Monday, September 30, 2019

Kolb Learning Styles Essay

David Kolb’s theory of learning styles is one of the best known and widely applied and it suggest that learning is a cyclic process which involves an individual proceeding through each of the following four stages and will eventually prefer and rely upon one style more than the others. The four styles are: Divergers, Convergers, Accommodators and Assimilators. Research has shown that these four styles have different names along with the ones mentioned above, they are: Divergers is also called Reflective observation Convergers is also called Active experimentation Accommodators is also called Concrete experience Assimilators is also called Abstract conceptualization   Let us take a look and see how the knowledge of each one can be applied to the role of being students working individually and as a group. Divergers/Reflective observation – Divergers like to think before they talk and they research and analyze a situation before giving their own personal opinion. They like to investigate and are able to view situations from many angles which allows them to recognize problems. A lot of times a Diverger would rather sit back, listen and watch, be imaginative and open to xperience, being very thoughtful of everyone’s ideas. Convergers/Active experimentation – Convergers think about things, use theories to solve problems and then try out their ideas to see if they work in practice. They like to ask ‘how’ about a situation, understanding how things work in practice. They like facts and will seek to make things efficient by making small and careful changes and look at alternative ways of doing something. They prefer to work by themselves, thinking carefully and acting independently. They learn through interaction and computer-based learning is more effective with them than other methods. Accommodators/Concrete experience – Accommodators prefer to be involved in new experiences, have a hands-on approach and learn through trial and error. They like a practical experimental approach, are able to adapt to circumstances and like to set objectives and schedules. Assimilators/Abstract conceptualization – Assimilators want to be more logical, they really see no need to give their own personal views, they would rather think it through and do research. They will also learn through conversation that takes a logical and thoughtful approach. They prefer lectures for learning, with demonstrations where possible, will respect the knowledge of experts. In addition they often have a strong control need and prefer the clean and simple predictability of internal models to external messiness. This style is used in schools most of the time along with corporations. After researching these four different styles I was able to compare them to four different individual experiences. One of my friends likes the assimilator approach for her school work, she likes to know the facts before she does anything. She is also going to share the knowledge she has gained from this assignment with her cousin who falls into the category of a Converger and tends to fail with her experiments. Another one of my friends believes that she is a Diverger, she would rather listen, gather data and analyze a situation and give feedback. She is very thoughtful of everyone’s ideas and puts their feelings and thoughts into consideration. I also onsider myself a combination of the Accommodator and Converger, I learn best by the hands-on experience and looking at different ways of doing things. In conclusion, I feel that it is very beneficial for a person to know their style of learning for the following reasons: if you know this about yourself you are able to pinpoint your weaknesses so that you may work on them to help better your studying habits, you can apply your specific style to the task at hand whether it would be finding a book or article to read, a video to watch, a tape to listen to or solve it by trial and error. You may also notice how others work differently and understand that individual more so that it will be a better work and study environment. Not only does this help when studying individually, it is a great benefit when participating in a group or team because when working in a group or team you have a combination of styles so the participants will have a different opinion of the topic depending on how they view the topic. Along with different views of a topic, if you know your learning style you could share that with them and they may be able to make adjustments to accomodate you style of learning, especially if you are having problems grasping the topic, idea or concept. The importance of learning style stems from the notion that teaching, if it is to be effective, should be tailored to the preferred learning style of the learner(s). If teaching is not aligned to the learning preferences of learners, it is unlikely that the teaching will be effective, or at least not as effective as it could be.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

High School and Cruz Elementary School Essay

Introduction The prime function of education is to prepare men and women for life and service. As such, it does not only develop the mental, moral, and spiritual capacities but also the physical powers of man. This is not an easy task for the teachers, guidance counselors and administrators to perform. It demands special facilities and equipment, qualified educators with special talents to match the need, and above all, dedication and commitment on the part of the teachers and school administrators. The statement of our National Hero Rizal that, â€Å"the youth is the hope of our fatherland†, cannot be denied. The children are the leaders of tomorrow. They will be the ones to build the edifice of this nation. For them to become great leaders, they must be guided and supported accordingly. Guidance has long been recognized as an important function of education particularly in elementary education because it is the most significant foundation of the basic education The need for it in our school system becomes more urgent. Thus, every school should have a comprehensive guidance program and well-trained and professional guidance counselors that would render help to pupils who is in need. Background of the Study All people have certain basic needs in common, the satisfaction of which helps and the frustration of which hinders normal personality growth (Walter and Ohara). The rapid increase in population is a cause for alarm. Today, children represent the energy of the present and the hope of the future. In addition, there is a need to know and understand the children with their skills, knowledge, intelligence, competencies, and understanding. There is every reason to believe that the children population, many largely determine the kind of government a nation will have. (Health and Home vol. 36 no. 2, 1995) Pupil guidance and discipline is an important area of concern for school administrator. Given today’s advancement of science and technology and modernization in our ways of life, guidance becomes a necessity owing to the complex of problems confronting school administrators and teachers on dealing with pupils. There are numbers of factors that have to be discussed that can cause problematic situations involving not only pupils but teachers as well. These problem situations and their causes have to be addressed appropriately in order that pupils’ involvement