Motivation and the Brain †Eating Healthy Essay

Eating right is essential for positive motivation and clear thinking. The brain, specifically the hypothalamus, along with the cerebral hemisphere works closely with physiological stimulation. This includes all five of our senses, specifically speaking, taste. Explaining the brain function associated with eating, I will discuss the influence of extrinsic and intrinsic factors, which will include heredity and involving the environment. In addition I will discuss the motivation need to succeed in eating healthy. The main function of the hypothalamus is homeostasis, or maintaining the body’s state in which it works. Factors such as blood pressure, body temperature, fluid and electrolyte balance, and body weight are held to a precise value called the set-point. The Hypothalamus organizes and controls many complex emotions, feelings and moods, as well as all motivational states including hunger, appetite and food intake, and everything to do with the concept of pleasure including satisfaction, comfort and creative activities (Incredible Horizons, 2009). It appears that almost everything the Hypothalamus does is related in some way to weight management and controlled weight loss. When the Hypothalamus is not working properly, food becomes more important, but increasingly more unfulfilling. We end up never feeling satisfied with the foods which we have eaten, gradually eating more and more to try to compensate for whatever is lacking. From a metabolism point of view, the Hypothalamus not only governs the motivation to eat, but most importantly how eating is to be experienced, if it is satisfying or not, and how deep the satisfaction occurs. This gives an idea just how important a healthy hypothalamic function really is (Incredible Horizons, 2009). Understanding how the hypothalamus works and keeping it healthy could be an extrinsic motivational factor to eat healthy. Being educated on how food affects the brain but also the body as a whole would be an example of extrinsic motivation. However, it is how we learn to eat, hereditarily speaking that gives us the tools to start out eating healthy from a young age or not. Lifelong food preference tends to start to develop while a baby is still in the mother’s womb. The strongest pattern for future food preferences is formed during the age of 9 to 19 months of age (Vera, 2009). At this time, everything connected with food intake leaves a strong imprint on the child’s brain. Also, the baby is tasting everything with his or her mouth; toys, shoes, body parts, etc. Concurrently, the child is memorizing the experiences of his mother and fathers eating habits; what they are eating, what they are feeding the baby, their emotional reaction to the baby’s consumption of these foods all while the unsuspecting parents believe that the child does not comprehend much of what is going on. The reality is the child is forming food habits for a lifetime. Whatever the first tastes, textures, smells an sights of food are, that child will crave them for the rest of his or her life, especially in moments of distress. Because of this, it would appear that comfort food is not too far from the truth. This was often a time in a child’s life when their mom or dad focused much love and caring on them and purely through association finds its way into our adult lives when we feel emotionally distressed or needing comfort. Human behavior patterns forming in childhood are crucially important for parents to pay close attention to the eating habits they are helping their children form (Vera, 2009). Promoting healthy eating habits with special care introducing fresh fruits and vegetables to their children as much as possible; in addition, parents must keep this promotion up otherwise children will fall prey to the society’s image of food which is unhealthy; another extrinsic example. In today’s society negative eating habits are advertised in every corner. According to Not Alone website, the top ten lists of popular food most people eat on a regular basis may not appear too alarming: a burger meal, Pizza, Spaghetti, or even a hot dog meal. However, after reviewing the nutritional analysis it should be alarming! For example, a burger meal contains 1300 calories, 34 grams of protein, 189 grams of carbohydrates and 44 grams of fat. This is equivalent to 38 teaspoons of sugar and a half of a stick of butter (McKeith, Ph. D. , 2005). The normal daily calorie intake should be 2,550 for men and 1,940 for women (McKeith, Ph. D. , 2005). Unfortunately the typically daily intake for both men and women are on average 3, 877 calories. Knowing these statistics should lead a person to use internal motivation to recognize the severity of the issue and begin to eat healthy. To conclude, eating right is essential for positive motivation and clear thinking. We have learned the hypothalamus, along with the cerebral hemisphere works closely with physiological stimulation including taste. I’ve explained the brain function associated with eating, discussed the influence of extrinsic and intrinsic factors including heredity and the environment. Lastly, I discussed the motivation need to succeed in eating healthy. References Breck, K. B. (2011). A practical guide to a happy life. Retrieved from http://www. kristenguide. com/Health/Weight_Loss/ways_to_stay_motivated. asp Incredible Horizons. (2009). Hypothalmus Function. Retrieved from http://www. incrediblehorizons. com/balance-Hypo%20function. htm McKeith, Ph. D. , G. (2005). 10 Foods People Eat On a Regular Basis. You Are What You Eat: The Plan that Will Change Your Life. Not Alone. Retrieved from http://www. enotalone. com/article/25017. html NowLoss. (2011). Getting Motivated. Retrieved from http://www. nowloss. com/how-to- get-motivation-to-lose-weight. htm The Life Co. (2009). A new recipe for life!. Retrieved from http://www. thelifeco. com/cok-okunanlar. aspx? id=478 Vera, Dr. (2009). Hereditary Eating Habits. Quantum Evolution. Retrieved from http://www. quantumevolution. comau/hereditary_eating_habits. htm.

Nonviolent video game Essay

The future of entertainment resolves around technology. Video games become more and more realistic. Moreover, the main consumers for violent video games are teens, which the games encourage killing and fighting enemies. However, some of us who play this video game may ask the same question in their mind including myself: â€Å"Do violent video games influence youth to act aggressively and violence? † Overplaying video games can have many disastrous effects on teen, but limiting game-play can reduce the chance to get the effects. Scientist has believed that violent video games are more harmful than violent TV Programs and Films. There are three reasons that show video games are more harmful than TV Programs and Films. First, video game play is active whereas watching TV is passive. People learn better when they are actively involved. Best example to describe is participating during class time, which mean that you ask and answer question in the class. Second, players of violent video games are more likely to identify with a violent character. If the game is a first person shooter, players have the same visual perspective as the killer. If the game is third person, the player controls the actions of the violent character from a more distant visual perspective. However in a violent TV program, viewers might or might not identify with a violent character, which prevent them to do something that should not happened in the real life. Third, violent games directly reward violent behavior, such as by awarding points or by allowing players to advance to the next game level. In some games, players are rewarded through verbal praise, such as hearing the words â€Å"Nice shot! † after killing an enemy. It is well known that rewarding behavior increases the tendency of the player to be addicted to the game. While in TV programs reward is not directly tied to the viewer’s behavior and it will just produce some pissed of feeling to the person who they don’t like. Although the scientific evidence clearly shows that violent video games have harmful effects, many people still deny these effects, especially violent game players. However, some people claim that violent video games are good for us and some players believe that violent video games are cathartic, it mean that they allow players to release pent up anger or release stress easily. Moreover they need this game because to release their stress or not they will not commit suicide. Nevertheless, it’s depended on the user of the video games, whether video games will promote aggression and violence or not. In my opinion, playing violent games it’s ok, but don’t be to addict to the game or overplay. Once you get addicted and play everyday, you may become on of them: Eric Harris or Dylan Klebold who work together to killed their entire classmates in the school, because to much playing violent video games. It happened in Jefferson Country, Colorado (20 April, 1999) and it is the worse school shooting in U. S. A. So now it depend on you how efficient you use video games.

