution, carry out a policy, or achieve an end. It is also a theory or doctrine that regards the will as the fundamental principle of the individual or the universe rather than the intellect as the fundamental agency or principle in human activities and experience. John Locke’s Social Contract Theory Social Contract Theory. Social contract is the convention between men that aims to discard the state of nature. Under state of nature people live without government or written laws. People live under principles of justice that all normal people can see through reason, they include right to life, liberty and estates. Most people seek to follow these principles but the problem is lack of explicit written laws that leads to uncertainty and difficulty to resolve disputes (Nyamaka, 2011). Nyamaka (2011) discusses the solution to the problems under state of nature becomes a social contract where people agree to obey the state, let the state make and enforce laws and people pay the state for its services. The state sets up legislatures, impartial judges and enforcers. Within this agreement the government’s duty is to protect everyone’s rights and if the government violates the social contract, people may overthrow it (Nyamaka, 2011). There are two fundamental ideas that are expressed in the social contract in which the human mind always clings the value of liberty; the idea that â€Å"will† and not force is the basis of government; and the value of justice or the idea that â€Å"right† and not â€Å"might† is the basis of all political society and every system of political order. Key Principles Now in looking at social contract theory through the reasoning eyes of John Locke’s we find that he argued that sovereignty resided in the people for whom governments were trustees and that such government could be legitimately overthrown if they failed to discharge their functions to the people (Nyamaka, 2011). Locke worked to erect effective safeguards against  violations of natural law by the government. He consistently voiced the idea that sovereign did not take all rights; the principle rights remained with the people. Locke also argued that sovereignty did not reside in the state (government) but with the people, and that the state was supreme, but only if it was bound by civil and natural law (Kary, 2000). It is to be noted that Locke believed in the governed as the basis of sovereignty and the state of the guarantor of individuals’ liberty. It needs to be understood that to Locke, under social contract power was surrendered not to the sovereign but to the comm unity. He said, â€Å"there and there only was a political society where everyone in the society had quitted his natural power, resigned it up into the hands of the community† (Nyamaka, 2011). In using the â€Å"there and there only†, Locke was emphasizing the importance of the WILL of the people in forming a political society (Nyamaka, 2011). In this society/community every member surrendered his/her natural power with free will explicitly or implicitly and resigned it in the hands of the community in exchange for the discharge of functions to the people, therefore a political society becomes with power to preserve property and punish offences (Kary, 2000). Moving through this process the author will now look at how John Locke’s theory relates to the Bill of Rights. The U.S. Bill of Rights. In looking at John Locke’s social contract theory, one sees in this process that the power cannot be more than that of the people or more than the power that the people had in a state of nature before they entered into a society and gave it to the community for nobody can give more than what he/she has. In looking at John Locke’s explanation of the term community signifies the government of the people by the people for the people, understanding this means that community rights will/should prevail over individual rights and the rights are surrendered in to community because the sovereign is the people and only comes for the people. Hence, hands of the community mean the governor who is governing by the WILL of the people (Nyamaka, 2011). Criminal Justice System and Security Settings The social contract theory established the written law of the people, constituting the fundamental goods and evils according to agreed morals.  Though Locke’s ideals of liberty were primitive in the seventeenth century, creating a contract to govern due process was the foundation for the government statues. Locke’s influence for a fair and consistent government is present with the Constitution of the law. The greater good of the community was intended with the written set of rules to govern society’s checks and balance of power by political absolutism.  Some would or may say that Locke’s theory was flawed in the seventeenth century; it enlightened the idea of a legislative body for the people and introducing the importance of a written rule of law to create a contract for society to maintain an ordered and structured means of living. Personal Rights and Ethical Standards and Obligation Personal rights are the rights that a person has over their own body. Among personal rights are associated rights to protect and safeguard the body, most obviously protected by the torts of assault and battery. Ethical standards are a type of moral philosophy. They are simply defined as principles that promote values such as good behavior, fairness, kindness and trust. Obligation is the act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie (Jackson, 2002). When it comes to social contract theory one will in some way give up some of their rights and lower their ethical standards so as to feel some level of safety within the community that they live (Jackson, 2002). Conclusion In conclusion, it is important to recognize that although individuals have a right of self-defense in the of nature, when they enter into society under the social contract, the pooling of that right transforms it into a duty to defend the community, and therefore to risk or sacrifice one’s life, liberty, or property if such defense should require it (Shankman, 2004). References Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (2004, October 15). Retrieved 08 09, 2013, from lep.utm.edu: http://www.iep.utm.edu/soc-cont/#SH3b. Bookman, J. T. (1984). Lockes Contract: Would people consent to it. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 357-68. Cook, V. (2000, August 26). Epicurus. Retrieved 08 09, 2013, from www.epicurus.net: http://www.epicurus.net/en/principal.html. Jackson, A. (2002). Science of Ethics. Retrieved from Arthur M. Jackson: http://www.arthurmjackson.com/Mentor.html. Kary, J. (2000). Contract Law and the Social Contract: What Legal History Can Teach Us About the Political Theory Hobbes and Locke. 31 Ottawa Law Review 73. Nyamaka, D. M. (2011). Social Contract Theory of John Locke (1632-1740) In the Contemporary World. Selected Works, 1-15. Philosophy, S. E. (2011, January 20). Standford Enclyclopedia of Philosopy. Retrieved from Standford.Edu: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/contractarianism/#3. Shankman, K. (2004). Natural Law Constitutionlism and the Culture of Death. Catholic Social Science Review, 61-79. Skinner, Q. (1978). The Foundations of Modern Political Thought: Volume 2: The Age of the Reformation (Vol. 2). Cambridge: Cambridge University.