into more serious ones can be averted, if not minimized. The school is a learning-teaching venue. Inside its classroom, productive and efficient learning takes place, which translate learning opportunities into actual learning engagement under the direction of teachers. One of the factors that stimulate learning is the operation of guidance service. In broad terms, guidance implies advice. It is a conscious attempt of an administrator to stimulate and direct the activities of the student/pupil toward definite and worthy objectives. Guidance involves all those influences and opportunities designed to assist the pupil in discovering how he may make his vocational, educational, social, cultural and adjustment most successful. One purpose of guidance is to make individual discover the mode of life by which he can realize most fully his potentialities for worthy and satisfactory service. To this end, school must have a sympathetic understanding of the pupil’s interest, aptitude and abilities and make a conscious effort to help develop them for the satisfaction of their needs; discharge of duties and responsibilities; and enjoyment of these opportunities. Guidance is a tool to make wise decision and choice (Gregorio, 1965). Children in contemporary times are exposed to several conflicting, distracting, and stressful situations inside and outside the school premise. An individual makes an adjustment when he finds contentment in his relationship with the environment and in the relationships between his needs and interest. Satisfactorily, adjustment leads on a well-adjusted personality. (Health and Home Vol. 42. No. 3, 2000) Grade six is a time of adjustment especially because it is a period of adjustment to high school work. Every pupil undergoes this stage. This level is crucial and usually characterized with doubt, fear and confusion. The top five areas of concern that need adjustment are spiritual, academic, career, social and economic. The major objectives why schools are now introducing intervention programs that are based from pupils needs is to help them the opportunity to be promoted and to meet the demand for higher quality education. Schools have great role to play in assisting pupils. Similarly, Sta. Cruz Elementary School Pupils have needs that are needed to be satisfied for a better quality of education, they encounter failures in their performances especially in terms of cognitive level, as well as faculty members need to adopt some methods to meet the needs of their pupils. Identifying these needs would lead them find ways and means of assisting pupils to cope with their different problems that can affect their performance in school. The SCES pupils also face this kind of problems and needs. Grade Six Level has a large population in the school and the determination of these needs may not be easy. This research aims to determine the Guidance needs of Sta. Cruz Elementary School Grade Six Pupils especially under academics and the other needs that may arise that hinder their growth as pupils. This will also determine the performance of the school in meeting the needs and the effectivity of teachers, since academic needs and problems may arise in the classroom. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM This study will seek to identify the needs of Grade Six Pupils of Sta. Cruz Elementary School, Year 2012 – 2013. Specifically, the study will attempt to answer the following problems. 1. What are the needs in terms of academic, character building, economics, family, physical, psychological/emotional, sexual, social, spiritual/moral of the SCES Grade Six Pupils? 2. Is there any significant relationship between their needs and the academic performance? 3. What is the better guidance program for the needs of the respondents? SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS This study was focused on the Guidance Needs of the Grade Six Pupils: A Basis for a Proposed Program of Sta. Cruz Elementary School, Dasmarinas City. The study has a population of 50 respondents, in school year 2012 – 2013. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDIES The result of the research study will be very significant and useful to the pupils, the teachers, and the school administrators. For the pupils, he may be able to apply the guidance program in enhancing the skills on how to manage different needs. For the teachers, this will be of great help in guiding their pupils as they interact in class. In addition, it maybe be the basis of the teaching strategy that may use in teaching to be effective teachers. For the school administrators, this will serve as its basis in dealing with pupils and by coping their needs that greatly affect their academic performance and the good standard of the school. The guidance counselors can also assist the pupils in their needs and can be able to guide and formulate action flows necessary to address the said needs. This study will also of great help to parents to sense the current existing needs of their children so that they can be able to cope up with and to make necessary adjustment to strengthen family relationships. CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK. The theoretical framework of this research was based on Henry Murray’s Theory on needs of Kurt Lewin’s Dynamics of Personality on Needs. Murray defined seeds as a construct convenient fiction or hypothetical concept which stands for a force in the brain region, a force which organizes perception, appreciation, intellection, conation and action in such a way as to transform in a certain direction on an existing, unsatisfying situation. A need is sometimes provoked directly by internal processes of a certain kind, but more frequently (when in a state of readiness) by the occurrence one of a few commonly effective press (environmental force). Thus it manifest itself by leading the organism to search for or to avoid encountering or when encountered, to attend and respond to certain kinds of press. Each need is characteristically accompanied by a particularly feeling or emotion and tends to use certain modes to further its trends. It maybe weak or intense, monetary or enduring, but usually it persist and give rise to a certain course of overt behavior (or fantasy) which changes the initiating circumstances in such a way to bring about an end situation which still (appeases or satisfied) the organism. (Murray 1998, p. 123-124). From Murray’s definition, it is important to consider the bases for distinguishing different types of needs. First, there is the distinction between primary and secondary needs. The primary or viscerogenic needs, are linked to characteristic organic events and typically refer to a physical satisfaction, urination, and defecation. The secondary, or psychogenic, needs are presumably derived from the primary needs and from the characterized by physical satisfaction. These needs are needs for acquisition, construction, achievement, recognition, exhibition, dominance, autonomy, and deference. Second Murray’s destination between overt needs and covertness, that is manifest needs and talent needs. Overt needs typically expressed themselves in motor behavior while covert needs usually belong to the world of fantasy or dreams. Third, there are focal needs and diffuse needs. Some work needs are closely link to limited classes of environmental objects whereas others are so generalized as to be applicable in almost any environmental