2012 National Budget of the Philippines free essay sample

The Social Services sector, which provides benefits and facilities such as education, food subsidies, health care, and subsidized housing, will receive P568. 6 billion or 31. 3 percent of the total budget. This include the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Per department, the Department of Education (DepEd) got the biggest slice of the budget at P238. 8 billion that would include allocation for the hiring of 13,000 new school teachers and construction and refurbishing of more than 43,000 classrooms. The 2012 budget for education is 15. 2 percent higher than last year’s P207. 3 billion. Next is the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), P125. 7 billion; Department of National Defense (DND), P108. 1 billion; Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), at P99. 8 billion; and the Department of Agriculture (DA), P53. 3-billion. Aquino said P140 billion worth of infrastructure projects will be implemented in January next year, adding that projects under the 2011 will still be fast-tracked. We will write a custom essay sample on 2012 National Budget of the Philippines or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page President Aquino thanked members of the legislature and government agencies, citing in particular the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), for working hand-in-hand for the early signing of the 2012 national budget. He also noted that the Executive branch submitted its proposed 2012 national budget a day after his State-of-the-Nation Address (SoNA) in July. â€Å"Tinitiyak nating maaring ipagpatuloy ang mga repormang nasimulan na natin. Bawat piso ng pamahalaan ay napapakinabangan,† Aquino said. [We can assure you that we would be able to carry on with the reforms we have started. Each peso from the government will be used effectively. ] Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said six items were vetoed by President Aquino, particularly mentioning the imposition of a ceiling on public sector indebtedness which could have forced the government to constrict spending, particularly on critical social services and infrastructure. The public sector debt as of 2010 was already at 73. 3 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and is beyond the 60 percent debt cap provision included by Congress in the General Appropriations bill.

Sally Hemings

Third President of the United States of America and of the nation’s Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, was one of the most accomplished presidents within our great nation’s history. A diplomatic leader, architect, musician, scientist and an inventor, are traits and duties in which Jefferson was emerged . Jefferson has been nicknamed â€Å"Man of the People† and that he most definitely was. Born on April 13, 1743 to Peter Jefferson and Jane Randolph on their Shadwell Plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia, Thomas Jefferson was born into opportunity. Bother of his parents were leading citizens, his mother came from a leading Virginia family and his father was a successful landholder and explorer. They were capable to provide their son with excellent educational opportunities and no financial burdens, let alone did they know that their hard work would soon create an American president. Jefferson was given an excellent education throughout his youth, by way of private education. He emerged himself in his studies learning Latin and Greek, and then going onto attend William and Mary in Williamsburg Virginia, all this by the young age of 17. Jefferson was a brilliant scholar and while he studied, he was surrounded by the colonial capital and was able to the ways in which the government operated. During this period in time, Jefferson was at an age when most young men were inclined to be married. His appearance was tall and lean, sandy-haired, and appeared strong. He was a friendly man, some could find him awkward or stiff when first meeting but, he was genuine and kept many friends. Jefferson studied law and was admitted to the bar at the age of 24. Although, law only provided for part of his earnings, he earned much of his wealth by the income from his lands. This wealth was increased, when he married Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772. Jefferson owned over 10,000 acres of land, and from 100 to 200 slaves. A... Sally Hemings Free Essays on Thomas Jefferson, Relationship W/ Sally Hemings Third President of the United States of America and of the nation’s Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, was one of the most accomplished presidents within our great nation’s history. A diplomatic leader, architect, musician, scientist and an inventor, are traits and duties in which Jefferson was emerged . Jefferson has been nicknamed â€Å"Man of the People† and that he most definitely was. Born on April 13, 1743 to Peter Jefferson and Jane Randolph on their Shadwell Plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia, Thomas Jefferson was born into opportunity. Bother of his parents were leading citizens, his mother came from a leading Virginia family and his father was a successful landholder and explorer. They were capable to provide their son with excellent educational opportunities and no financial burdens, let alone did they know that their hard work would soon create an American president. Jefferson was given an excellent education throughout his youth, by way of private education. He emerged himself in his studies learning Latin and Greek, and then going onto attend William and Mary in Williamsburg Virginia, all this by the young age of 17. Jefferson was a brilliant scholar and while he studied, he was surrounded by the colonial capital and was able to the ways in which the government operated. During this period in time, Jefferson was at an age when most young men were inclined to be married. His appearance was tall and lean, sandy-haired, and appeared strong. He was a friendly man, some could find him awkward or stiff when first meeting but, he was genuine and kept many friends. Jefferson studied law and was admitted to the bar at the age of 24. Although, law only provided for part of his earnings, he earned much of his wealth by the income from his lands. This wealth was increased, when he married Martha Wayles Skelton in 1772. Jefferson owned over 10,000 acres of land, and from 100 to 200 slaves. A...

Conservation of mass during a chemical change Lab Report

Conservation of mass during a chemical change - Lab Report Example This is a precipitation reaction and we expect to find a white solid formed as the reaction progresses. The two compounds are products in the Solvay process that is used in the large scale manufacture of sodium carbonate. In our second set up, sodium carbonate is reacted with hydrochloric acid. From our elementary chemistry the products we expect are sodium chloride and carbon IV oxide. Carbon IV oxide will be seen as bubbles emanating from the progressing reaction. Therefore as the carbon IV oxide is lost and this will affect the results as the mass of the products will be less than that of the reactants. In the first set up 5ml of 1M sodium carbonate was put in a clean test tube and in a different test tube 5ml of 1M calcium chloride was put. The masses of both test tubes with contents were recorded. Then the contents of the two test tubes were mixed. All observations were recorded. After the reaction was completed the contents were weighed again and the mass recorded. In the second set up, 5ml of 1M sodium carbonate was put in a test tube and 5ml of hydrochloric acid put in another. The test tubes were placed in a beaker and the mass of the arrangement taken. The two were then mixed and all observations recorded as the reaction was progressing. The mass of the set up was taken again after the reaction was over and recorded. The change in mass was 0.137 grams which is negligible. We did not expect the mass to change as using the law of mass conservation as projected by Antoine Lavoisier in 1789, the mass of the reactants should be equal to the mass of the products. There is no compound lost during the reaction and the little change in mass could be due to errors in measurement or the production of heat during the reaction. The change in mass recorded was 2.597 grams which is significant. Change in mass was expected as there was bubbling taking place as the reaction progressed which

Walmart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Walmart - Essay Example The tool of success touched the door steps of Walmart early in the century when it overcame the existing Exxon Mobile and other notable players of the market namely General motors and Ford. The core policy adopted across the United States was based on the principle of discounted sales across its large number of super stores. The success can be measured and evaluated by the figures, since figures speak no exaggeration, and tell the real story. While in 1993 the net sales stood at thirty three thousand dollars, by 2002 the entire sales had popped up to over 2 hundred thousand dollars. Similarly the number of associates, and the units also increased, speaking for its ever successful working and expansion. The number of super stores were also increased in the mentioned period of time which is another sign of the demand of customers and living up to it. Grocery retail is another area it has barged into and has found success. The endeavor was not limited to the local shores; instead the entire project was expanded beyond the borders and continents. In such pursuit, the company extended its services across Europe. The ever constant principle of Customer friendly services and reduces prices made its service and products sell like hot cakes anywhere it went. It was faced with number of obstacles in foreign lands, much in case of Germany, where profits were not as visible as in the rest of off shore markets. In bid to overcome this obstacle, it came up with the proposition of constant pricing across the local and international market in all the chains of Walmart. Germany hasn’t been the best of spots for hunting in terms of Walmart expansion. However it has received good response in countries like China, Canada and Mexico. Success does not come without a pre defined policy and procedure. Properly worked out mechanism needs to be in place which requires

Social roles and relationship in old age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Social roles and relationship in old age - Essay Example For instance, how women can easily adapt to change and manage adversities at old age since in their entire life, they are committed to plenty and more diverse roles than men (Hudson 153). There are four segments in this episode; the first segment discusses how older adults have a wide range of role options, which are available in the contemporary society. The segment uses illustrations from a number of older adults to highlight this. The second segment explains the methods researchers use to study these social roles. According to this episode, the researchers first observe, then interview the recipient, and finally conduct a survey. The topics of the third segment consist of role change and role stability over a life span. Examples of roles that a number of older adults share in their lives are role development, role continuity, role loss and role gain. Information on elaborated roles for older adults in the future is presented in the final segment of the video. Examples of these expanded roles are new roles in diplomacy, grandparenthood, politics, community service and