Pop Art and modern popular culture Research Paper

Pop Art and modern popular culture - Research Paper Example The new pop art broke taboos which were experienced in the traditional western culture. It is no wonder pop art criticized the traditional art. In that case, the young people were the ones mostly involved with pop art as a new identity, different from the relatively old people. Pop art became popular with the young musicians who had the artistic of the time create covers for their music (Osterwold 8). Robert Rauschenberg's is quoted stating he had never seen a beautiful art as the Marcel Duchamp’s urinal art which the painter named the retina art. The idea was to capture the attention of the people in the Armory Show in New York in 1917. The art captured the attention of many including Robert Rauschenberg who vowed to continue with pop art. Rauschenberg worked very hard with pop art especially in the 1950s contributing to its popularity. Other artists credited for pop art in the 1950s are Andy Warhol, and Jim Dine. These artists used different styles some using modern styles o f the time and others using traditional art styles especially Rauschenberg and Dine who incorporated prints and collage into their styles. Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Jim Dine focused a lot on the pop art in the early 1950s and turned the tables round this time. Many people appreciated the pop art as stated above. The number of pop art artifacts grew from just 10,000 to more than 4 million in a span of one decade. These artists worked in the neo-dada times and seemed to know just how to make pop art work. A few years later, other pop artists who focused on modern methods for example camera photographs came up and are known as photorealist. The main objective of this art is to capture realist imagery using art. These artists used two different photographs one with limited depth of field and another with good field depth and combined them to make one painting (Desmond 13). Characteristics of Pop Art Art was not appreciated by the society and many artists were concerned that t he comments that art was ending could hold grounds soon or later. However, Pop art which became popular in the 1950s and the 1960s changed all that (Osterwold 6). Many people appreciated art and its influence became more than it would have been thought (Osterwold 6). Pop art is different from other art in that it is realist but based on the photographs which are used

Ethics of Neuro-Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethics of Neuro-Marketing - Essay Example Due to the historical challenges the advertising industry has experienced in trying to prove the return on adverting spending, neuro-marketing has been given somewhat fast adoption in the previous five years (Micu &Plummer, 1). Despite the fact that the prospect of enhanced advertising has created excitement within the business community in general, serious ethical matters have been raised as well by scientists, scholars, and consumer groups (Murphy, Illes, & Reiner, 1). However, the industry pays no attention to these concerns (Christophe, 1). The State of Advertising Ethics Ethical advertising could be described as the production and broadcasting of commercial messages which promote goods or services without lying to the public (Bishop, 2). Shockingly, both the advertising and the marketing industries have a not so good reputation concerning the application of ethical standards. A survey carried out by Gallup in 2011 positioned the advertising occupation at the bottom of the honest y scale with no more than eleven percent partakers ranking advertising practitioners with high or very high scores, placing them just four points above lobbyists and car salespeople (Christophe, 2). The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), formed during 1914, is in charge of keeping consumers protected from advertisers who are unethical or unscrupulous. In the long run, the Federal Trade Commission has identified universal conditions upon which a message is considered to breach the standard of â€Å"truth-in-advertising† (FTC, 2011).  

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

English - Essay Example Indeed, benefits to Britain’s economic vitality have been well documented. But the arts and cultural pursuits in Britain have long played a far more profound and spiritual role than pounds and pennies, one that inspires and replenishes the soul. â€Å"The arts broaden horizons, stimulate new thinking, provide pleasure and raise aspirations – they inspire and sustain the spirit. More people are enjoying the arts than ever before (76 percent in 2008-09)† (â€Å"Why the Arts Matter,† 2010). Nevertheless, a crippling economic downturn and Europe’s largest budget deficit have raised a stumbling block that may well prove insurmountable for the arts’ single greatest patron – the British government. Name 2 Background Cuts as high as 40 percent come as hard news for arts and cultural institutions nationwide, which have benefited from an unprecedented growth in government funding over the past decade. Between 2000 and 2010, there has been an inc rease of approximately ?200 million in arts funding. In London, many arts organizations receive as much as 50 percent of their funding from the government. The impact on the city’s cultural life could be massive. London’s venerable museums may have to charge admission, a move that could cut deeply into the tourism market (Faoila, 2010). MPs have expressed concern over the curtailment of artistic activities and events and have recommended a program that would reward regional philanthropy in an effort to mitigate the damage (Phillips, 2011). Britain boasts a grand, centuries-old cultural heritage: one need only stroll through Westminster, where lie Dickens, Chaucer, Tennyson and other luminaries, to appreciate the nation’s unique contribution to Western civilization. As such, the likelihood that Britain’s coalition government could drastically curtail, or discontinue, funding for Britain’s cultural institutions amounts to nothing less than a national crisis of identity. For a nation deep in the grips of a persistent recession, adopting the American model of private philanthropy may do irreparable damage to Britain’s vibrant arts community (Faiola, 2010). With no government-sponsored alternatives on the horizon, Britons is facing a permanent marginalization of the arts, not in the short term but over time, proceeding almost imperceptibly, gradually blotting out some of the brightest stars in Britain’s cultural firmament. Name 3 Shakespeare under siege One could as well imagine the pawning of the crown jewels as entertain the possibility that The Royal Shakespeare Company could fall victim to the balance sheet. But in a report to Parliament, the company warned of dire consequences should budget cuts proceed under the current plans, which make it clear that cuts on the scale proposed (25 – 40 percent) will have real and significant impact for the arts and for the audience who enjoy them. Most likely for us it will mean fewer productions, less touring, and a curtailment of the free events and educational activities which help us reach new audiences† (â€Å"Parliamentary business,† 2011). This holds dire regional repercussions, given the presence the company maintains throughout the country. More specifically, the New Vic Theater in North Staffordshire, which receives about 30 percent of its funding through the Arts Council, played host to 175,000 visitors in 2010. This is significant, since the theater earns about 60 percent of its income