setting. Murray pointed out that unless there is some unusual fixation as a need as always subject to change in the objects toward with which it is directed and the manner in which these are approached. That is the sphere of environment events to which the need is relevant may broaden as narrowed, and the instrumental acts linked to the need may be increased or decreased. If the need is firmly attached to an unsuitable objective; this is called a fixation and is customarily considered pathological. Fourth, there are proactive needs and reactive needs. The proactive need is one that is largely determined from within, one that becomes â€Å"spontaneous kinetic† because of something in the person rather than something in the environment. Reactive needs, on the other hand activated because of, or in response to some environmental event. Murray used these concepts also to describe interaction between two or more persons where usually one individual can be identified as the pro actor (initiates the interaction, asks the questions, in general provides the stimulus to which the other must respond) and other individual can be identified as the reactor. (Reacts to the stimuli provided by the pro actor). Fifth, there is distinction between process activities and modal needs plus affect needs. Effect needs are needs that lead to some desired state or end result. Process activity and modal needs are tendencies to perform certain acts for the sake by the performance itself. The random coordinated non-functional operation of various processes vision, hearing, thought, speech and so fort) that occurs from birth on is called process activity. Modal needs, on the other hand, involve doing something with a certain degree of excellence or quality. It is still the activity that is sought and enjoyed, but it is now rewarding only when it is performed with a certain degree of perfection. According to Kurt Lewin (Hall C. 1997,) need is an increase of tension or the release of energy in an inner personal region is caused by the arousal of a need. A need may be a psychological condition such as hunger, thirst or sex; it maybe a desire for something such as job or a spouse; or it maybe an intention to do something such as completing a task or keeping an appointment. A need is therefore a motivational concept and is equivalent to such terms as motive, wish, drive, and urge. Changing needs of a pupil is considered crucial to the development of effective guidance program. An individual makes an adjustment when he finds contentment in his relationship with his environment and in the relationship between his needs and interest. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The review of related literature and relevant studies presented here provide a good background and for the study. Some studies conducted both in United States and in the Philippines as well as literature related to the present study are presented. Foreign Related Readings The Randolph Township Schools guidance program in New Jersey, seeks to foster the social and emotional growth of students in an effort to have them succeed academically and personally. Guidance   is an integral part of the elementary education program. The counselor is a child advocate. A goal of elementary counseling is to be preventative in nature while also identifying and addressing current problems. Another goal is to help children understand themselves and others. The elementary program is characterized by intervention and prevention techniques. Counselors help students develop social skills including conflict resolution, interpersonal relations skills, decision making and problem solving. Counselors also assist students in their transition to Randolph schools and in moving up to the middle school. Counselors conduct individual and group session, classroom lessons, district-wide programs, and parent consultations as needed. Counselors work collaboratively with other school personnel, especially the classroom teacher, and serve on each building’s Pupil Assistance Committee. Counselors attend professional conferences and belong to professional associations. The counselors are available to consult with parents, teachers, and administrators to help address specific academic, social, and/or personal concerns of students. Counseling is for everyday people with everyday problems. Elementary guidance counselors are responding to today’s needs by providing children with developmental school counseling programs and support. There are many reasons a child may see the elementary school counselor as stated in Maine School Administrative District #22 in Hampden, Newburgh and these may include help with peer relationships/social skills, low self-esteem, worry or anxiety, a family concern, behavioral and/or learning difficulties, absenteeism and any other concern that is interfering with the child’s ability to learn. Local Related Readings The Philippine Education Act of 1982 Sec. 9, states the Rights of all students in school. In addition to other rights, and subjects to the limitations prescribed by law of regulations, students and pupils in all schools shall enjoy the following rights: The right to receive, primarily through competent instruction relevant quality education in line with National goals and conducive to their full development and persons with human dignity. The rights to freely choose their fields of study subject to existing curricula and to continue their course there in up to graduation, except in cases of academic deficiency or violation of disciplinary regulations, and; The right to school guidance and counseling services for making decisions of selecting the alternatives in field of work suited to his potentialities. Annotated by Amado C. Dizon (1983). Therefore, the Philippine Constitution itself, states the vital role of the schools play in molding and guiding the youth. Foreign Related Studies. The article â€Å"Academic Problems† of the University of Cincinnati stated some common reasons why pupils experience academic problems: a) Motivation; b) Inadequate Time Management; c) Study Skills; d) Social Distractions; e) Learning Disabilities; and f) other Psychological Needs (Cited in campblues). According to Kauffman (1993) managing pupils’ behavior has always been a demanding task, but it has become much more exacting during the past decade. He explained that when teachers are not successful in helping pupils learn and enjoy school, the reason is likely to be, in large measure the difficulty they experience in managing classroom. Many teachers who become discouraged feel â€Å"burned-out† or leave the profession and attribute their unhappiness in teaching to their difficulty in managing pupils’ behavior. What experienced teachers tell people in the field, what they read and what they see in schools – a very reliable indicator – tell them that disruption, aggression, disinterest in school, social withdrawal, and other forms of undesirable behavior are increasingly common in nearly all schools. Without effective strategies for dealing with unacceptable and troublesome behavior, teachers are unlikely to have a career in teaching, and even less likely to enjoy and be successful in their chosen profession. Furthermore, pupils are more unlikely to learn what they should when their teachers are unhappy and feel defeated. Hence, understanding how to respond to behavioral concerns and being responsive to each child begin with understanding