Analysis of Theories in Environmental Psychology

Analysis of Theories in Environmental Psychology 1. Place theory Place is used as a manner of examining the environment and breaking the environment down into conceptual components. It is difficult to examine space and environment as they are too general. To understand the concept of environmental psychology, one would firstly have to establish the meaning of place theory as peoples interaction with their physical environment is a principal in environmental psychology. The place theory has three aspects that are interlinked with each other (see figure 1). These three aspects are physical attributes, conceptions and human activities. According to Canter (1997) a place is a state of harmony created by the dialogue between human activities, conceptions and the physical attributes of the environment viewed from a historical perspective. However, Castello (2006) states that place is a unit where human experiences and physical form are fused together, creating a unitary context. The physical attributes of the place theory demonstrates the surroundings or environment in which a person finds himself, such as a bedroom, an office etc. A geographer, Edward Relph (1976), has a similar notion of place but replaced Canters (1997) aspect of conceptions with experiences. Thus, allowing more information to be gathered about the place as experiences are a result of an individuals history and everyday life. The types of human activities and the way in which it is carried out are contingent on factors such as knowledge, cultural background, values, as well as formal and informal controls (Ndubisi, 2002). As a result, the place theory suggests that places are viewed as holistic units of activities, physical form and meaning shaped by the goals and purposes of individuals. The place theory also works in concurrence with place identity and place attachment. Many researchers explore this dynamic relationship between people and place. Place identity and place attachment are concepts that demonstrate the significant relations between a person and place. Moreover, when individuals interact with their environment, they create bonds and links and their environment develops meaning. 1.1 Place identity There are many factors that shape human identity, and identity is (among other things) a product of the psychical environment (Hauge, 2007). Dixon and Durrheim (2000) state that a key moment in environmental psychologys critique of a disembodied notion of identity was the publication of Proshansky, Fabian, and Kaminoffs paper on place identity. Place identity, according to Proshansky (1987), can be defined as: a sub-structure of the self-identity of the person consisting of broadly conceived cognitions about the physical world in which individuals live. Pretty et al (2003) state that place identity is a cognitive structure which contributes to global self-categorisation and social identity processes. According to Knez (2005): Breakwell (1986, 1992, 1993), Twigger-Ross and Uzzell (1996), Twigger-Ross et al (2003), and Vignoles (2000) has suggested four processes related to place identity: place-related distinctiveness (e.g. I am a South African) place-referent continuity (e.g. I am living there because it reminds me of my past) place-related self-esteem (e.g. I am proud to live in this town) place-related self-efficacy (e.g. The town satisfies my needs and wants) Consequently, these processes encourage our self-esteem and identity as individuals. Hence the questions of who we are are often intimately related to questions of where we are (Dixon Durrheim 2000; Pretty et al 2003). The places people belong to does not just encourage their self-esteem but also their environmental preferences, and how they see themselves. Place identity could also lead to place attachment because when an individual identifies himself with the environment, individuals tend to feel attached to the same environment. 1.2 Place attachment Every single one of us has developed an unconscious bond towards some place over a period of time. It is suggested by Inalhan and Finch (2004) that the concept of place attachment is complex and multi-faceted, as place attachment has been studied by scholars from several disciplines such as; anthropology, architecture, family and consumer studies, folklore, gerontology, landscape architecture, psychology and urban planning. Place attachment can vary from place to place and can change easily depending on the degree of belonging of the person (Knez 2005). Thus, the degree of attachment a person has towards a place may determine the perceptions and satisfaction of the person in the specific place. Our attachment to a place grows with length of time living in a place and age, but mostly through positive interaction with a community. According to Milligan (1998) place attachment could be defined as: place attachment occurs when a particular interaction was accompanied by significant meaning However place attachment, according to Knez (2005), can be defined as: the affective positive bond between a person and a place; more specifically, a strong tendency of that person to maintain closeness to such a place. Many studies and researchers show that there is no single accepted definition of place attachment. The definition offered by Milligan (1998) serves a better purpose for this study. From this definition it is clear that place attachment is an emotional bond formed by an individual to a physical setting due to the meaning given to the location through processes of person-environment interactions (Casakin Kreitler, 2008). According to Halpenny (2005), one of the factors that could play a role in the formation of place attachment is satisfaction with a place. Moreover, if individuals are satisfied with their environments they tend to protect that place more and return to it. Payton (2003) and Warzecha et al (2000) state that place attachment has two main concepts that have been prevalent in literature: functional place attachment and emotional place attachment. Functional place attachment refers to the functionality or the ability of the resources to meet the needs or goals of individuals. Furthermore, functional place attachment is also closely linked to the kind of activities users pursue. This is because some activities are more complex and require specific aspects while other activities are more general. Shumaker and Taylor (1983) suggest that functional attachment is also referred to as place dependence. The concept is affected by two factors (Shumaker Taylor, 1983): The quality of place is determined by the individuals satisfaction and, The quality of the place depends on how it compares to other available places. Emotional place attachment refers to the emotional attributes of a person-place relationship and how place contributes to an individuals identity. Shumaker and Taylor (1983) declare that emotional attachment is also referred to as symbolic attachment. Moreover, emotional place attachment can be based on emotional ties to a specific place and is formed over a certain period through many encounters with the environment. According to Warzecha et al (2000), emotional place attachment may also be expressed as an identity with a symbolic meaning or idea. Place theory and all its aspects mentioned above form a fundamental starting point for any study in environmental psychology. 2. Introduction to Environmental psychology There are numerous people who do not know what environmental psychology is and what it consists of. Traditionally, environmental psychology has focused on the interrelationship between environments and human behaviour (De Young, 1999; Garling Golledge, 1993). According to Gifford (1997) individuals change the environment and their behaviour and experiences are changed by the environment. Furthermore, each individuals behaviour and experience is unique and differs from the person standing next to him/her in the same environment. These environments could be natural environments, social settings, built environments, learning environments and informational environments (Veith Arkkelin, 1995). Environmental psychology also consists of environmental psychological-processes in terms of a clear social-psychological perspective (Bonnes, 2003). These processes are individual processes such as perception, cognition and personality, and social processes such as territoriality, personal space, crowding and privacy. In addition, environmental psychology has continual elements that help to define this relatively unknown field. According to Garling and Golledge (1993), Kaplan and Kaplan (1982) these elements are: Attention Understanding an individuals behaviour begins with understanding how he/she notices and perceives the environment. This includes two types of stimuli: those that unwillingly, even distractingly, demand human notice, as well as those places, things or ideas to which humans must willingly, and with endeavour direct their awareness. Re-establishing and enhancing the individuals competence to willingly express his/her attention is a major factor in maintaining human effectiveness in an environment. Perception and cognitive maps How people perceive the natural and built environment has been an important aspect of environmental psychology. Information is memorised in the brain as spatial networks which is known a cognitive maps. This information links experiences with an individuals perception of current actions, ideas and emotions. It is through these spatial networks that individuals recognize and perceive the environment, plan and conduct these plans. Ideal environments – People have a tendency to look for places where they feel self-assured and competent, where they can familiarise themselves with the environment whilst also being engaged with it. Research has extended the concept of environmental psychology to embrace unity (a sense that things in the environment work together) and legibility (the assumption that an individual can walk around in an environment without being lost) as contributors to environmental understanding. To investigate an environment and to engage in it requires that the environment has complexity (that it has enough information and diversity to make it worth learning about) and mystery (the expectation of acquiring more information about an environment). Maintaining, re-establishing and developing an ideal environment enhances an individuals sense of well being and behavioural effectiveness in a person. Environmental stress and managing Research has recognized various behavioural and cognitive results including poor physical health, reduced selflessness and weaknesses, as well as paying no attention to the environment. Individuals can adjust their physical or social surroundings to create a more supportive environment (e.g. smaller scaled settings, territories, privacy, personal space) where they can supervise the course of information or stress inducing stimuli. Individuals can also seek to understand or make sense of circumstances as a way to resolve its stressful effects, often sharing these interpretations with other individuals as a part of their culture. Involvement – Environmental psychology is dedicated to improve an individuals participation in environmental design. It is focused not only on promoting an individuals understanding of environmental issues but on ensuring their early and actual participation in the design, adjustment and organisation of environments. Protective behaviour – Environmental psychology has also played a key role in conveying psychological awareness to abide by the matter of developing an ecologically protracting society. The field also investigates environmental attitudes, perceptions and principles as well as planned involvement techniques for promoting environmentally appropriate behaviour. These continual elements form an essential part in an individuals perception of their environment as well as what to expect in that environment. Gifford (1997) states that environmental psychology is also studied at three levels of analysis. The first level of analysis sorts and arranges each individuals occurrence of the environment according to perceptions, cognition and personality. The next level of analysis is the collective organisation of space, which consists of four aspects namely; personal space, territory, crowding and privacy. The last level of analysis is the physical settings in which individuals find themselves every day. 2.1 Level of analysis 2.1.1 Perceptions, cognition and personality As previously mentioned, individuals form certain perceptions of their environment and surroundings. According to Veith and Arkkelin (1995), perception is one of the most basic and fundamental psychological processes in which humans engage. In addition Veitch and Arkkelin (1995) also state that perceptions are highly cognitive, which means that all environments carry a set of meanings acquired through their specific attributes. Consequently, these meanings are established from the environment by the perceiver with reference to his or her personal beliefs, values and attitudes. Furthermore, Bechtel et al (2002) point out that the forming of perceptions of a physical setting is associated with a molecular approach to the spatial-physical environment. This means that it places specific attention on the discrete sensory-perceptual features of the environment. According to Bell et al (2005) the term sensory-perceptions has been applied to relatively straightforward activity of human senso ry systems in reacting to a simple stimuli and forming a perception of the particular environment. According to Bonnes et al (1995) the term environmental perception is also often used interchangeably with environmental image, mental map and cognitive map. However, according to Bell et al (2005) cognitive maps refer to a mental framework that holds some representation for the spatial arrangement of the physical environment. Furthermore, Salmi (2002) states that wayfinding and cognitive mapping are inseparable, and most humans carry many cognitive maps in their heads. Therefore, cognitive maps assist individuals with another aspect of environmental psychology namely; wayfinding. Wayfinding according to Prestopnik and Roskos-Ewoldsen (2000) can be defined as the ability to navigate successfully through the environment. However, wayfinding according to Passini (1984) can be defined as the ability to identify ones location and arrive at destinations in the environment, both cognitively and behaviourally. Prestopnik and Roskos-Ewoldsen (2000) suggests that wayfinding can not be predicted in humans as different factors; internal and external, come into play. Internal factors include aspects of each individual, such as, gender, familiarity with the environment and the types of strategies the person uses to navigate through the environment (HÃ ¶lscher et al 2006 and Spiers Maguire 2008). External factors include aspects of the physical setting, such as, the density of the built environment, the availability of meaningful landmarks, and the pattern of the streets and intersections as well as staffed information booths (Salmi 2002). HÃ ¶lscher et al (2006; 2009) identified three wayfinding strategies that are used to support route choice decisions in three dimensional multi-level buildings. Firstly, the central point strategy as sticking oneself, as much as possible, to main hallways and main places in the building, especially if the individual is unfamiliar with the building. Secondly, the direction strategy of deciding on routes that leads towards the horizontal position of the goal as directly as possible, irrespective of changes in different levels. Thirdly, the hierarchically organised navigation plan strategy. This strategy is based on cognitively sectioning the building into areas which guide navigation decisions. However, Spiers and Maguire (2008) identified their own wayfinding strategies that assist individuals with their wayfinding experience. Least-angle strategy suggests that paths are chosen that minimise deviation from the angle pointing directly to the goal. Fine-to-coarse strategy proposes that routes are planned in fine detail in the currently occupied region, but only coarsely when planning navigation between regions. Least-decision-load strategy implies that individuals will often choose the path with the least number of possible decision points. As stated above, environmental psychology and the physical environment are influenced through wayfinding in a building, cognitive maps as well as perceptions of the environment. Another aspect that influences environmental psychology is personality of an individual. Gifford (1997) pointed out that there are five reasons why personality is an important part in environmental psychology. These five reasons are: Personality is strongly linked to the physical environment; Information of a persons personality helps us to comprehend and foretell environmentally relevant behaviour; Individuals have dispositions that are particularly related to person-environment transactions; Personal dispositions are an essential aspect to one of environmental psychologys most important concepts – environmental compatibility; The notion of personality can be applied to places instead of people. Bonnes et al (1995) agree with Gifford (1997) on the third reason. They suggest that personality and the environment are related to the disposition of individuals. 