Young Girls with Eating Disorders Essay -- essays research papers fc

You open up a magazine and fine a beautiful woman who is 110 pounds soaking wet. Her eyes are the starring straight at the camera with her thin lips clinched together and her neck slightly raised. This in my most cases is what beauty is brought out to be. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, how many of those girls do you actually see? For others its, how do I become that? Many teen girls suffer with anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder in which girls use starvation diets to try to lose weight. They starve themselves down to skeletal thinness yet still think that they are overweight. Bulimia, meanwhile, is a disorder in which young women binge on food and then force themselves to vomit. They also often use laxatives to get food out of their system. All of these young women who suffer from this problem are considered to suffer from a psychiatric disorder. While the causes are debatable, one thing that is clear is that these young women have a distorted body image. It is a very serious issue when someone's body shape is determined by genetic disposition and yet they try to alter it to fit some kind of imaginary ideal of how a person should look. One of the most serious problems is that female nature is not what society says it should be. Some researchers theorize that anorexia is a young woman's way of canceling puberty. Since they lack body fat, anorexics don't get their periods and often lose their sexual characteristics such as public hair. They remain, in other words, little girls. There is also the complex issue of women feeling that by having an eating disorder they are finally in control of something in their life. This may sound strange, but much research has shown that women who have been abused or neglected in their childhoods develop these problems of control. (http://www.anred.com/medpsy.html). Studies suggest that eating disorders often begin in the transition from being a kid to puberty. They are directly connected to pubertal maturation and the increases in body fat that occurs during this phase. These biological changes are associated with increased dieting and unhealthy behaviors in early adolescence. This problem is aggravated by various problems, including negative body image, which links with weight, perfectionism and depression. Family and socializ... ...ED 1. ANRED: Complications of Eating Disorders: http://www.anred.com/medpsy.html-79. 2. EATING PROBLEMS in FEMALE ATHLETES Disordered Eating Tendencies Among Female Pair and Dance Figure Skaters: Are They More at Risk Than Non-Athletes?: G. Taylor & D. M. Ste-Marie http://www.health.uottawa.ca/hkgrad/mllab/eatdisfg.html 3. Cauffman, Elizabeth, and Steinberg, Laurence. "Interactive Effects of Menarcheal Status and Dating on Dieting and Disordered Eating Among Adolescent Girls," Developmental Psychology, 1996, vol. 32, no.4, 631-635. 4. Graber, Julia, Brooks-Gunn, J., Paikoff, Roberta, and Warren, Michelle. "Prediction of Eating Problems: An 8-Year Study of Adolescent Girls," Developmental Psychology, 1994, vol.3O, No.6, 823-834. 5. The costs and causes of low self-esteem: Nicholas Emler http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/n71.asp 6. Burns, David â€Å"Feeling Good, The New Mood Therapy† pgs. 62-69, 385-405