of problem behavior and how one can prevent it from occurring through effective classroom behavior management strategies. A study of Missouri high schools as stated in Lapan, R. T. , Gysbers, N. C. , & Petroski, G. F. (2001). Helping seventh graders be safe and successful: A statewide study of the impact of comprehensive guidance and counseling programs. Journal of Counseling and Development, 79, 320-330, Implementing comprehensive school counseling programs is consistently associated with important indicators of student safety and success. The study found that school counselors who were more fully engaged in providing students with a unique network of emotional and instructional support services were more likely to exert a positive impact than counselors who did not implement such activities. After researchers controlled for differences between schools due to socioeconomic status and enrollment size, students attending middle schools with more fully implemented comprehensive programs reported (a) feeling safer attending their schools, (b) having better relationships with their teachers, (c) believing that their education was more relevant and important to their futures, (d) being more satisfied with the quality of education available to them in their schools, (e) having fewer problems related to the physical and interpersonal milieu in their schools, and (f) earning higher grades. A study done in Gwinnett County, Georgia in Mullis, F. & Otwell, P. (1997). Counselor accountability: A study of counselor effects on academic achievement and student behaviors. Georgia School Counselors Association Journal, 1:4, 4-12. Watts, V. & Thomas, B. (1997), shows that school counselors impact students’ academic performance and can increase the on-task, productive behavior of students and reduce disruptive behaviors. The Behavior Rating Checklist indicated statistically significant decreases in disruptive behaviors and significant increases in productive, on-task behaviors for both the third grade and the fifth grade students tested. Language arts progress was statistically significant for both grade levels as well. The impact of more fully implemented guidance programs on the school experiences of high school students: A statewide evaluation study. Journal of Counseling & Development, 75, 292-302, shows that schools with more fully implemented model guidance programs had students who were more likely to report that (a) they had earned higher grades, (b) their education was better preparing them for the future, (c) their school made more career and college information available to them, and (d) their school had a more positive climate (greater feelings of belonging and safety at school, classes less likely to be interrupted, peers behaving better). After removing the variables of school enrollment size, socioeconomic status, and percentage of minority students in attendance, positive program effects were identifiable. Results highlight the important roles school counselors play in promoting the central educational goals of their schools and support a comprehensive guidance program focus for university counseling faculty who train school counselors. Local Related Studies Another problem that the researchers find crucial is financial problem and their lifestyle. All students in public/government schools considered these the most serious problems. As Sompong Poungcharoen revealed in his study in the â€Å"Problems of College Freshmen of the University of Northern Philippines: Implications to the Guidance Program. † According to him, all students considered their most serious problems to be are in the area of finance, living conditions and employment and that they need help to solve their problems. In the sense that education is a lifelong process, socialization is also a continuous process of learning. Both are concerned with the development of man and society. Socialization begins within the intimate relationships in the home. Next to the family, the most potent and effective socializing agent is the classroom, which is natural extension of the home. The school in itself is a social system. When the students attend a class, they are interacting within the formal social system of the school which consists of the students, the teachers and the administrators, all of them acting and reacting according to their respective roles and status. All these activities in and out of the school are included in socialization. (Alicia S. Bustos, Ed. D. and Socorro C. Espiritu, Ph. D. , Foundation of Education, 1996). Structured curricular activities can promote mental health among all adolescents and particularly for those at risk of negative academic outcomes. It is important therefore, that at risk, teens be involved in a structured activity of the choice under the influence of positive peer networks and competent adults. These activities can lead to greater self-esteem, satisfaction and engagement in school, social competence, improved academic performance and graduation. (Educational Research Vol. 4 No. 1 January 2004). Confidence is another aspects that pupils should have at the very early stage, or should we say, must be learned. Students under the category needed guidance and counseling to be able them to minimize or totally eradicate social anxiety and fear of public speaking. Especially that the students understudied are future teachers of the young. â€Å"We pay the price of fear and worry to live the life of a human being. Our susceptibility to anxiety is the root cause of our problems†. As Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda stated on the 1st chapter of his book entitled â€Å"Why worry? † states that Fear and Worry seem to be part of human life. One who is immersing in the world is not free from these unpleasant mental states. Their worries are due to various commitments and responsibilities they have. Their worries come in many various guises. They feel inadequate when they compare themselves with others. They may be afraid to be themselves as they really are in the presence of others, so they act and pretend to be someone else when in fact they are not. People worry about their physical appearances. They are afraid of being criticized, to present their ideas or opinions before a crowd for fear of being ridiculed, but feel angry with themselves whenever someone else present the same idea and gets credit for it. Others worry about their families. In their workplace, they may have to face problems in carrying out assignments and have difficulties in making decisions. Therefore, parents and school’s guidance counselor and personnel should guide pupils accordingly. Considering the researches above, we can notice that there are needs or problems that needs to be intervened immediately. Such concerns of pupils are the following: Physical needs, Academic needs, Psychological-Emotional needs, Sexual needs, Spiritual needs, Family needs, Career needs, Social needs and Character Building. According to Kapunan, Guidance does not solve problems for an individual, but it helps the individual to solve them. Guidance therefore, is directed on problems but on the individual because its purpose is to promote the growth of the individual toward self-development. It leads the individual toward self-understanding, self-appraisal, and self-direction. To check whether the function is adequate to the task, the methods fitting, the guidance program needs to assessment. Attention