2.1.2 Collective organisation of space Spatial organisation or organisation of space is considered the first major component in wayfinding design because it not only defines the wayfinding problems of future users, but also affects the ease or difficulty users will experience in comprehending and cognitively mapping the setting (Passini, 1984). According to Prestopnik and Roskos-Ewoldsen (2000) spatial orientation tasks are influenced by the familiarity of the environment. Furthermore, Iachini et al (2009) state that unfamiliar participants learn the environment through a map, whereas familiar participants rely on their long term experiences with the environment. According to Salmi (2002) there are key points to look out for in organisation of space. These points include: Architectural features in the building define different areas such as hallways, staircases etc. which assist the user with orientation in the building and increase the cognitive experience; Make sure that large-scale buildings have destination zones, such as an atrium, since it would assist the user to retrace his/her own path; Establish spatial overview opportunities so that a visitor can visualise a buildings design from different vantage points as it helps individuals to build a improved cognitive map; Consider the design of the building as a whole, the layout should not be confusing or allow visitors to get lost easily. 2.1.3 Physical settings According to Salmi (2002) physical settings must accommodate an increasingly, diverse population as it is critical that the setting be designed to be as inclusive and universally accessible as possible, addressing the requirements of a wide range of physical, sensory and cognitive abilities and needs. Veitch and Arkkelin (1995) state that any number of behaviours can occur within any physical setting. Moreover, Bell et al (2005) declare that physical settings both facilitate and constrains or limits the behaviour that occurs in it. Veitch and Arkkelin (1995) added that attitude towards an environment will influence a persons behaviours such as littering and attachment to the place. With environmental psychology being such a diverse field with many different aspects, the interactions between the four phenomenons (privacy, crowding, territoriality and personal space) help to address problems associated with environmental psychology. Gifford (1997) also states that environmental psychology is aimed at making buildings more humane and improving our relationship with the natural environment. 3. Privacy Privacy is an important phenomenon that each individual wants to achieve on a daily basis. There are many laws that have been established regarding individuals privacy, such as the right to privacy. Thus allowing individuals to have their own level of privacy. The level of privacy is measured in relation to the other social processes of environmental psychology namely; personal space, territoriality and crowding (Gifford 1997; Veitch and Arkkelin 1995, Bonnes et al 1995). In addition, according to Harris et al (1995) and Altman (1975) people use complex combinations of verbal, paraverbal, nonverbal and spatial mechanisms to attain a desired level of contact and degree of privacy. Faulkner et al (1994) state that the level of privacy is physical (sleeping, dressing) and psychological (for development and renewal). According to Demirbas and Demirkan (2000), the definition of privacy varies for each individual due to the different personal characteristics, cultural backgrounds, sex, age, economical, educational and social backgrounds. Ding (2008) defines privacy as the personal control over interactions and/or communications with others. However, Gritzalis et al (2009) state that privacy can generally be defined as the right to be left alone, meaning that it represents a sphere where it is possible to remain separate from others, anonymous and unobserved. Therefore, it is evident that privacy refers to the manner in which individuals control or regulate other individuals access to themselves. However privacy does not necessary mean withdrawing from people (Pederson, 1999; Marshall, 1972), instead it involves controlling the amount and type of contact one has with others. Gifford (1997) further declares that it is not easy to assess privacy because of its complex nature; as it has been measured in terms of preference, behaviour, need and expectation of each individual. Bonnes et al (1995) also state that the major interest of empirical research has been to study and measure the more strictly motivational and evaluative aspects such as; needs, expectations and values that individuals variously associate with privacy. Harris et al (1995) state that the universal aspects of privacy regulations are suggested by the apparent relationship between privacy, place attachment and quality of life. Cassidy (1997) pointed out that not everyone will react in the same way with regard to privacy. According to Altman (1975) and Westin (1970) there are certain characteristics that influence privacy such as: Individuals need for privacy is a continuing dynamic of changing internal and external conditions External and internal conditions are affected by privacy achieved Individuals effort to control privacy may be unsuccessful at some times Privacy can take different forms as it has many dimensions. 3.1 Types of privacy Demirbas and Demirkan (2000) also state that there are four types of privacy namely; solitude, reserve, anonymity and intimacy. Solitude refers to being alone and unobserved by others, which is either a neutral or desirable condition. Reserve, in turn, means that individuals form barriers between themselves and their environments which regulate intrusion. Anonymity is a type of privacy that gives individuals a chance to move around in a public environment without other people recognising them. Intimacy refers to an individuals aspiration to encourage close personal relationships with only preferred individuals. Additionally, Pederson (1999) identifies two more types of privacy; intimacy with family (being alone with family) and intimacy with friends (being alone with friends). According to Harris et al (1995) social functions of privacy and privacy regulation are central to psychological well-being. Privacy regulation refers to selective control over access to the self or to ones group (Altman 1975). Thus, making it clear that regulation of the types of privacy, mentioned above, is a function of both personal and situational factors. Personal factors refer to the individuals need for privacy, personal attractiveness, interpersonal skills, personality variables and ability to utilise privacy control mechanisms (Pederson, 1999). Situational factors may be social or physical. Social factors are presence, willingness and personal characteristics of others who have the potential for social interaction. Physical factors entail aspects such as barriers, location, layout and distances (Pederson, 1999). 3.2 Benefits and functions of privacy The psychological benefits of privacy reflect the function of privacy. Privacy supports social interaction which, in turn, affects our competence to deal with our world, which affects our self-definition (Altman, 1975). Therefore, the benefits of privacy arise from achieving its functions. According to Margulis (2005) the benefits of privacy are: Privacy is a basis for the development of identity, Privacy protects personal autonomy, Privacy supports healthy functioning by providing needed opportunities to relax, to ones self, to emotionally vent, to escape from the stresses of daily life, to manage bodily and sexual functions and to cope with loss, shock, and sorrow. However Keenan (2005) identifies other categories that capture the kinds of benefits privacy holds for people: Natural and psychological benefits: privacy provides physical, psychological and spiritual benefits to individuals. Individuals have certain needs, such as security and connectedness, that they want to satisfy, but invasion of privacy destroys ones sense of connectedness; Creative benefits: many people see privacy as conductive to creativity. Individuals have the need to have their own rooms where they are away from other people and regulate their privacy; Protective benefits: this refers to physical invasion of individuals sense of being safe and secure such as, the protection of ones home from burglary; Social benefits: individuals have the ability to regulate their own invasion of privacy and allow people they know or do not know to invade that privacy on a social basis; Democratic benefits: privacy is self-determining – each individual has the right to be left alone. According to Veitch snd Arkkelin (1995) the functions of privacy are: the achievement of a self-identity and the management of interactions between oneself and the social environment. According to Margulis (2005), privacy is important because it provides us with experiences that support normal psychological functioning, stable interpersonal relationships, and personal development. 3.3 Achieving privacy in design Individuals have a definite desire to a certain level of privacy in their homes. Privacy, in an architectural manner, can be defined as; the ability of individuals and families to lead their own lives without either interfering – or being interfered by the lives of others (Goodchild 1997). According to Faulkner et al (1994) a home provides privacy from outsiders with walls that protect the individual from physical, visual and various degrees of acoustical intrusion. Furthermore, Goodchild (1997) identifies three types of privacy in designing a house, whether in the house or outside the house: Firstly, privacy means circumventing problems with neighbours. Problems could arise when the layout of the resident and the type of housing is not correct such as; the walls of the enclosed area of each persons house are not high enough, which influences privacy. Secondly, privacy means a sense of seclusion. It means freedom from overlooking and freedom form invasive noise. This could be achieved by using noise insulation techniques and higher walls to increase space between neighbours. Thirdly, privacy means freedom from disturbance from other people, either guests or members of the same family, within the home. The level of privacy inside the home is determined by the number of different rooms in relation to the family size. Faulkner et al (1994) also states that the floor plan sets the privacy levels at which the home functions such as; open floor plan or closed floor plan. 3.4 Mechanisms of privacy Four aspects of privacy regulation mechanisms have been identified through data by Westin (1970) and Kent (1993). Firstly, privacy controls provide standards of behaviour for individuals and groups. Secondly, privacy creates an option between isolation and interaction, and can create the perception of being by yourself. Thirdly, individuals, groups, and societies tend to enter the privacy of others; curiosity is an example of this aspects. Fourthly, as society moves form primeval to contemporary, the physical and psychological opportunities for privacy increase. According to Bonnes et al (1995) and Altman (1975) personal space and territorial behaviour are used by individuals primarily to regulate privacy and to maintain their openness/closedness towards others at optimal levels. Additionally, Harris et al (1996) suggest that when individuals are confronted with negative privacy experiences, they will use a variety of privacy regulation mechanisms including verbal and nonverbal behaviours, cognitive, environmental, temporal and cultural mechanisms. Altman (1975) further suggests that the effectiveness and ease of implementing privacy regulation mechanisms may vary considerably across individuals and across social, physical and temporal context. Consequently, by combining these mechanisms individuals can efficiently express their needed level of privacy to others in order to attain the optimal level of privacy. Altman (1975) developed a framework for understanding the mechanisms of privacy regulation. This framework can be used as a summary of all of the above mentioned aspects of privacy (see figure 2). This figure indicates that privacy is a central concept that links the different phenomenons of environmental psychology (personal space, territoriality and crowding) with privacy regulation mechanisms. 