Corporate Planning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corporate Planning - Coursework Example The manager can then postpone the decision or take no action. The second reason why managers may fail to make a decision is need to maintain the status quo. The company may be performing extremely well and the manager may wish to pursue existing strategies to maintain good performance. Alternatively, the manager may be undergoing high pressure to comply with existing rules, policies or procedures. Consequently, the manager will have little room to introduce change. Therefore, maintaining status quo becomes better option. Sales forecasting is one of the core functions of the sales and marketing department. Sales forecasts must be realistic and inspiring to the sales and marketing department as well as to other departments of the company. Inspiring and achievable sales forecasts can be achieved by considering internal and external factors that affect company’s performance. The first issue is the internal environment of the company. Internal environment of the company is comprised of key personnel in the sales and marketing department, finance department and production department. The key personnel in the above key departments should be involved during sales projections. According to Haines (2008), sales executives should set their own sales targets. The managers of key departments proceed to discuss the targets and check if they are achievable. For example, the production managers confirm if sales targets are in tandem with the production capacity and finance managers confirms if the targets ar e in line with company’s revenue targets. The second factor to be considered when a company makes sales forecast is the external environment. External environment include the competition, purchasing power of the consumer, political events, fashion and styles, changes in population, and the state of the economy. The sales forecast team should make use of facts from the

Human Resource (Management) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Resource (Management) - Research Paper Example The organization should clearly state the dress code according to its public image. Even defining the casual dress code it is highly advisable for the organizations to specify which clothing is inappropriate for a professional environment. Employees should keep in mind that their dress should reflect their personal style as well as their organizational culture. Any changes in dress code policy should be made informed to the employees through memos. Dress code policy revolves around each and every single item that counts in shaping one’s personality such as shoes, dresses, jewelry (for females), dress colors (preferably the corporate colors) and bags (Bornman: 2007) Policy for Worker Pay: A pay policy structure defines the framework for the pay according to the grading criteria or jobs in an organization. A homogenous pay structure at all levels ensures a fair treatment to the employees by the employer. An employee should be paid justifiably according to his skills and experien ce. It is imperative for an organization to review their pay structure policies every after year. A balanced pay structure or a pay policy helps the organization to reduce the job discrimination as well as it also helps in increasing the flexibility.

Answsering law quesiton Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Answsering law quesiton - Essay Example Jaime owed Simon and Davina a duty of care, being the owner of a restaurant which serves food to the public for a fee. Hence, he has the duty and obligation to see to it that clients are served well because he is engaged in the food business, and attached to this is the quality of service to his clients. Based on the facts of the case, there is clearly a breach of duty on the part of Jaime, the moment he forget to inform the chef that Simon and his guest only requested for vegetarian dishes. It was due to the fact that there were several guests that same night that kept him pre-occupied that he totally forgot to inform the chef of Simon’s request. As a restaurant owner, he owed a duty of care to all the clients and guests who enter and dine in his restaurant. In the case at bar, the fact that Simon informed Jaime only to serve them vegetarian dishes is an indication that Simon has already foreseen the damage or harm that will be inflicted upon Davina in case a different food, and not vegetarian dishes will be served to her. This act done by Simon in order to protect Davina is also known as the ‘neighbor principle’. He took the necessary steps to exert reasonable amount of care to avoid acts or omissions which you can reasonably foresee would be likely to injure his guest, Davina. It is thereof without a doubt that a duty of care was expected of Jaime to Simon and Lavina There is also a proximity between the parties, as Jaime is the seller and Lavina and Simon are the buyers of his services. Under the law, is it fair, just and reasonable in all the circumstances to impose a duty of care in the case of Jamie. Here, Jamie is liable for the tort of negligence due to his failure to exercise reasonable care which caused a damage to Davina. His failure to inform the chef that only vegetarian dishes should be served is tantamount to negligence or omission on the part of Jamie. Therefore, he is liable to pay consequential damages to Davina because th ere is a strong connection between the cause of his failure to take reasonable care and that damages that Davina has suffered. Verily, there is a clear showing that Davina would not have been injured â€Å" but for† the Jamie’s act or omission. Hence, Davina entitled to an award of consequential damage because aside from the violent illnsess, she also suffered from consequential economic loss when she cancelled a photo shoot costs of the damage for a beauty campaign, which could have been an opportunity for her to receive economic gain. 2.) Jamie can raise the defense of contributory negligence on the part of Davina. This means that any award of damages may be reduced to the extent that the Davina, the claimant was to blame for the injury or loss inflicted to herslf. It is entirely Davina’s fault if she had too many glasses of champagne prior to her meeting with Simon and totally forgot to inform him about her allergic food reaction. This act shall hold her liab le for contributory negligence. The fault shall be shared by Jamie and Davina. There was also a mistake committed by Davina by coming to the restaurant in a sober mood, and totally disregarding to report to Simon about the allergic food reaction that she possesses. This act redounds to inaction, omission and oversight on the part of Divina. The Law Reform Act 1945(Contributory Negligence) provides for apportionment of blame between the