should give to the development and crisis needs of pupils. Special consideration should be given to psychological as well as intellectual development, creative ability, vocational preparation and a balance socialization and individuality. Farrales (1997) conducted a study, which focused on determining the prevalence of behavioral problems among children 5-12 years of age who consulted at the Zamboanga City Medical Center Out Patient Department. With the use of a Random Questionnaire Checklist, out of 50 respondents, 15% were found out to have maladjustment problems underlying the presenting medical complaints of cough, fever and colds. While the aforementioned study focuses more on possible co-existing, if not causative psychological problems along with medical complaints, such results show that emotional problems can exist but subtle and easily overlooked, remaining undetected unless sought for. If such is the case, then most certainly it is vital we determine the true prevalence of behavioral problems among children, as many may present with physical ailments, but are with nevertheless underlying serious emotional problems. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES In the conduct of this study, the following hypotheses were tested. 1. There is no significant relationship between the performance of the respondents and their guidance needs in terms of academic, character building, economics, family, physical, psychological/emotional, sexual, social, and spiritual/moral Figure 1. Research Paradigm Figure 2 Figure 1, paradigm showing the needs of SCES grade six pupils’ basis for a proposed guidance program. DEFINITION OF TERMS The following definitions are conceptual or lexical definition. Academic needs- pertains to one’s needs along scholastic adjustment and performance. (Torres 1987) Adjustments- this refers to the individual’s ability to adopt physically, socially, and emotionally and the ability to adjust to his new environment and friends. (Uy, 2002) Career- The course followed or progress made by a person in his occupation or life’s work. (Webster elementary dictionary) Character building needs- pertains to one’s needs related to the improvement of one’s trait. (Torres, 1987) Economic- Pertains to financial and material needs (Torres 1987) Family needs- pertains to one’s needs in relation to the members of the family. (Torres 1987) Physical needs- pertains to one’s physiological and bodily needs including the need for sports and recreation. (Torres 1987) Psychological/ Emotional needs- pertains to one’s need for emotional stability and psychological support. (Torres 1987) Sexual needs- pertains to one’s sexual needs like the need to be loved and accepted by the opposite sex, coping with sexual information on human sexuality and sex. (Torres 1987) Social needs- pertains to one’s needs in relation to others. (Torres 1987) Spiritual/Moral- pertains to one’s need in relation to his creator. (Torres 1987) Chapter III METHODOLOGY. This chapter deals with the research design, implemented to systematically answer the specific purpose of the study. It describes briefly the venue of the study, the respondents, and the instrument used to gather data for the statistical treatment to have an accurate interpretation and evaluation that likewise contained in this chapter. RESEARCH DESIGN This study is a descriptive analysis which will use the descriptive survey method (John Best, 1987) point out that descriptive research is concerned with the conditions or relationship that are existing processes that are going on effects that are being felt trends that are developing. Furthermore, according to Borg and Gall (1979) the survey method will enable the researcher to explore and evaluate many aspects of the research in education such as administrative procedure and policies and interrelationship for purpose of internal evaluation and improvement. In view of this, the researchers consider it most appropriate to use the descriptive method since the main purpose of the study is to identify the guidance needs of grade six pupils of Sta. Cruz Elementary School. Following the survey research, the researchers will use a survey questionnaire in order to determine the guidance needs of grade six pupils of Sta. Cruz Elementary School and propose a guidance program that would help answer the identified needs. The questionnaires were employed to collect descriptive information that will serve as a basis in conducting the study. POPULATION AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE A total of 85 respondents comprised the sample of the study, which is 10% of the total population of grade six graduating class. The 10% will be the problem children from all the 16 sections. The researchers will adopt the Pupils Needs Inventory (PNI) concerning the ten areas of pupil needs. To determine the sample of the population, the Sloven formula (1960) will be adopted. Figure 2. Profile of the respondents according to sex Table 1. Religious Affiliations of the Respondents |Religion |No. Of Students | |Roman Catholic |70 | |Born Again |10 | |Islam |0 | |Iglesia Ni Cristo |5 | Grade VI pupils who are Roman Catholic dominate other religion ranking first with 70 pupils out of 85. Second is born again with 10 pupils followed by Iglesia ni Cristo with 5 pupils. Table 2. Profile of the Respondents according to Monthly Income |20,000 above |0 | |15,000-19,000 |10 | |10,000-14,000 |12 | |9,000-5,000 |28 | |5,000 below |35 | 35 pupils belong to family with monthly income of 5,000 and below; 28 pupils belong to a family with monthly income of 5,000-9,000 followed by 12 pupils with 10,000-14,000, and 10 pupils with 15,000-19,000 monthly income. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT Students Needs Inventory (SNI), 1987, designed by Mrs. Lilia Torres, Research Director of the UP, Dr. Vicentita M. Cabrera Research Coordinator and Head of Testing and Research activity and counseling and Guidance, UP 1987. This instruments was 1st used by the diagnosis in the three campuses of UP to identify the prevailing needs of the students so that they may be better helped during their study in the university and also to assess their needs so that they will be provided with opportunities for the maximum development of this physical, social, intellectual, as well as spiritual well-being and assist them to explore and make full use of their potential to achieve their goals. The instrument has four parts a. Part 1- this is the information data sheet where the pupils are asked to write their personal information; monthly income, special skills and interest. b. Part 2- the academic performance sheet where the pupils are asked to write their subject grade when they where in grade V, below that is a space provided for the reason why they got their lowest or highest grade in a certain subject. c. Part 3- pupil needs sheet contains 100 situations that would survey especially the respondents needs and concerns along the ten areas: academic, career, psychological, spiritual, family, economic, social, sexual, physical, character building. d. Part 4-the answer sheet, which contains five columns where the respondents would indicate their answers using the five point rating scale. 5- Very much of a need, 4- Much of a need, 3- Generally a need, 2-Not much a need, 1- Not a need. The SNI questionnaire consists of one hundred items classified into the following areas: 1. Academic- consists of nineteen items pertaining to one’s needs along scholastic adjustment and performance. 2. Career- consists of seven items pertaining to one’s needs in the world of work. 3. Character Building- consists of nine items pertaining to one’s needs related to the improvement of one’s traits. 4. Economics- consists of seven items pertaining to one’s financial and material needs. 5. Family- consists of nine items pertaining to one’s need in relation to family. 6. Physical- consists of seven items relating to one’s physiological and bodily needs including the need for sports and recreation. 7. Psychological/Emotional- consists of seventeen items perta.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Rhetorical Analysis Paper