4. Territoriality The phenomenon territoriality is extremely widespread in the field of environmental psychology since it consists of many different definitions. According to Gifford (1997) there are different variables that influence territoriality such as; dominance, conflict, security, claim staking, arousal, vigilance, behaviour and cognition to place. Gifford (1997) also states that a formal definition for territoriality is: is a pattern of behaviour and attitudes held by an individual or group that is based on perceived, attempted, or actual control of a definable physical space, object or idea that may involve habitual occupation, defense, personalisation and marking of it. However territoriality, according to Veitch and Arkkelin (1995) can be defined as: behaviour by which an organism characteristically lays claim to an area and defend it against intrusion by members of his or her own species. According to Altman (1975) territories exist to meet both physical and social needs, while being temporarily or permanently owned, controlled, marked or personalised and potentially defended by occupants or owners. On the other hand, territoriality comprises a specific set of affective, cognitive and behavioural tendencies expressed towards the territory (Altman 1975). Faulkner et al (1994) agrees with Altman (1975), however sug Analysis of Theories in Environmental Psychology Analysis of Theories in Environmental Psychology 1. Place theory Place is used as a manner of examining the environment and breaking the environment down into conceptual components. It is difficult to examine space and environment as they are too general. To understand the concept of environmental psychology, one would firstly have to establish the meaning of place theory as peoples interaction with their physical environment is a principal in environmental psychology. The place theory has three aspects that are interlinked with each other (see figure 1). These three aspects are physical attributes, conceptions and human activities. According to Canter (1997) a place is a state of harmony created by the dialogue between human activities, conceptions and the physical attributes of the environment viewed from a historical perspective. However, Castello (2006) states that place is a unit where human experiences and physical form are fused together, creating a unitary context. The physical attributes of the place theory demonstrates the surroundings or environment in which a person finds himself, such as a bedroom, an office etc. A geographer, Edward Relph (1976), has a similar notion of place but replaced Canters (1997) aspect of conceptions with experiences. Thus, allowing more information to be gathered about the place as experiences are a result of an individuals history and everyday life. The types of human activities and the way in which it is carried out are contingent on factors such as knowledge, cultural background, values, as well as formal and informal controls (Ndubisi, 2002). As a result, the place theory suggests that places are viewed as holistic units of activities, physical form and meaning shaped by the goals and purposes of individuals. The place theory also works in concurrence with place identity and place attachment. Many researchers explore this dynamic relationship between people and place. Place identity and place attachment are concepts that demonstrate the significant relations between a person and place. Moreover, when individuals interact with their environment, they create bonds and links and their environment develops meaning. 1.1 Place identity There are many factors that shape human identity, and identity is (among other things) a product of the psychical environment (Hauge, 2007). Dixon and Durrheim (2000) state that a key moment in environmental psychologys critique of a disembodied notion of identity was the publication of Proshansky, Fabian, and Kaminoffs paper on place identity. Place identity, according to Proshansky (1987), can be defined as: a sub-structure of the self-identity of the person consisting of broadly conceived cognitions about the physical world in which individuals live. Pretty et al (2003) state that place identity is a cognitive structure which contributes to global self-categorisation and social identity processes. According to Knez (2005): Breakwell (1986, 1992, 1993), Twigger-Ross and Uzzell (1996), Twigger-Ross et al (2003), and Vignoles (2000) has suggested four processes related to place identity: place-related distinctiveness (e.g. I am a South African) place-referent continuity (e.g. I am living there because it reminds me of my past) place-related self-esteem (e.g. I am proud to live in this town) place-related self-efficacy (e.g. The town satisfies my needs and wants) Consequently, these processes encourage our self-esteem and identity as individuals. Hence the questions of who we are are often intimately related to questions of where we are (Dixon Durrheim 2000; Pretty et al 2003). The places people belong to does not just encourage their self-esteem but also their environmental preferences, and how they see themselves. Place identity could also lead to place attachment because when an individual identifies himself with the environment, individuals tend to feel attached to the same environment. 1.2 Place attachment Every single one of us has developed an unconscious bond towards some place over a period of time. It is suggested by Inalhan and Finch (2004) that the concept of place attachment is complex and multi-faceted, as place attachment has been studied by scholars from several disciplines such as; anthropology, architecture, family and consumer studies, folklore, gerontology, landscape architecture, psychology and urban planning. Place attachment can vary from place to place and can change easily depending on the degree of belonging of the person (Knez 2005). Thus, the degree of attachment a person has towards a place may determine the perceptions and satisfaction of the person in the specific place. Our attachment to a place grows with length of time living in a place and age, but mostly through positive interaction with a community. According to Milligan (1998) place attachment could be defined as: place attachment occurs when a particular interaction was accompanied by significant meaning However place attachment, according to Knez (2005), can be defined as: the affective positive bond between a person and a place; more specifically, a strong tendency of that person to maintain closeness to such a place. Many studies and researchers show that there is no single accepted definition of place attachment. The definition offered by Milligan (1998) serves a better purpose for this study. From this definition it is clear that place attachment is an emotional bond formed by an individual to a physical setting due to the meaning given to the location through processes of person-environment interactions (Casakin Kreitler, 2008). According to Halpenny (2005), one of the factors that could play a role in the formation of place attachment is satisfaction with a place. Moreover, if individuals are satisfied with their environments they tend to protect that place more and return to it. Payton (2003) and Warzecha et al (2000) state that place attachment has two main concepts that have been prevalent in literature: functional place attachment and emotional place attachment. Functional place attachment refers to the functionality or the ability of the resources to meet the needs or goals of individuals. Furthermore, functional place attachment is also closely linked to the kind of activities users pursue. This is because some activities are more complex and require specific aspects while other activities are more general. Shumaker and Taylor (1983) suggest that functional attachment is also referred to as place dependence. The concept is affected by two factors (Shumaker Taylor, 1983): The quality of place is determined by the individuals satisfaction and, The quality of the place depends on how it compares to other available places. Emotional place attachment refers to the emotional attributes of a person-place relationship and how place contributes to an individuals identity. Shumaker and Taylor (1983) declare that emotional attachment is also referred to as symbolic attachment. Moreover, emotional place attachment can be based on emotional ties to a specific place and is formed over a certain period through many encounters with the environment. According to Warzecha et al (2000), emotional place attachment may also be expressed as an identity with a symbolic meaning or idea. Place theory and all its aspects mentioned above form a fundamental starting point for any study in environmental psychology. 2. Introduction to Environmental psychology There are numerous people who do not know what environmental psychology is and what it consists of. Traditionally, environmental psychology has focused on the interrelationship between environments and human behaviour (De Young, 1999; Garling Golledge, 1993). According to Gifford (1997) individuals change the environment and their behaviour and experiences are changed by the environment. Furthermore, each individuals behaviour and experience is unique and differs from the person standing next to him/her in the same environment. These environments could be natural environments, social settings, built environments, learning environments and informational environments (Veith Arkkelin, 1995). Environmental psychology also consists of environmental psychological-processes in terms of a clear social-psychological perspective (Bonnes, 2003). These processes are individual processes such as perception, cognition and personality, and social processes such as territoriality, personal space, crowding and privacy. In addition, environmental psychology has continual elements that help to define this relatively unknown field. According to Garling and Golledge (1993), Kaplan and Kaplan (1982) these elements are: Attention Understanding an individuals behaviour begins with understanding how he/she notices and perceives the environment. This includes two types of stimuli: those that unwillingly, even distractingly, demand human notice, as well as those places, things or ideas to which humans must willingly, and with endeavour direct their awareness. Re-establishing and enhancing the individuals competence to willingly express his/her attention is a major factor in maintaining human effectiveness in an environment. Perception and cognitive maps How people perceive the natural and built environment has been an important aspect of environmental psychology. Information is memorised in the brain as spatial networks which is known a cognitive maps. This information links experiences with an individuals perception of current actions, ideas and emotions. It is through these spatial networks that individuals recognize and perceive the environment, plan and conduct these plans. Ideal environments – People have a tendency to look for places where they feel self-assured and competent, where they can familiarise themselves with the environment whilst also being engaged with it. Research has extended the concept of environmental psychology to embrace unity (a sense that things in the environment work together) and legibility (the assumption that an individual can walk around in an environment without being lost) as contributors to environmental understanding. To investigate an environment and to engage in it requires that the environment has complexity (that it has enough information and diversity to make it worth learning about) and mystery (the expectation of acquiring more information about an environment). Maintaining, re-establishing and developing an ideal environment enhances an individuals sense of well being and behavioural effectiveness in a person. Environmental stress and managing Research has recognized various behavioural and cognitive results including poor physical health, reduced selflessness and weaknesses, as well as paying no attention to the environment. Individuals can adjust their physical or social surroundings to create a more supportive environment (e.g. smaller scaled settings, territories, privacy, personal space) where they can supervise the course of information or stress inducing stimuli. Individuals can also seek to understand or make sense of circumstances as a way to resolve its stressful effects, often sharing these interpretations with other individuals as a part of their culture. Involvement – Environmental psychology is dedicated to improve an individuals participation in environmental design. It is focused not only on promoting an individuals understanding of environmental issues but on ensuring their early and actual participation in the design, adjustment and organisation of environments. Protective behaviour – Environmental psychology has also played a key role in conveying psychological awareness to abide by the matter of developing an ecologically protracting society. The field also investigates environmental attitudes, perceptions and principles as well as planned involvement techniques for promoting environmentally appropriate behaviour. These continual elements form an essential part in an individuals perception of their environment as well as what to expect in that environment. Gifford (1997) states that environmental psychology is also studied at three levels of analysis. The first level of analysis sorts and arranges each individuals occurrence of the environment according to perceptions, cognition and personality. The next level of analysis is the collective organisation of space, which consists of four aspects namely; personal space, territory, crowding and privacy. The last level of analysis is the physical settings in which individuals find themselves every day. 2.1 Level of analysis 2.1.1 Perceptions, cognition and personality As previously mentioned, individuals form certain perceptions of their environment and surroundings. According to Veith and Arkkelin (1995), perception is one of the most basic and fundamental psychological processes in which humans engage. In addition Veitch and Arkkelin (1995) also state that perceptions are highly cognitive, which means that all environments carry a set of meanings acquired through their specific attributes. Consequently, these meanings are established from the environment by the perceiver with reference to his or her personal beliefs, values and attitudes. Furthermore, Bechtel et al (2002) point out that the forming of perceptions of a physical setting is associated with a molecular approach to the spatial-physical environment. This means that it places specific attention on the discrete sensory-perceptual features of the environment. According to Bell et al (2005) the term sensory-perceptions has been applied to relatively straightforward activity of human senso ry systems in reacting to a simple stimuli and forming a perception of the particular environment. According to Bonnes et al (1995) the term environmental perception is also often used interchangeably with environmental image, mental map and cognitive map. However, according to Bell et al (2005) cognitive maps refer to a mental framework that holds some representation for the spatial arrangement of the physical environment. Furthermore, Salmi (2002) states that wayfinding and cognitive mapping are inseparable, and most humans carry many cognitive maps in their heads. Therefore, cognitive maps assist individuals with another aspect of environmental psychology namely; wayfinding. Wayfinding according to Prestopnik and Roskos-Ewoldsen (2000) can be defined as the ability to navigate successfully through the environment. However, wayfinding according to Passini (1984) can be defined as the ability to identify ones location and arrive at destinations in the environment, both cognitively and behaviourally. Prestopnik and Roskos-Ewoldsen (2000) suggests that wayfinding can not be predicted in humans as different factors; internal and external, come into play. Internal factors include aspects of each individual, such as, gender, familiarity with the environment and the types of strategies the person uses to navigate through the environment (HÃ ¶lscher et al 2006 and Spiers Maguire 2008). External factors include aspects of the physical setting, such as, the density of the built environment, the availability of meaningful landmarks, and the pattern of the streets and intersections as well as staffed information booths (Salmi 2002). HÃ ¶lscher et al (2006; 2009) identified three wayfinding strategies that are used to support route choice decisions in three dimensional multi-level buildings. Firstly, the central point strategy as sticking oneself, as much as possible, to main hallways and main places in the building, especially if the individual is unfamiliar with the building. Secondly, the direction strategy of deciding on routes that leads towards the horizontal position of the goal as directly as possible, irrespective of changes in different levels. Thirdly, the hierarchically organised navigation plan strategy. This strategy is based on cognitively sectioning the building into areas which guide navigation decisions. However, Spiers and Maguire (2008) identified their own wayfinding strategies that assist individuals with their wayfinding experience. Least-angle strategy suggests that paths are chosen that minimise deviation from the angle pointing directly to the goal. Fine-to-coarse strategy proposes that routes are planned in fine detail in the currently occupied region, but only coarsely when planning navigation between regions. Least-decision-load strategy implies that individuals will often choose the path with the least number of possible decision points. As stated above, environmental psychology and the physical environment are influenced through wayfinding in a building, cognitive maps as well as perceptions of the environment. Another aspect that influences environmental psychology is personality of an individual. Gifford (1997) pointed out that there are five reasons why personality is an important part in environmental psychology. These five reasons are: Personality is strongly linked to the physical environment; Information of a persons personality helps us to comprehend and foretell environmentally relevant behaviour; Individuals have dispositions that are particularly related to person-environment transactions; Personal dispositions are an essential aspect to one of environmental psychologys most important concepts – environmental compatibility; The notion of personality can be applied to places instead of people. Bonnes et al (1995) agree with Gifford (1997) on the third reason. They suggest that personality and the environment are related to the disposition of individuals. 