Current Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current Research - Essay Example Through the use of software, development in different dimensions and especially economically is achieved. However, this is achieved through the concentration of multiple locations which allow important developments. Through software development, complex projects in the world are managed through dedicated methodologies and standards (Galina & Smite, 2011, p.8). The increasing competition of companies across the world has increased the need for presentation of services and goods of high quality. Through software distribution, there is enhanced process thinking which enables entrusting work to skilled individuals (Oshri, Kotlarsky & Willcocks, 2007, p.28). This makes it possible for companies to respond appropriately to changing customer’s needs. When companies are able to distribute their development globally, they benefit from getting relatively cheap resources which lower their operational costs. Software development ensures that there is reduced reliance on heavy documents of standardized models. Software development further ensures that there is easier communication between members of team projects which makes it possible to share ideas (Setamanit, et al. 2007, p.18). In this paper, importance of global software development will be discussed. Distributed software stresses the correlation between qualities of services to the society and quality processes. Distributed software ensures that the needs of the customers get matching responses from different organization (Galvina & Nsmite, 2011, p.10). This is in addition to preventing increased incidences of duplicated work. There has been progressive development of process models related to software development. Software development is characterized by organization of resources to meet the desires of people. This is in addition to meeting their expectation timely. Distributed software development though complex; offers solutions to emerging challenges in the world (Jaakkola, 2009, p.71). Through