Tramy Quach Professor Knapp English 100A, Section 6 Final Draft 03/06/13 RHETORICAL ANALYSIS PAPER Introduction Rhetorical strategy is a type of method for writers to manipulate their writing to purpose an idea or influence the reader. Narration, description, and exemplification are some of the rhetorical appeals writer use to grab the reader’s attention. And invoke strong reaction out of the reader. Apart from these strategies, many writers use Aristotle's appeals of Logos, Ethos, and Pathos to persuade the reader. Logos is an appeal to the audience's logic and reason.Pathos is an appeal to the audience’s sentiments and emotions. Ethos is an appeal to the authority or reputation of the speaker. Logos is an appeal to the audience's logic and reason. In my rhetorical analysis, I will be analyzing an article by Heather Mattern called, â€Å"Learning to Breathe†. In this article, Mattern proposes increasing physical activity such as running, , consuming raw foods, a nd adopting a positive mentality to curb depression. Mattern’s article brings awareness to health educators, like myself, who focuses on the study of health related issues like food, nutrition, and prevention.Through the use of use pathos and logos appeals, as well as narration, classifying and diving, and exemplifications to do what? Pathos Through her article, Mattern appeals to our emotions by using vivid descriptions of depression in order to get her reader to sympathize and gain awareness of how serious depression can affect our mood. In the article, Mattern uses pathos as an appeal to the reader when she explains, â€Å"I learned†¦ about one in every eight women could expect to develop clinical depression during their lifetime. Many of these women I know.They are my friends, mothers popping anti-depressant pills and smiling numbly with an artificial happiness. They know no other way† (Mattern). Here, Mattern is successful in getting her readers to briefly ac quire a visual sense of how depression can eat at one’s personal happiness. . This is especially a powerful tool to influence readers if the reader knows anyone close or a loved one who has dealt with depression. Additionally, through describing the smile as â€Å"artificial†, it stirs up a serious emotions of being empty, without purpose.Furthermore, in her article she writes, â€Å"†¦ my mind held me a prisoner† (Mattern) to enable her readers to gain the mindset of being trapped, which appeals to our fears of being helpless and vulnerable. She later describes her mind as a â€Å"hostage† and referrers to her depression as a â€Å"demon. † Her word choice of â€Å"demon† and â€Å"hostage† to describes her illness are words that readers are fearful of. In doing such, Mattern wants her readers to now associate these feelings of being helpless and afraid with depression.Mattern used pathos appeals in her article to attempts to pe rsuade her reader by stirring the emotions emptiness, fear and vulnerability in hopes that her reader will see and feel what depression really is, a serious disease Logos Another strategy the author use is Logos; it refers to any attempt to appeal to the intellect, the general meaning of â€Å"logical argument. † Everyday arguments rely heavily on ethos and pathos, but academic arguments rely more on logos. These arguments engage readers or observers by appealing to reason, logic, and data.An example that was used in the article â€Å"†¦you would never know that she had struggled with years of depression. She cured her depression without medication† (Mattern). The author is referring to her friend Beth, who inspired Mattern to conduct her own personal prescription for her depression. Beth is an influential example of curing her own depression. She explains to Mattern that her secret is running and veggies. Beth makes the time early in the morning before her family wakes up, and gets moving. Beth finds the time in the day to give back to her body and mind.Beth is an excellent example of curing depression the right way without any artificial chemicals or drugs. Another an illustration Mattern use in her article, â€Å"†¦ I listed three challenges, all-starting with Rs, the three Rs that were going to help me: running regularly, raw foods, and right thinking with gratitude. Each of these has been proven to reduce stress and increasing endorphins. Endorphins are a happy chemical – neurotransmitters that are produced in the brain to reduce both stress and pain. They work in much the same way as an anti-depressant does† (Mattern).Here the author uses facts to prove her conduction with the three Rs to reduce stress and pain. Logos strategies has played a magnificent role in the article because it explained the messages and created a better understanding for the reader. Logos strategies was used successfully because the author sen d a message to the reader that depression could be cure with easy simple steps instead of prescription medication. As well as, using facts and examples to illustration her ideas. Narrations Narrations are another type of strategy that is used in many articles.They are used to capture an image for the reader to relate and make them feel comfortable about what they are reading. In different articles they use narration to give examples on what they are trying to present. They use past experiences or third person stories to create a bond with the reader. In the article, Mattern uses narration by having a story about her difficulty waking up in the morning. Mattern mentions, â€Å"It was hard at first, alarm clock going off at six o’clock and feet touching an icy cold floor. Bones chilled, spine stiff with goose bumps. The battle was on each day, blankets tempting me to remain warm in their embrace.I pressed on. Running got me out of bed and I forced a smile onto my face† ( Mattern). Mattern used marvelous detail in her narration that it was simple to understand and got the message across. This narration delivers a message to the readers so they could relate with this difficulty. The battle that everyone face of waking up early in the morning to do something productive instead of sleeping in a warm cozy bed. The reason why narration was affective in this article because Mattern was able to create a visual story allowing the reader to have some sense of struggle that the audience could all relate to.Classifying and Dividing Classification and Division is defined, â€Å" an important rhetorical strategy when the writer wants to analyze and then group similar items or divide one item up into parts† (course reader). This approach allows Mattern to organize her ideas and break into certain parts giving the reader no stress in reading her article and makes it easier for the author to address the main points of each subject