2.1.2 Collective organisation of space Spatial organisation or organisation of space is considered the first major component in wayfinding design because it not only defines the wayfinding problems of future users, but also affects the ease or difficulty users will experience in comprehending and cognitively mapping the setting (Passini, 1984). According to Prestopnik and Roskos-Ewoldsen (2000) spatial orientation tasks are influenced by the familiarity of the environment. Furthermore, Iachini et al (2009) state that unfamiliar participants learn the environment through a map, whereas familiar participants rely on their long term experiences with the environment. According to Salmi (2002) there are key points to look out for in organisation of space. These points include: Architectural features in the building define different areas such as hallways, staircases etc. which assist the user with orientation in the building and increase the cognitive experience; Make sure that large-scale buildings have destination zones, such as an atrium, since it would assist the user to retrace his/her own path; Establish spatial overview opportunities so that a visitor can visualise a buildings design from different vantage points as it helps individuals to build a improved cognitive map; Consider the design of the building as a whole, the layout should not be confusing or allow visitors to get lost easily. 2.1.3 Physical settings According to Salmi (2002) physical settings must accommodate an increasingly, diverse population as it is critical that the setting be designed to be as inclusive and universally accessible as possible, addressing the requirements of a wide range of physical, sensory and cognitive abilities and needs. Veitch and Arkkelin (1995) state that any number of behaviours can occur within any physical setting. Moreover, Bell et al (2005) declare that physical settings both facilitate and constrains or limits the behaviour that occurs in it. Veitch and Arkkelin (1995) added that attitude towards an environment will influence a persons behaviours such as littering and attachment to the place. With environmental psychology being such a diverse field with many different aspects, the interactions between the four phenomenons (privacy, crowding, territoriality and personal space) help to address problems associated with environmental psychology. Gifford (1997) also states that environmental psychology is aimed at making buildings more humane and improving our relationship with the natural environment. 3. Privacy Privacy is an important phenomenon that each individual wants to achieve on a daily basis. There are many laws that have been established regarding individuals privacy, such as the right to privacy. Thus allowing individuals to have their own level of privacy. The level of privacy is measured in relation to the other social processes of environmental psychology namely; personal space, territoriality and crowding (Gifford 1997; Veitch and Arkkelin 1995, Bonnes et al 1995). In addition, according to Harris et al (1995) and Altman (1975) people use complex combinations of verbal, paraverbal, nonverbal and spatial mechanisms to attain a desired level of contact and degree of privacy. Faulkner et al (1994) state that the level of privacy is physical (sleeping, dressing) and psychological (for development and renewal). According to Demirbas and Demirkan (2000), the definition of privacy varies for each individual due to the different personal characteristics, cultural backgrounds, sex, age, economical, educational and social backgrounds. Ding (2008) defines privacy as the personal control over interactions and/or communications with others. However, Gritzalis et al (2009) state that privacy can generally be defined as the right to be left alone, meaning that it represents a sphere where it is possible to remain separate from others, anonymous and unobserved. Therefore, it is evident that privacy refers to the manner in which individuals control or regulate other individuals access to themselves. However privacy does not necessary mean withdrawing from people (Pederson, 1999; Marshall, 1972), instead it involves controlling the amount and type of contact one has with others. Gifford (1997) further declares that it is not easy to assess privacy because of its complex nature; as it has been measured in terms of preference, behaviour, need and expectation of each individual. Bonnes et al (1995) also state that the major interest of empirical research has been to study and measure the more strictly motivational and evaluative aspects such as; needs, expectations and values that individuals variously associate with privacy. Harris et al (1995) state that the universal aspects of privacy regulations are suggested by the apparent relationship between privacy, place attachment and quality of life. Cassidy (1997) pointed out that not everyone will react in the same way with regard to privacy. According to Altman (1975) and Westin (1970) there are certain characteristics that influence privacy such as: Individuals need for privacy is a continuing dynamic of changing internal and external conditions External and internal conditions are affected by privacy achieved Individuals effort to control privacy may be unsuccessful at some times Privacy can take different forms as it has many dimensions. 3.1 Types of privacy Demirbas and Demirkan (2000) also state that there are four types of privacy namely; solitude, reserve, anonymity and intimacy. Solitude refers to being alone and unobserved by others, which is either a neutral or desirable condition. Reserve, in turn, means that individuals form barriers between themselves and their environments which regulate intrusion. Anonymity is a type of privacy that gives individuals a chance to move around in a public environment without other people recognising them. Intimacy refers to an individuals aspiration to encourage close personal relationships with only preferred individuals. Additionally, Pederson (1999) identifies two more types of privacy; intimacy with family (being alone with family) and intimacy with friends (being alone with friends). According to Harris et al (1995) social functions of privacy and privacy regulation are central to psychological well-being. Privacy regulation refers to selective control over access to the self or to ones group (Altman 1975). Thus, making it clear that regulation of the types of privacy, mentioned above, is a function of both personal and situational factors. Personal factors refer to the individuals need for privacy, personal attractiveness, interpersonal skills, personality variables and ability to utilise privacy control mechanisms (Pederson, 1999). Situational factors may be social or physical. Social factors are presence, willingness and personal characteristics of others who have the potential for social interaction. Physical factors entail aspects such as barriers, location, layout and distances (Pederson, 1999). 3.2 Benefits and functions of privacy The psychological benefits of privacy reflect the function of privacy. Privacy supports social interaction which, in turn, affects our competence to deal with our world, which affects our self-definition (Altman, 1975). Therefore, the benefits of privacy arise from achieving its functions. According to Margulis (2005) the benefits of privacy are: Privacy is a basis for the development of identity, Privacy protects personal autonomy, Privacy supports healthy functioning by providing needed opportunities to relax, to ones self, to emotionally vent, to escape from the stresses of daily life, to manage bodily and sexual functions and to cope with loss, shock, and sorrow. However Keenan (2005) identifies other categories that capture the kinds of benefits privacy holds for people: Natural and psychological benefits: privacy provides physical, psychological and spiritual benefits to individuals. Individuals have certain needs, such as security and connectedness, that they want to satisfy, but invasion of privacy destroys ones sense of connectedness; Creative benefits: many people see privacy as conductive to creativity. Individuals have the need to have their own rooms where they are away from other people and regulate their privacy; Protective benefits: this refers to physical invasion of individuals sense of being safe and secure such as, the protection of ones home from burglary; Social benefits: individuals have the ability to regulate their own invasion of privacy and allow people they know or do not know to invade that privacy on a social basis; Democratic benefits: privacy is self-determining – each individual has the right to be left alone. According to Veitch snd Arkkelin (1995) the functions of privacy are: the achievement of a self-identity and the management of interactions between oneself and the social environment. According to Margulis (2005), privacy is important because it provides us with experiences that support normal psychological functioning, stable interpersonal relationships, and personal development. 3.3 Achieving privacy in design Individuals have a definite desire to a certain level of privacy in their homes. Privacy, in an architectural manner, can be defined as; the ability of individuals and families to lead their own lives without either interfering – or being interfered by the lives of others (Goodchild 1997). According to Faulkner et al (1994) a home provides privacy from outsiders with walls that protect the individual from physical, visual and various degrees of acoustical intrusion. Furthermore, Goodchild (1997) identifies three types of privacy in designing a house, whether in the house or outside the house: Firstly, privacy means circumventing problems with neighbours. Problems could arise when the layout of the resident and the type of housing is not correct such as; the walls of the enclosed area of each persons house are not high enough, which influences privacy. Secondly, privacy means a sense of seclusion. It means freedom from overlooking and freedom form invasive noise. This could be achieved by using noise insulation techniques and higher walls to increase space between neighbours. Thirdly, privacy means freedom from disturbance from other people, either guests or members of the same family, within the home. The level of privacy inside the home is determined by the number of different rooms in relation to the family size. Faulkner et al (1994) also states that the floor plan sets the privacy levels at which the home functions such as; open floor plan or closed floor plan. 3.4 Mechanisms of privacy Four aspects of privacy regulation mechanisms have been identified through data by Westin (1970) and Kent (1993). Firstly, privacy controls provide standards of behaviour for individuals and groups. Secondly, privacy creates an option between isolation and interaction, and can create the perception of being by yourself. Thirdly, individuals, groups, and societies tend to enter the privacy of others; curiosity is an example of this aspects. Fourthly, as society moves form primeval to contemporary, the physical and psychological opportunities for privacy increase. According to Bonnes et al (1995) and Altman (1975) personal space and territorial behaviour are used by individuals primarily to regulate privacy and to maintain their openness/closedness towards others at optimal levels. Additionally, Harris et al (1996) suggest that when individuals are confronted with negative privacy experiences, they will use a variety of privacy regulation mechanisms including verbal and nonverbal behaviours, cognitive, environmental, temporal and cultural mechanisms. Altman (1975) further suggests that the effectiveness and ease of implementing privacy regulation mechanisms may vary considerably across individuals and across social, physical and temporal context. Consequently, by combining these mechanisms individuals can efficiently express their needed level of privacy to others in order to attain the optimal level of privacy. Altman (1975) developed a framework for understanding the mechanisms of privacy regulation. This framework can be used as a summary of all of the above mentioned aspects of privacy (see figure 2). This figure indicates that privacy is a central concept that links the different phenomenons of environmental psychology (personal space, territoriality and crowding) with privacy regulation mechanisms. 4. Territoriality The phenomenon territoriality is extremely widespread in the field of environmental psychology since it consists of many different definitions. According to Gifford (1997) there are different variables that influence territoriality such as; dominance, conflict, security, claim staking, arousal, vigilance, behaviour and cognition to place. Gifford (1997) also states that a formal definition for territoriality is: is a pattern of behaviour and attitudes held by an individual or group that is based on perceived, attempted, or actual control of a definable physical space, object or idea that may involve habitual occupation, defense, personalisation and marking of it. However territoriality, according to Veitch and Arkkelin (1995) can be defined as: behaviour by which an organism characteristically lays claim to an area and defend it against intrusion by members of his or her own species. According to Altman (1975) territories exist to meet both physical and social needs, while being temporarily or permanently owned, controlled, marked or personalised and potentially defended by occupants or owners. On the other hand, territoriality comprises a specific set of affective, cognitive and behavioural tendencies expressed towards the territory (Altman 1975). Faulkner et al (1994) agrees with Altman (1975), however sug