Marriage at an Early Age Essay Example for Free

Marriage at an Early Age Essay Marriage is regarded as a moment of celebration and a milestone in adult life. The age at first marriage varies across the globe. Being married before the age of 18 has been a social norm in third world countries [refer to Appendix A]. The percentage of women being married before age 18 is estimated to be 20 to 50 percent in average in developing countries (Joyce, et al. , 2001). On the other hand, western countries are unlikely to experience the similar pattern of marriage. The marital union is normally delayed too long although this is the most apparent reason for the breakdown in sexual ethics (Orsi, 2001). Because of its wealth, western society chooses to marry later in life until they have built an adequate maturity in age, education and financial state. Nowadays, many international organizations have made an effort to reduce the number of early marriage worldwide (Yudkin and Robert, 1996). Many believe that the practice of early marriage can hinder self-development of young girls. However, in western countries, there are several efforts to promote young marriages (Orsi, 2001). They believe that early marriage should be looked as a platform to cultivate maturity together but not as an institution just for the grown-up individuals. As we are concern, early marriage is widely practice in developing countries hence a global issue has arisen as to whether early marriage does really hinder self development due to the consequences it brings to young girls. The practice is believed to bring several benefits to some extent. However, the adverse effects it brings can impede the self-development of young adolescences in many aspects including health consequences, character building and education as well as career opportunities. 2. 0Statistical Studies of Early Marriage This aspect highlights the prevalence of early marriage across the globe and the very reasons of early marriage especially in developing countries. This aspect is important to illustrate the situation regarding early marriage worldwide. 2. 1Prevalence of Young Marriage The practice of young marriage is most common in developing countries (United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2001). According to Joyce (2001), an analysis of Demographic and Healthy Survey data shows that Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asian countries are having the most cases of early marriage. Of these countries that have high cases of young marriage, Niger is the leading country with 88 percent of the women married before age 18. Adapted From: Joyce, L. F. , et al. (2001). Future Options Foreclosed: Girls Who Marry Early. Reproductive Health and Rights. 139-143. Retrieved January 25, 2006, from the World Wide Web: http://www. path. org/files/RHR-Article-14. pdf. 2. 2Major Factors That Lead to Early Marriage The huge number of young marriage in developing countries is due to several reasons. Poverty is one of the major factors underpinning early marriage (Joyce, 2001). A young girl may be regarded as an economic burden for a family thus early marriage is looked as a strategy for economic survival. A current study of five very poor villages in Egypt shows that young girls are being married off to much older men from oil-rich Middle Eastern countries for family survival (UNICEF, 2001). Besides, early marriage is one way to ensure that a girl is protected from physical disturbance (UNICEF, 2001). Parents believe that their daughters are safer when they marry early as there is always a man to guard them. For instance, some families in Northern Uganda encourage the young girls to marry to militia members in order to secure protection (UNICEF, 2001). For third world countries, marriage shortly after puberty is common among those living traditional lifestyles (Joyce, 2001). The girls as early as 14 years old have to carry responsibilities as a wife. As it has become a social custom, the tradition is carried on from one generation to the next. 3. 0Opponents’ Views Against Early Marriage This aspect discusses some of the opponents’ views against early marriage. It mostly talks about the disadvantages of early marriage to the girls including the lack of education, health problems and psychosocial disadvantages. The arguments given agree that early marriage does hamper self-development. 3. 1 The Denial of Education The opponents believed that early marriage denies the right of young adolescents to the education they necessitate for self-development. In traditional societies, the investment in a girl’s education is thought to be wasted as the girl is going to marry and stay at home doing household chores (UNICEF, 2001). For instance, in Northern Nigeria, early marriage is the very reason girls are often withdrawing from school (UNICEF, 2001). Because of the early end of female education, they have limited opportunities to develop skills and acquire knowledge ‘that serve them well throughout their lives’ hence restricts their economic and career opportunities (Joyce, 2001). This is because withdrawal from school that results in illiterate and unskilled women will lead to no recognition in professional field. 3. 2 Health and Reproduction Problem The opponents also argued that early childbearing which always occurs in early marriage endanger the lives of both the mother and her baby (Joyce, 2001). The early pregnancy increases the risk of complications and dying during delivery. A report shows that the risk of death due to pregnancy-related cases is doubled among women aged 15 to 19 compared to adult women (Adhikari, 2006). They further stressed that these girls are also more susceptible to sexually-transmitted diseases (UNICEF, 2001). Hormonal fluctuations and permeability of vaginal tissues experienced by these girls can lead to infertility. Moreover, according to a study in Rwanda, 25 percent of women who were pregnant before 18 were infected with HIV although they only had sex with their husbands (UNICEF, 2001). 3. 3Psychosocial Disadvantages When early marriage takes place, the girls will confront with great emotional damage. Sociologists suggested that this is due to their confinement at home to do household chores hence their mobility is denied (UNICEF, 2001). Most of the girls are depressed with this situation that eventually affects their emotional well being. An Indian research conducted in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh found that the spouses of early marriage usually suffered from great psychosocial damage (UNICEF, 2001). Another concern raised by the opponents is that the young girl loses her social life outside family cycle and this has affected her chance of cultivating her own identity (UNICEF, 2001). The most important implication of this is that her self-esteem is silently hindered from being developed and this will make her vulnerable to sexual and physical violence. In Eastern Africa for instance, a young wife has no right to refuse sex to her husband even though her partner is suspected with HIV (UNICEF, 2001). 4. 0 Proponents’ Views on Early Marriage This part will enlighten several views that support early marriage in our society. This includes health benefits, social stability and character advantages. In this argument, early marriage is looked upon as a better practice than delayed marriage. 4. 1 Health Benefits The proponents believed that body functions are more effective and healthy at early stage in life. For women, the body is particularly geared towards reproduction during early adulthood (Orsi, 2001). Early marriage is beneficial because desire and energy from young couples also produce healthy offsprings. They also highlighted that later marriage has led to problematic births and birth defects. This can happen as the body is unlikely to negotiate any burden like pregnancy at a late age. Not surprisingly, later marriage which is always associated with cohabitation and premarital sex increase the risk of sexually-transmitted diseases (Orsi, 2001). The hazardous infections like HIV will spread widely if the practice of premarital sex has became a lifestyle. 4. 2 Early Marriage as a Solution to Cohabitation Another issue raised by the proponents is that the trend towards later marriage has led to a great social deterioration in the society in term of cohabitation. In the United States of America, cohabitation is more prevalent than other countries as the people choose to marry later in life (Henslin, 2005). A study found that cohabitation before marriage is the very reason for breaking up after they were married (Henslin, 2005). Besides that, the increasing case of cohabitation in the United States of America is clearly illustrated by the graph on the next page. Adapted From: Henslin, J. M. (2005). Cohabitation. Sociology- A Down to Earth Approach (2nd Ed. ). 468. Boston: Pearson, Allyn Bacon. They further argued that married couples including young spouses gain more benefits in terms of physical health, general happiness and longevity than cohabitants. This is proven from a study which was cited as strong evidence that cohabiting couples experienced the rate of depression three times more than married couple (Popenoe and Dafoe, 2006). . 3 Self-development Improvement It is also believed that early marriage helps in cultivating maturity. Early marriage is looked upon as a platform for young people to grow in maturity together. Moreover, they share experiences at an early age before egoism is deposited in their heart. This is important to ensure a successful marriage is established (Orsi, 2001). They further emphasized that early marriage is a natural institution to grow emotionally by everyday give and take at an early age. This foundation is hard to build later in life. Also, through The London Telegraph, Emma Besbrode has reported that individuals that are unmarried by early age are more vulnerable to depression and loneliness (Orsi, 2001). This unbalance in emotional development will lead to a stressful life. 5. 0 How Does Early Marriage Hamper Self-development? In this area, both arguments from proponents and opponents are being evaluated in terms of health, character building and education. This is important to determine whether the practice of early marriage does impede self-development. 5. 1 Health Aspect Health is a very important aspect in self-development of an individual. Early marriage greatly affect the health of young adolescents especially girls. Although women who marry later in life are also vulnerable to problematic birth, (Orsi, 2001) the girls who are particularly still growing up have to struggle with the risks associated with early pregnancies (UNICEF, 2001). This is because the physical features of the girls are not fully developed and therefore both the girls and their babies have to compete to obtain the necessary nutrients for themselves. This means that early marriage endangers both mother and her baby. Besides those, sexual intercourse that takes place at a very young age can enhance the risk of sexually-transmitted diseases (STD) (UNICEF, 2001). It is also true that STD can also infect unmarried people as well especially among cohabitants, but a recent study conducted in Rwanda shows that the younger the age at sexual intercourse, the higher the risk of STD (UNICEF, 2001). This proves that early marriage set off a poor cycle of health. 5. 2 Character Building Aspect Each and every individual has his/her own character. The practice of early marriage limits character development as a girl who marries early experiences less socialization outside her family cycle (UNICEF, 2001). This reduces her opportunities for building her own identity which is vital for her successful self-development. On the other hand, some individuals believe that early marriage is a stage for maturity to be acquired and it is not just for matured individuals (Orsi, 2001). However, it is not the case as these girls are affected by great emotional disturbance and depression. Inter-American researchers have discovered that these emotional consequences are ‘unavoidable part of life’ for those who choose to marry early (UNICEF, 2001). Therefore, it is clearly shown that early marriage does hinder personal development. 5. 3 Education and Intellect The importance of well-developed education is vital for an individual to survive. Since early marriage is the major reason for young adolescents to quit from school (Adhikari, 2006), it can restrict career prospects of a girl by limiting her chances to acquire important skills and knowledge. Without those qualities, the girl’s future seems to foreclose to any opportunities for economic survival. In fact, unemployment rates are higher for those who have limited education (Baker and Dryden, 1993). This is clearly illustrated from the table below. Unemployment Rate by Educational Attainment for 15 to 24 year-olds, Canada, 1991 Educational AttainmentUnemployment Rate 0 to 8 years29. 5 Some secondary education20. 7 High school graduation15. 7 Some post-secondary12. 6 Post-secondary certificate11. 7 University degree 8. 1 Total16. 2 Source: Baker, M. and Dryden, J. (1993). Patterns in Employment and Unemployment or Young People. Families in Canadian Society (2nd Ed. ). 93-94. Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited. For those reasons, early marriage is proven to bring more harm than benefits. This practice consequently hampers one’s personal development. 6. 0 Conclusion The practice of early marriage in our society today does hinder personal development of individuals in terms of health, character building and intellectual qualities. First, a girl is more vulnerable to diseases and complications when sex intercourse takes place between the spouses occur at an early age. Early pregnancies followed by childbearing can also bring harm to the girl by increasing the risks of dying and problems during delivery. Apart from this, character building which is important to determine one’s unique identity will be affected as well when a girl enters marriage at a young age. The loss of mobility and social life due to the early marriage will result in lack of self esteem and great emotional damage. In addition, limited education is obvious among those who marry early. In the long run, this lack of schooling will restrict economic and career prospect in the future because withdrawal from school means no qualifications and recognition. This will foreclose the future options of one’s self. Therefore, the practice of early marriage is proven to hinder personal development and should be reduced among young adolescents especially in developing countries with high incidence of young marriage. Effective steps should be executed by international organization to reduce the number of this practice worldwide. For instance, each country should rise up the legal age for marriage. Besides that, education should be promoted among young couples so that they acquire adequate level of education for their future. Although it is difficult to reduce the number, by helping the young spouses with their life, it more or less, reduces the burden they carry.