Questions in this section

You will have a choice of two questions in this section: Part A is the starter question, for which you are awarded a maximum of three marks. You need to explain the term, then in order to get full marks you will need to give an example: The only terms you will be asked about are the following: science, scientific benefits, ethical costs, genetic Influences, environmental Influences, cultural bias, gender bias, free will and determinism.In the second part – Part B you will be asked to either – describe, discuss or evaluate one of the following , for which there is a maximum of 22 marks – psychology as a science the balance of scientific benefits measured against ethical costs in psychology the balance of genetic and environmental influences on human behavior issues of cultural bias issues of gender bias the question of free will and determinism In respect of human behavior. The essay needs to be In the form of an argument- a dialogue between opposing views.To get full marks your argument needs to be presented in a structured manner, clearly interpreted and analyses, you need to have range and depth of evidence, reasoned conclusion, use appropriate terms throughout. Up to 15 marks will be awarded for this (AAA). When providing evidence, the mark scheme says that these do not need to be provided in equal measure. This means that you can equal and depth range of evidence or, you can give a very wide range, but not so much depth, or discuss a couple of pieces of research in depth, but thereby not showing quite as much range..Challenge with the view that at least some ‘levels' of psychology are scientific, but conclude with the argument that not all psychologists think science with its monotheistic approach is an appropriate for psychology and this leads to the use of therapies which reflect this dual approach. Chemotherapy, for example, which might be thought of as the more scientific response to abnormal behavior has been shown at times t o be less successful than CAB, a more person-centered and impotence of the therapist as well as the service-user's perceptions of their competence.Psychology eclectic use of several approaches and a range of methodologies lead to the conclusion that it is in part scientific, but employs subjective strategies to explore behavior when deemed more appropriate. This has been acknowledged within the British Psychological Society with its recently founded qualitative methodological group. Use the following research to support your answer: Psychology as a Science Arguments against Psychology as a Science One of the arguments against psychology as a science is that it lacks objectivity and intro.Issues of experimenter bias and demand characteristics can compromise objectivity and validity However, disconcerting research by John et al (2012) has also found evidence to suggest that, in some instances, the research process is manipulated to suit the researcher (rather than to reveal any object ive fact) further undermines Psychology status as a science. Ironically however, Psychology claim to be a science means that results which are deliberately manipulated or distorted by the researcher (through one or more of a variety of questionable research raciest) are given greater credence than they deserve because they are ‘scientific'.Trading on Psychology scientific status, the assumption is that the adulterated results are accurate and objective representations of reality. John et al (2012)g's work involved carrying out an anonymous electronic survey about the use often questionable research practices. These included things such as the researcher failing to a report all dependent variables, collecting additional data after checking for significance, selectively reporting studies that Worked' (I. E. Significant findings) and falsifying data.The researchers also asked participants to make estimates of the proportion of other psychologists who engaged in those practices, a nd the proportion likely to admit to carrying out those practices in the survey. They incorporated into their work an incentive to encourage participants to tell the truth. Some respondents were told that a larger charity donation would be made by the researchers if they answered honestly) and this did lead to a higher rate of admission amongst those given the incentive.The results were astonishing and raise important questions concerning the use of scientific method in Psychology. One in ten psychologists admitted falsifying data; the majority to selectively reporting studies (67%), not reporting all dependent variables ( 74% ); collecting data after checking for significance (71 reporting unexpected findings as expected (54%) and excluding post data post-hoc (58%). A considerable number (35%) admitted that they had doubts about the integrity of their research, with differences being found amongst disciplines within Psychology.

Same Sex Marriage Is An Inflammatory Issue In Today’S...

Same sex marriage is an inflammatory issue in today’s political landscape. Seemingly every election cycle brings us incendiary statements about how â€Å"the gays† are destroying America’s moral fabric from segments of the right. Meanwhile the idea of same sex marriage is becoming more and more accepted among young generations. The courts lie in the middle of this chaos. When laws are passed which discriminate against members of the LGBTQ community and are met with legal challenges, it is up to the courts to make a difficult decision. They must decide if the rights of the minority are important enough to disregard the will of the majority of voters. To do this, they must make some difficult decisions about how rights are defined, and what†¦show more content†¦Next, he takes on a more abstract question, asking if it is the role of the courts to identify the rights that will be protected as fundamental. And finally, he finishes the book by tackling the que stion of judicial authority, asking if the courts have the right (and responsibility) to take these decisions away from the democratic process. To make his argument, Gerstmann backs up his own claims with a combination of primary sources in the form of supreme court decisions and dissenting opinions, as well as secondary sources in the form of writings about these various court cases. One example of his technique can be seen when he is asking the question: is marriage a fundamental right? When he is listing off some of the unenumerated rights granted to Americans on pages 75 and 76, he relies on the decisions from those cases. He also cites the decisions when discussing what parts of the constitution grant those rights. In the next paragraph, he cites a book called Democracy and Distrust to help make a broader argument about how the constitution is seen to be granting these unenumerated rights. Gerstmann is explicitly in favor of same sex marriage in this book, but he does seem to r espect opposing arguments enough to give them a fair voice. This is seen in chapter 5, where he examines several opposing arguments before ultimately finding reasons to reject them. However, he does a very goodShow MoreRelatedWomens Rights - A Chronicle of Reform1701 Words   |  7 Pagestheir personal appearance has also grown. Wolf’s position on the issue is that this type of social control is potentially just as restrictive as the traditional roles of women. The Beauty Myth discusses how society’s viewpoint of beauty is detrimental to women because it causes many emotional and psychological problems to women who strive to become â€Å"perfect†. This book is important due to the fact it raises awareness to the issues that many young women are currently facing. The Female EunuchRead MoreThe Movie The Loving Story 1885 Words   |  8 Pagesstory of the Lovings is one fraught with social change. 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