The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong Essay -- Literary Analysis, OBrie

â€Å"And then one morning, all alone, Mary Anne walked off into the mountains and did not come back† (110). Tim O’Brien’s short story â€Å"The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong† presents an all-American girl who has been held back by social and behavioral norms – grasping for an identity she has been deprived the ability to develop. The water of the Song Tra Bong removes Mary Anne’s former notion of being as she, â€Å"stopped for a swim† (92). With her roles being erased Mary Anne becomes obsessed with the land and mystery of Vietnam and is allowed to discover herself. Through the lenses of Mark Fossie and the men in the Alpha Company, Mary Anne becomes an animal and is completely unrecognizable by the end of the story. Mary Anne, however, states she is happy and self-aware. The men of the Alpha Company argue for virtue in that Mary Anne was â€Å"gone† (107) and that what she was becoming â€Å"was dangerous†¦ ready for the kill† (112). They did not want to accept a woman becoming something different from what women always were. In â€Å"How Tell to a True War Story† we are told that a true war story â€Å"does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior† (65). Mary Anne did not truly become ‘dark’, because to her this is not a story about war; this is a story about a woman attempting to overcome gender roles and the inability of men to accept it. When Mary Anne begins interacting with the land and the material culture of war we are introduced to her curious nature. She would â€Å"listen carefully† (91) and was intrigued by the land and its mystery. Vietnam was like Elroy Berdahl to her in the beginning in that it did not speak, it did not judge, it was simply there. Vietnam saved Mary Anne’s life. Like Elroy, â€Å"[Vietnam] was the t... ...eauty, law into anarchy, civility into savagery†¦ the only certainty is overwhelming ambiguity† (78). According to story truth Mary Anne gave into darkness and became cold, but story truth does not matter. The absolute truth is much more dark and sad than that. Mary Anne struggled to define herself in a place that gave her the opportunity. Fossie’s stubbornness and inability to accept Mary Anne’s journey, however, led to her being consumed by ambiguous darkness. Is the final truth for Mary Anne similar to Curt Lemon’s? If â€Å"[a] thing [can] happen and be a total lie; [and] another thing may not happen and be truer than the truth† (80), then maybe the final truth for Mary Anne was that she really did â€Å"know exactly who [she was]† (106). The ending of Mary Anne’s story could have been beautiful and civil to her, but ugly and chaotic to you, and that was her liberation. The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong Essay -- Literary Analysis, O'Brie â€Å"And then one morning, all alone, Mary Anne walked off into the mountains and did not come back† (110). Tim O’Brien’s short story â€Å"The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong† presents an all-American girl who has been held back by social and behavioral norms – grasping for an identity she has been deprived the ability to develop. The water of the Song Tra Bong removes Mary Anne’s former notion of being as she, â€Å"stopped for a swim† (92). With her roles being erased Mary Anne becomes obsessed with the land and mystery of Vietnam and is allowed to discover herself. Through the lenses of Mark Fossie and the men in the Alpha Company, Mary Anne becomes an animal and is completely unrecognizable by the end of the story. Mary Anne, however, states she is happy and self-aware. The men of the Alpha Company argue for virtue in that Mary Anne was â€Å"gone† (107) and that what she was becoming â€Å"was dangerous†¦ ready for the kill† (112). They did not want to accept a woman becoming something different from what women always were. In â€Å"How Tell to a True War Story† we are told that a true war story â€Å"does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior† (65). Mary Anne did not truly become ‘dark’, because to her this is not a story about war; this is a story about a woman attempting to overcome gender roles and the inability of men to accept it. When Mary Anne begins interacting with the land and the material culture of war we are introduced to her curious nature. She would â€Å"listen carefully† (91) and was intrigued by the land and its mystery. Vietnam was like Elroy Berdahl to her in the beginning in that it did not speak, it did not judge, it was simply there. Vietnam saved Mary Anne’s life. Like Elroy, â€Å"[Vietnam] was the t... ...eauty, law into anarchy, civility into savagery†¦ the only certainty is overwhelming ambiguity† (78). According to story truth Mary Anne gave into darkness and became cold, but story truth does not matter. The absolute truth is much more dark and sad than that. Mary Anne struggled to define herself in a place that gave her the opportunity. Fossie’s stubbornness and inability to accept Mary Anne’s journey, however, led to her being consumed by ambiguous darkness. Is the final truth for Mary Anne similar to Curt Lemon’s? If â€Å"[a] thing [can] happen and be a total lie; [and] another thing may not happen and be truer than the truth† (80), then maybe the final truth for Mary Anne was that she really did â€Å"know exactly who [she was]† (106). The ending of Mary Anne’s story could have been beautiful and civil to her, but ugly and chaotic to you, and that was her liberation.