Uses of Religion in Advertising

Uses of Religion in Advertising The way the message is presented, both pictorially and verbally, has a significant effect on the processing of the advertisement. However, it is acknowledged that attitude depend not only on the physical stimuli but also on the stimulis relation to the surrounding field and a whole range of factors within the individual, including the cultural background, experience, personality/cognitive style, values, expectations, and the context in which something is perceived (De Mooij, 2009; Usunier Lee, 2005). Due to this, its widely agreed that when an audience encounters an advertisement, the reaction to it depends on the meaning they assign to it, which in turn depends on characteristics of both the advertisement and the members of the audience (Veloutsou Ahmed, 2006). Advertisers need to understand their audience before encoding messages so that they are credible and generate positive responses. Otherwise the perception may be negative, disbelief or rejection. To ensure that a stimulus produces favorable response, advertisers have to analyze where attitudes stem from and what influences attitude. Positive attitude could result in positive response to a particular advertising stimulus and positive attitude toward the advertisement. This positive attitude could influence purchase intentions (Severn et al., 1990) and even lead to the audiences brand choice without examination of beliefs on specific attributes, because it allows for the retrieval of an overall evaluation with minimal processing (Dotson and Hyatt, 2000). Evidence suggests that advertisements are processed subjectively by individuals, on the basis of the group membership (Leach Liu, 1998). Cultural groups differ in their values, attitudes and prejudices they possess, and thus each group will read the advertisement distinctly and develop its own shared reactions, interpretations and meanings of the advertisement (Leach Liu, 1998). In a cognitively diverse world, a message that is sent is not necessarily the message that is received. Advertising could be more effective when it provides information and uses language that is consistent with the preferences of the audience, because customized advertisements may be more successful than generic one-size-fits-all (LaBarbera, 1998). Values guide and determine attitudes and behavior, which are the core of culture. Advertising reflects and influences cultural values. Therefore, advertising appeals that depict value orientations consistent with the intended audience is likely to be more persuasive than advertisements that depict inconsistent value (Leach Liu, 1998), a fact that advertisers should take into account when creating their messages. Advertisers use cues, such as culturally similar actors, shared cultural symbols and preferred language to produce the intended meaning, in the hope that the cues will be decoded by the audience (Veloutsou Ahmed, 2006). In the following sections the role of religion, as a factor that influences both the advertisement execution and attitude formation will be reviewed. Religion and Advertising Religion as an institution significantly influence on peoples attitudes, values and behaviors (Arnould, Price, Zikhan, 2004) at both the individual and societal levels. According to Peterson and Roy (1985), religion provides a source of meaning and purpose for people; it makes life understandable and interpretable. Religion fosters established practices and provides a series of tools and techniques for social behavior (Hawkins et al.,1980; Schiffman and Kanuk, 1991) therefore, religion and its associated values and practices often play a pivotal role in influencing peoples everyday life. This role is activated and executed through rituals and symbols. Rituals and symbols are focal elements in transferring religious courses and meanings to people which consequently shapes their values, beliefs, and behaviors. Religious self-identity, formed as a result of the internalization of the role expectations offered by the religion, suggests the potential influence of religiosity on ones beha vior and consequently what is considered right or wrong in that perspective (Vitell et. al, 2005). Moral values of right and wrong define what is allowed and forbidden for marketing and consumption and how this marketing strategy should take place. Hirschman (1983) points out that religious denominational affiliation may be viewed as cognitive systems. A cognitive system is a set of beliefs, values, expectations and behaviors that are shared by members of a group (Berger, 1961; Gurvitch, 1971; Merton, 1937). This perspective suggests that members of a particular religion may possess common cognitive systems, which may influence that groups behaviour (Hirschman, 1983). In a series of studies, Hirschman (1981, 1982, 1983) found that religious affiliation had an influence on novelty seeking, information search and a number of consumption processes such as choice of entertainment, transportation and family pets. Hirschman (1983) concluded that few other variables have exhibited the range and depth of explanatory power offered by religious affiliation (Esso Dibb, 2004). Even though attitudes and behaviors are directly influenced by at least religion-rooted aspects of culture, religions impact on consumption-related behaviour have been only very modestly studied in the marketing literature (Mokhlis, 2009). According to Hirschman (1983) there are three possible reasons for this shortfall. The first reason for the slow development of literature in this area is the possibility that consumer researchers are unaware of the possible links between religion and consumption patterns. The second reason is a perceived prejudice against religion within the research community; once being a taboo subject and too sensitive to be submitted for investigation (i.e. the potential for inadvertent offence and the legal protection afforded freedom of religion). Finally, she claims that religion is everywhere in our life and therefore may have been overlooked by researchers as an obvious variable for investigation in the field. Although Hirschman made this assertion some y ears ago, it is still true today. To date, few studies have investigated religion as a predictor of attitudes toward advertisement. Existing studies on advertising and religion mainly examined the influence of religion on attitude toward advertising of controversial products (De Run, Butt, Fam, Jong, 2010; Fam Grohs, 2007; Fam Waller, 2003; Fam, Waller, Erdogan, 2004; Michell Al-Mossawi, 1995). However, a review of the pertinent literature showed that most of these studies observed this influence from the point of marketing communications. Examining whether religion and intensity of religious belief has an effect on the attitudes towards the advertising of controversial products, Fam, et al. (2004) found a significant difference between the four controversial product groups (gender/sex related products, social/political groups, health and care products, and addictive products) and the four religious groups (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and non-religious believers). Their results revealed that Muslims found the advertising of gender/sex related products, social/political groups, and health and care products most offensive relative to the other three religions. In addition, the religiously devout respondents were more likely to find advertising of gender/sex related products, health and care products, and addictive products more offensive than the less devout followers (Fam, et al., 2004). Second area of research in the field of advertising and religion has primarily focused on the presence of religious values in advertisements(Al-Olayan Karande, 2000; Kalliny, 2008). For example, in a cross cultural content analysis of magazine advertisements in the U.S. and Arab countries, Al-Olayan and Karande (2000) found that