Haverwood Furniture Essay

Haverwood Furniture, Inc. Q1 How would you characterize the HH wood Furniture Industry? †¢Haverwood L Room & Bedroom †¢Haverwood has own sales force 10 sales/ 2 Reg †¢Upholstered 50%/ Wood 40% †¢Total Ind Sales 3 Mil †¢Top 10 Wood Manu = 1/3 of total sales †¢Asia imports driving down prices (BPuerto) †¢US Manu downsized – 100 Manu †¢$15 million sales = 6% mkt share †¢Hwood uses 1000 specialty style (Selective distribution) †¢Gallery concept prevalent †¢Do not have full line in all retailers †¢Do not have galleries in all retailers Q2 How do consumer buy? †¢94% enjoy shopping †¢Lack confidence about quality or evaluating price †¢95% get redecorating ideas from Mag. †¢84% believe higher price = higher quality †¢72% browse even when not buying †¢Rely on sales people for ideas but want to be left alone to shop †¢85% read ads before shopping †¢Difficult to select styles Attributes †¢Styling/Design (1) †¢Brand Name/Image (5) †¢Price (4) †¢Construction Quality/workmanship (2) †¢Store Quality/Image (3) Buying Decision †¢Joint decision †¢Difficult – guidance †¢Little Knowledge Q3 What is the role of Marketing Communications †¢Consumer advertising oinforms about styles, arrangements oEmphasize Quality oDevelops â€Å"share of mind† †¢Company Salespeople oSell thru as much of line as possible oSell-develop rapport oTraining retail sales people – product quality %& feature oBuild enthusiasm w/ RSP o100% sales time †¢Trade Advertising oPoint of purchase – anything that goes on at the time of sale oBrochure take away †¢Cooperative Advertising oGiven by the retailer but funded by the manufacturing †¢Builds bond between retailer and brand Q4 Objectives for 2008 †¢Broaden advertising incl online †¢Penetrating boomer demo (Buy hi-quality) †¢Lower ad budget if possible †¢Marketing many lines †¢Broaden full line penetration †¢More galleries †¢Reach consumers at critical decision points Q5 How might objectives be translated into budge? †¢Sales Increase oLast Year 75 M * 1.04% = $78000000 oSales person option $135000 (SALES) o5% of 78000000 = †¢3900000 †¢3675000 †¢225000 o1% = 780000 (AGENCY) †¢562000 †¢218000