in Arab advertisements women tended to be portrayed in advertisements in which their presence was related to the advertised product. This was indicated to be in compliance with accepted Muslim religious tenants (Henley Jr, Philhours, Ranganathan, Bush, 2009). In another research to investigate the impact of religious differences on advertising execution in Arab world Kalliny (2008) found that there were major differences among the Arab countries where Egypt and Lebanon were found to depict women who are dressed less modestly than Saudi Arabia and U.A.E. Developing alongside the literature focusing on the two above-mentioned of the research area is another cluster of studies that explores the consumers reactions to ads containing religious cues or symbols (Dotson Hyatt, 2000; Henley Jr, et al., 2009; Lumpkins, 2007; Taylor, Halstead, Haynes, 2010). These studies tried to shed the light on the advertisement processing through measuring  Taylor and his colleagues research examined consumer reactions to the use of a Christian religious symbol (the Christian fish symbol: Ichthus) in advertising by running two experiments. Their controversial findings revealed that consumers have varied reactions to Christian messages in the secular marketplace and that responses depend on their religiosity levels. The results of their follow-up field experiment with adult consumers indicated a significant Christian symbol by evangelical religiosity interaction on perceived quality and purchase intentions such that the Christian symbol enhanced consum er evaluations and the effects were stronger as evangelical religiosity increased. They have also found that consumer source perceptions of the marketer in terms of attitude similarity, trustworthiness, expertise, and skepticism mediated these interaction effects. But their second study which was a lab experiment conducted with young adults revealed an unusual backlash effect of the Christian symbol on purchase intentions for some consumers and contrasting mediation results (Taylor, et al., 2010). In another study to investigate consumers responses to ads with religious cues Henley et. al (2009) examined the effects of Christian cues or symbols on relevant and irrelevant symbol product ad evaluations. The study indicates that religiosity of the respondent has a significant moderating impact on the evaluation of an ad (Aad, Ab, and PI) that has a relevant Christian symbol Moreover, and possibly most significantly, the interaction effect between relevancy and  religiosity indicate that this interplay combines to significantly affect the diagnostic efficacy of the ad including attitude toward the ad, attitude toward the brand, and purchase intentions for higher religiosity respondents under relevant conditions (Henley Jr, et al., 2009). The finding of this research corroborates Dotson and Hyatts (2000) findings. Dotson and Hyatt (2000) specifically studied the use of religious symbols as peripheral cues in advertising in a replication of the elaboration likelihood model (ELM). In ads for pet health insurance, the authors manipulated argument strength and the presence or absence of the Christian cross as a peripheral cue. Product category involvement and level of religious dogmatism were found to be related to attitude toward the ad, attitude toward the brand, and purchase intention, however, not in the expected directions. Low involvement subjects who were high in religious dogmatism had a less favorable attitude toward the brand and lower purchase intention when exposed to ads containing the cross. High involvement subjects who were also highly dogmatic had more favorable feelings toward the product when the cross was present in the ads. ELM suggests that the low involvement subjects would have responded more favorably  to the cue (Dotson Hyatt, 2000). P 2 Existing studies of advertising suggest that cultural values either influence the production and execution of advertising or are reflected in the content itself (Chang, et al., 2009). religious rooted aspect of culture directly or indirectly influence attitudes and behavior Islamic values and Advertising Rice/almousavi/lughmani/karandi/olayyen/malezi/keenan ramazan/ Muslims consider Islam to be a complete way of life (Kavoossi 2000, Lawrence 1998). Indeed, one of the characteristics that distinguish Muslims from followers of some other faiths is that the influence of religion is very clear in every aspect of the Muslims life (Rice Al-Mossawi, 2002). The Sharia is a comprehensive code governing the duties, morals and behavior of all Muslims, individually, and collectively in all areas of life, including marketing and commerce (Luqmani, Yavas and Quraeshi, 1987). It completely describes the values that Muslims should hold, such as truth, justice, honesty, social obligations, collective responsibility and the roles of men and women (Al-Olayan Karande, 2000). It is beyond the scope and scale of this study to discuss the whole characteristics of Islamic values. But we refer to some of which implies more attention in advertising industry. According to Islamic social philosophy all spiritual, social, political, and economic spheres of life form an indivisible unity that must be thoroughly imbued with Islamic values. This principle informs such concepts as Islamic law and the Islamic state and accounts for Islams strong emphasis on social life and social duties (Fam, et al., 2004). The Islamic law, Sharia, which sets all that one should do, derives from four main resources of Islamic teaching. These resources are Koran (Muslims holy book which is Gods wording), Sunnah (the divinely inspired conduct of the Prophet Mohammad), Aghl (reasoning), and Ijma (consensus of opinion) (Coulson, 1964, p. 55-59).(Al-Olayan Karande, 2000). Islam has not addressed many of modern phenomena such as marketing and advertising explicitly, but its comprehensive value system explicates should and shouldnt which consequently influences advertising content, execution and evaluation. In an attempt to relate basic Islamic values to advertising implications Rice and Al-Mousavi (2002) elucidated these values and their advertising implication. Some of these values which Muslims should follow are truth, honesty, politeness and social and collective obligations and responsibilities. Muslims should keep away from falsehood and deception everywhere in general and in trade and financial dealings with others in specific. They could not tell a lie and should avoid exaggeration. This suggests that advertisers should strive for excellence as an end in itself, in addition to communicating truthfully about products and services (Rice Al-Mossawi, 2002).Therefore Muslims process exaggerated messages in advertising as lie which intends to mislead them. Muslim activities are categorized as lawful (halal) and prohibited (haram) (Rice and Al-Mousavi, 2002) which constitute a system of values for assessing others speaking and behavior as well. Eating pork ,carrion, and carnivorous animals , gambling, drinking alcohol, nudity and idol worship (statutes inclusive) are prohibited (Chachu a, Kucharski, Luba, Ma achowska, Martinovski). Advertisements which portray some of these prohibited elements make people feel offended or be perceived as offensive. advertisement that ignore these implications will not be effective and have the adverse affect on the sale (Michell and Al-Mossawi, 1995). Regarding the globalized hegemonic content and form of advertisements which was somehow contrasting with Islamic values, Muslims tend to the negative evaluation of advertising. Research in Saudi Arabia has shown that over 70% of Muslim respondents think that advertising is a threat to culture of Islam (Al-Makaty et al., 1996). (Keenan Shoreh, 2000). In a global survey of attitudes towards advertising in 22 countries, conducted by the International Advertising Association in 1993,results indicated that: Egypt was the only market where respondents