What are the arguments for and against military intervention essays

What are the arguments for and against military intervention essays One of the most important issues today in world politics is the position of Iraq. Presently the world is engaged in a debate about whether to launch a war against Iraq. Various strategies appear on the invasion of Iraq with regularity. The question is whether the US will attack Iraq or not. The whole world is eagerly interested in this question since an invasion can lead to serious consequences for the US and global economy as well as the position of the neighboring countries Turkey, Iran, Syria. But the most serious concern is that a war with Iraq can lead to a Third World War. There are several argument for military intervention in Iraq. It is said that for the last couple of years Iraq devoted enormous effort to rebuild its military forces and equip them with weapons of mass destruction. However with using weapons of mass destruction he might succeed provoking Israel to respond, perhaps with nuclear weapons unleashing an Armageddon in the Middle East. This could be a serious threat to the world peace. Saddam Hussein is the absolute dictator in Iraq. He won 100% of the votes on the last elections, which is completely impossible in a democratic society where an opposition exists. The Iraqi people live under his dictatorship. He killed Kurds with biological weapons and razed towns down to the ground while putting down a rebellion in Shiia. He terrorizes and brutalizes his own people. He has launched war on two of his neighbors. He burned oil fields in Kuwait and released 60 million barrels of oil in the desert, with which he spoiled 1500 km of the Gulf coast. He has aggressive regional ambitions as well as he is ruthlessness and unpredictability. It may at some point be wise to remove him from power. Its little likelihood that anybody can negotiate with him the only way is to give him an ultimatum as it was in the case of the weapons inspectors. On the other hand, there is little evidence to indic ...

Sixth President John Quincy Adams - Fast Facts

Sixth President John Quincy Adams - Fast Facts John Quincy Adams was the ultimate diplomat for the United States. He was the son of Americas second president, John Adams. Like his father before him, he only served one term as president. After his failed second bid, he was elected to serve in the House of Representatives.   Following is a quick list of fast facts for John Quincy Adams.For more in depth information, you can also read the: John Quincy Adams Biography Birth: July 11, 1767 Death: February 23, 1848 Term of Office: March 4, 1825-March 3, 1829 Number of Terms Elected: 1 Term First Lady: Louisa Catherine Johnson  - She was the only foreign-born First Lady.   John Quincy Adams Quote: Individual liberty is individual power, and as the power of the community is a mass compounded of individual powers, the nation which enjoys the most freedom must necessarily be in proportion to its numbers the most powerful nation. Additional John Quincy Adams Quotes Major Events While in Office: Erie Canal Opens (1825) Tariff of Abominations (1828) Related John Quincy Adams Resources: These additional resources on John Quincy Adams can provide you with further information about the president and his times. John Quincy Adams BiographyTake a more in depth look at the Sixth president of the United States through this biography. Youll learn about his childhood, family, early career, and the major events of his administration. Top 10 Significant Presidential ElectionsJohn Quincy Adams was involved in one of the top ten significant elections in American History. In 1824, he beat Andrew Jackson for the presidency when it was put into the House of Representatives through what has been called the Corrupt Bargain. Chart of Presidents and Vice PresidentsThis informative chart gives quick reference information on the Presidents, Vice-Presidents, their terms of office, and their political parties. Other Presidential Fast Facts: James MonroeAndrew JacksonList of American Presidents

Why is it important for managers to have an understanding of equal Literature review

Why is it important for managers to have an understanding of equal opportunities legislation and skills of managing a diverse workforce - Literature review Example This is the part of leading individuals towards achieving a predetermined common goal. Further, it is known that one of the most important jobs of a manager is allocating and utilizing the resources in the best possible manner and one of the most crucial resources of any organization is their human resource or manpower. This clearly shows that the manager’s most important duty is leading the workforce. The role of managers within the changing dynamics of business is a significant one. This is because the managers have a clear cut task at their hands. They need to be answerable for their actions and this must be performed in a way that there are equal opportunities for growth and development for the people who work under their realms. What is most significant here is the fact that the managers will outsmart their subordinates and employees, and discern ways through which success domains could be achieved at the end of the day. It is required that a manager shall take care of th e management realms by devising plans which are up to date and current with the organizational ranks. Furthermore, how these managers manifest their basis is through application of activities and tasks, all of which are dependent on the organizational domains. The diverse workforce must be given the respect, both in terms of their personal characteristics as well as work routines, so that they can manifest their truest basis time and again. The managers must back up their tasks by providing the subordinates solid support and the much needed confidence so that they develop a sense of belonging and attachment with the organization in essence. It is a fact the world over that the present day workforce, mostly comprising of young adults are focused on reaching the top with little hassle (Ford, 2005). This setting is so much different from what their ancestors relied on – hard work, commitment and total dedication towards reaching their coveted goal. However the young workforce of present times wants to strike gold and that too in a quick way. There is reason behind this madness and the fact for the same lies in their upbringing regimes. Also the manner in which they undergo interaction with the changing technological times is something to write home about nonetheless. They are constantly finding out that their peers are doing better than them and thus their desire to outshine is what is proving to be a destructive influence in such discussions of today’s workforce. Management through leading is not an easy task and involves several different steps and measures. These steps will insure that the manager inspires the people who look up to him and creates an environment that allows creativity and maximizes efficiency. Firstly, it is very important to select the right type of people for a specific task. Wrong people putting in cent percent effort cannot produce the effect that the right type of people with half the effort and energy can (Davies, 2007). Th erefore, the group or team should be inspected and finest of details considered before finalizing a particular set of people. Factors that need to be considered include the talents and knowledge related to the task at hand, the terms that individual has with the rest of the team members and head or supervisor and also are these individuals comfortable with the leading style of that particular manager. This though is considered a step of organizing however, due to its close connection with the leading part of management it becomes a crucial part of the topic under consideration. Once this step is successfully implemented the managers can smoothly move to the next agenda on the leading list and that is

Global Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Global Management - Essay Example The median household income is $48,617 (City of Arlington, 2011). In terms of religious affiliation, 36% are Southern Baptist, 22% are Catholics, 13% are United Methodists and 29% comprises the other religions. Arlington has ten public elementary/middle schools and ten private elementary/middle schools. It has ten public high schools and seven private high schools. The workforce of Arlington is large, well-educated and diverse (Arlington Chamber of Commerce, 2008). The land area of Arlington is 99.5 square miles and the city’s property tax rate is 0.6480 per $100 valuation (City of Arlington, 2011). The city is in the middle of Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and is eight miles from the DFW airport. It abides by the business-friendly traditions of Texas (Cluck, 2011). Over 100 square miles is allotted to business which includes five business parks (Cluck, 2011). In terms of the industries present in the area, as of 2009, the most common industry is construction which comprises 13% of the total industry in the area (Onboard Informatics, 2011). Other industries include accommodation and food services; administrative and support and waste management services; professional, scientific and technical services; educational services; finance and insurance and transportation equipment (Onboard Informatics, 2011). Like the other areas in Texas, the people of Arlington also celebrate varied cultural heritage festivals because of the diversity of its population in terms of background and culture. Since Texas used to be a part of Mexico, a lot of the Mexican traditions have been adapted by the Texans. Among the festivals celebrated by the Texans are Cinco de Mayo celebration. The German heritage has also influenced Texas; thus, the celebration of the Oktoberfest. Other festivities celebrated by the people of Texas are Charro Days, Riofest and Port Isabel’s Day of the Dead. A major consideration in