were consistently anti-advertising (Wentz, 1993, p 1, cited at Keenan Shoreh, 2000). Keenan and Shoreh (2000) conducted a research which shows that Muslims think that advertisements present western values and ignore Arab history and customs. Their investigation into the Egyptian main media (Al-Ahram) content in the period of 1975 to 1995 revealed that around 50 percent of items focusing on advertising had a negative, anti- advertising tone (Keenan Shoreh, 2000). According to Fam et.al (2004), Muslims found the advertising of gender/sex related products, social/political groups, and health and care products most offensive relative to the other three religions. Moreover, the religiously devout respondents were more likely to find advertising of gender/sex related products, health and care products, and addictive products more offensive than the less devout follower. (Fam, et.al, 2004). To overcome this shortfall, in addititon to further consideration of Islamic values, some advertisers utilized Islamic elements to produce a favorable feeling among Muslims. For example some advertisement utilized Quranic words to enhance the influence of the ad and make it more appealing to Muslim consumers. Examples are the words Bismillah (in the name  of God; a phrase used by Muslims before beginning any action) or Allahu akbar (literally, God is greater)(Rice Al-Mossawi, 2002). Luqmani et al. (1989) provide an example of a manufacturer of water pumps that uses a verse from the Quran in advertising: We made every living thing from water. In another example a distributor of Royal Regina honey capsules in Saudi Arabia successfully ran a contest that included a question on how many times bees are mentioned in the Quran, along with questions and information about the product (Luqmani, Yavas, Quraeshi, 1993). His work gives an evidence of the influence of Islam in advertising Authors also have reckoned that the most important Muslims religion characteristic is that the influence of religion is very clear in every aspect of live. This influence is fortified in some special time like Ramadan; the fasting month of Muslims. The month of Ramadan is the holiest time of the year in Islam. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the frameworks of Muslim life, along with faith in one God, prayer from the Koran five times daily, charity for those in need, and making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. It entails a list of prohibitions between the hours  of sunrise and sunset. Beyond the fasting that is central to Ramadan, the entire month is a period of increased spirituality and religious contemplation for Muslims. As a result , this empowered spirituality affects the whole sphere of Muslims life including their consuming behavior and marketing communication. Keenan and Yeni (2003) compared ads run during Ramadan and those run during a non-Ramadan period in Egypt. Findings s how fewer ads during Ramadan, more emphasis on charity messages during Ramadan, and more conservatively dressed characters in ads during Ramadan. According to Keenan and Yeni (2003) advertisers intentionally tone down the way they present women in their commercials. This might be interpreted as a form of respect for the Islamic principles and values of Ramadan (Keenan Yeni, 2003). Representation of Hijab in advertisements In the symbolic space of communication, identities have to be constructed through language and pictures and cultural symbols of identity such as the hijab take on enormous significance (cf.Dholakia and Zwick, 2001; Schau and Gilly, 2003). Relogious symbols, notabely, take on a sacredness that gives them a very strong presence and power in many peoples daily lives. The wearing of religious dress and symbols is an important expression of an individuals religious identity. It may reflect the wearers understanding of the requirements prescribed in their tradition or their belief that wearing this form of dress or these symbols as a mark of their religious commitment helps to enhance their spiritual life. It may also reflect a desire publicly to affirm the identity to which these are linked. This interpretation and affiliation might emerge in information processing among Muslims when they encounter a message carrying this religious symbol. Hijab as a symbolic expression of Muslims clearly symbolizes a womans religious affiliation; it also shapes Muslim womens independent identities standards (Macdonaldi, 2006). Hijab , further to religious identification, functions to perform a behavior check, resist sexual objectification, afford more respect, preserve intimate relationships, and provide freedom (Anderson, 2007). According to Bullock (2000) Muslim women in west who cover their head, see hijab as a way of projecting a Muslim identity and refuting an imitation of the west. Frances controversial new law banning the overt display of religious symbols in school, directed at the wearing of the hijab, brings to the forefront the enormous contemporary significance of the veil as a historically and culturally constructed symbol of female Islamic identity (Zwick Chelariu, 2006). Westerners often regard the hijab as a symbol of backward cultural and gender politics and even fundamentalist extremism (Brenner, 1996)(Zwick Chelariu, 2006), but the practice of hijab among Muslim women is based on religious doctrine. Islam stresses that women should dress modestly and encourages women not to show too much of their bodies in public. Surat Al-Noor-Aih-31 in The Koran, the Muslims holy book addressed the issue of womens modesty by stating: And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what ordinarily appear thereof that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers (kaliny, 2008). Scholars have interpreted this Koran passage differently, but most scholars take this message to mean that women may show only their hands and face to men outside of their immediate family (Rice Al-Mossawi, 2002). The guidelines provided in the Koran might not be strictly followed in the contemporary Muslim countries. A range of practices exists among Muslims regarding the times and places -ranging from prayer only to all the time that women are expected to be veiled. This different perception influenced advertising industry among Muslims world. While in Saudi Arabia and Iran it is forbidden to show other than the above-mentioned body parts, in Dubai in United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Egypt, the most liberal outdoor advertising is presented in the European version (Karande and Kiran, 2000). In a content analysis of pan-Arab, Egyptian, Lebanese and Emirati magazine advertisements, Al- Olayan and Karande (2000) found that in 83 percent of Arabic advertisements showing women, they were wearing long clothing, compared to 29 per cent in US advertisements. Furthermore ,Arabic advertisements show women in advertisement if their presence relates directly to the product and if they are appropriately dressed, that is, wearing long dresses and a head covering that does not expose any hair (Al-Makaty et al. 1996). Luqmani et al. (1989) describe how, in Saudi Arabia, advertisers of cosmetics refrain from picturing sensous females. Instead, in typical advertisements (an example is the Dove cleansing bar), a pleasant-looking woman appears in a robe and headdress with only her face showing. In Malaysia, Islam also exerts great influence on advertising regulation. The Islamic principle of covering the aurat (i.e., private body parts) for women and the prohibition of using women as sex symbols in advertising are strictly enforced (Wah, 2006). For instance, the Malaysian advertising code stipulates that female models portrayed in advertising must be fully clothed up to the neckline. The length of the skirt should be below the knees. The arms may be exposed up to the edge of the shoulder without exposing the underarms (Advertising Code forTelevision and Radio, 1990).