in great details. Matternâ⠂¬â„¢s article is divided into four parts: depression, running, raw foods, right thinking, and write your own personal prescription.The reader can find certain areas they are interested in or refrain certain areas that they are not interested in. She is able to illustrates a story off each part and give insightful information. Mattern is able to make this so effective that the words are not hard to understand and everything flows with each passage. As we can see Division and classification is used smoothly in the passage so that the reader can understand. As a result, the method of organizing the article has made it easier for the author to inform the reader about creating a healthy lifestyle.Exemplifications Last but not least, exemplification was used in the article. This strategy gives examples for enhancing the idea. In an exemplification writing it starts with the main idea, opinion, or belief and then gives a few examples to illustrate the main idea. For example, â€Å"I kept noticing the same two themes: eating a healthy diet consisting of lots of raw foods and an adequate amount of exercise. Since my friend had been so successful with her running, I decided that I would give that a try first† (Mattern).The author did research about depression and noticed that eating healthy as well as getting the right amount of exercise was important factors for a health lifestyle. Mattern also uses her friend Beth as an example of turning her life around. Beth also suffered from depression but cured it with running and veggies. Now she is a living influential example to Mattern and many others who suffers from the same problem. Conclusions Overall, understanding rhetorical situation can help contribute to strong, audience focused, and well organized writing.Mattern uses pathos and logos appeals, as well as narration, classifying and diving, and exemplifications as her rhetorical strategies. Mattern did a great job using these strategies extensively in her arti cle. The writing was very detailed; she gave emotional and positive effects to the reader and even made the article inspiring and motivating to read. This article you can see how rhetorical is such a great strategy. We apply these strategies each day of our lives in our essays or journals. There are many different type of writings that are presented in books, newspapers or articles.Rhetorical Strategies are just one of the technique that help captures the readers. By doing this rhetorical analysis paper, I feel extremely certain in understanding these rhetorical strategies. This paper has help me become more aware about writing techniques. It also allowed me to conclude the roles of each rhetorical strategy that they all play an important role in producing clear communications through writing. Since, I have great experience with the rhetorical strategies; I am now ready to take on the challenges that may approach me!

Friday, September 27, 2019

Counterterrorism-Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Counterterrorism-Final - Essay Example w World Order’ in which there is United States of America as the lone super power, although several countries around the world are vying for dominance such as China, Russia, Great Britain and France. The purpose of the existence of these countries is to oppose any threat against the peace and harmony in the world hence there is an importance to look for the balance between security and order. This is something which could only be achieved if the defenders know how to get proper intelligence from their enemies (Addicott and McCaul n.d.). Whenever the nation faces problems, it is a must for the rule of law to prevail. This is the guiding principle for almost all democratic states around the world which aim to oppose the continuing growth of both states and non-state groups that endanger the people; and because terrorist groups also have the blessings of technological advancement, it is necessary for all the nations around the world especially United States of America to improve. Not all threats around the world right now are common knowledge. Terrorist groups hide in the darkness whenever they perform their operations making it harder for operatives to arrest them (Addicott and McCaul n.d.). Intelligence is one of the most crucial aspects of counter terrorism in all ages. For most crises situations, it shapes the success or the failure of an operation against militant groups that aim to destabilize the governments around the world. Terrorists have an array of intelligence gathering operations too and it is the duty of the states to always be one step ahead of the terrorists’ activities. The lives of the people and the sustenance of nations are all contingent to countries’ capability to win the war against terrorism. Intelligence lets a country understand the situation of every conflict; thus, policy makers would know the best action to do. Not all problems could be solved by tanks and stealth bombers; there are certain conflicts that need a high level of

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Salary administration Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Salary administration - Case Study Example The teams associated with the different goals should be encouraged to achieve and surpass the goals set by T-Man Industries. For example, the R&D team would be given a bonus if they attain leading edge and bring at least three new products to the market. This would allow the organisation to attract leading scientists to the R&D division who are motivated towards continuous innovation. With increased incentives offered to the sales team to achieve and surpass targets, the company will attract strong sales persons for the new industry. The production team would also be motivated to gain optimal efficiency, thus reducing costs. â€Å"Fayol (a leading theorist) believed that effective reward systems should be equitable for employees, and the organization, encourage productivity by rewarding well-directed effort, not be subject to abuse, and be uniformly applied to employees.† Jones, G. R. et al, (1998). With this system in place both the employees and the owner will benefit and therefore gain

Humor Theory of Incongruity and How it is Seen in Improv Term Paper

Humor Theory of Incongruity and How it is Seen in Improv - Term Paper Example When incongruity occurs, it â€Å"violates our normal patterns and normal expectations†. So when something nonsensical or of the ridiculous occurs it contradicts daily norms and perceptions of propriety often causing the observer to respond with laughter. There are many theories for humour, which emerged primarily from philosophical studies and research in psychology. Of these, the incongruity theory comes out in the improv theatre. The incongruity theory suggests that humour is due to the mixing of two disparate interpretation frames in one statement. One of the earliest references to an incongruity theory of humour is perhaps due to Aristotle (350 BC) who found out that the contrast between expectation and actual outcome of often a source of humour. There is a distinction between surprise and incongruity. This occurs where the audience presumes the later to have a resolution that the actions initially hide from the audience. The incongruity theory also has a supporter in sev eral psychologists who emphasize the element of surprise by suggesting that â€Å"the greater and more expected (...) the incongruity is, the more violent will be (the) laughter†. ... Some theorists argue that plays only need incongruity for humour to be present; others argue that there is need for both incongruity and a resolution of that incongruity. This second version is called the configurationally theory. Several theorists point out that another element – intelligence perception- must be present since humour has its basis in intellect. It is therefore important to understand the differences between the inconsistencies in order to appreciate humour better (Beard 45). Incongruity theorists believe that the audience laughs because their line of thought surprisingly switches from one context to another. Although many scholars argue that understanding the nature of humour is extremely difficult, if not impossible, because of the fluid variables in any humour context, some scholars believe that incongruity best defines the fundamental element of humour. For its proponents, incongruity forms the foundation of humour theory, the most universal one, which vali dates all humour contexts, both perceived and created. The greatest weakness of this theory is that its tasting is not significant (Michael et. al. 11). Incongruity in improv closely relates with the developmental theory. These two theories stress the absurd, the inappropriate or out-of-context events as the basis for humour. While these incongruities are necessary, they are not sufficient prerequisites for humour alone. After all, incongruous events or statements can lead to curiosity or anxiety rather than humour; so the perception of humour is dependent upon how the audience understands incongruity in the context in which it occurs. This brings the understanding that not only does the audience have to perceive an

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Culture and communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Culture and communications - Essay Example People meeting these two Asian groups get confused because their outlook is also remarkably similar to differentiate them (Howe 1996, p. 222). It is necessary to have a look at elements in each of the country as it will give a clear picture of similarities and differences present. This will also help in understanding the differences and similarities between Chinese and Japanese cultural elements. The first similarity evident in the culture of the two Asian countries is on how they do their naming. The culture of the two countries dictates that a person’s first name should be that of the family and the preferred name should be the last. The family name should resemble the community and this simply indicates that these two cultures do not take their interests first but focus on communal interest first. The norm of using family names has also been extended in Chinese and Japanese businesses, and they name their companies after family names. Employees view their businesses as an extended family where people working in their companies are considered as members of the extended family. This is indicated as one reason why Japan is growing at a high rate in its corporations and can withstand the financial crisis that sweeps economies of most world powers (Howe 1996, p. 225). The other similarity is in their language. Japan’s written language is mostly borrowed from Chinese culture. The Japanese did not have a written language, and they only got it when they started interacting with the Chinese. Japan’s written language, referred to as Kanji, is created from characters that originated from the Chinese symbol language. People from the countries who cannot communicate effectively verbally rely on the symbol language for their communication. Japanese students who studied in China impacted the development of the Kanji language in Japan once they returned back. In addition, Japan is credited for coming up with new words, which refer to similar things and

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Military Service vs Civilian Employment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Military Service vs Civilian Employment - Essay Example The responsibility of a civilian is completely taken care of by an individual while in the military several things are taken care of by the military, these include healthcare, insurance and housing. Many things provided in the military like education and travelling are free or cheap. Serving in the military comes with a lot of benefits unlike doing civilian work; the benefits include free housing, healthcare, cheap education, and a chance of advancement and travelling. Also, it has long term benefits for retirement such as GI bill, housing and health care which is not provided in the civilian employment. I believe that military employment is better than civilian employment because it is more beneficial and more reliable these days. In this article I will compare military and civilian employment in terms of benefits and reliability, this will involve promotion, medical benefits, education benefits, opportunities for travel, pay, job security, opportunity for advancement, and freedom t o quit. Promotion in the military is achieved through individuals own dreams and desire for career progress. A military officer will be eligible for promotion after Serving for a certain number of years at a certain level. Sometimes, promotion is given if you pass a certain exam or interview. While in the civilian employment, to get a promotion, it will depend on when the payroll department can afford or if a person serving in that position quit the job or fired. Few organizations can accelerate once promotion depending on the job performance. For example, an employee who works at wall mart as a sales associate enquire for a promotion to be a manager but he was told that the company already have the branch manager and they cannot afford to employ two managers. After 5 months the manager quit the job and joins another company instead of being given the position it was closed and the company

Monday, September 23, 2019

Organ Transplants Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organ Transplants - Research Paper Example This situation has been reversed with the continued practice of removing such failed organ and seeking alternative functional ones from other organisms to save the life of the victim. However, a number of issues have been cropping up in respect of this operation which calls for further research work to ensure its sustainability. Top in this list is the biology behind the success of a transplant attempt. It is a fact that for a recipient body tissues and the entire system to accept the foreign organ, there must be compatibility in terms of the required blood groups as this is a fundamental basis for ensuring the safety of the recipient even after the procedure (Klein , Lewis & Madsen, 2011). In most cases there tend to be compatibility among family members and in the case that this is not possible, an outsider’s organ can be tested if it can match and if the result is positive the donation procedure can be done and subsequent transplant. Remarkable scientific research has been undertaken to the extent that incompatibility between the donor and recipient can be solved through medical prescription. In this scenario, the recipient is administered with a special treatment that will prevent the body tissues from rejecting the graft. Nevertheless, there are conditions that have always ruled out any possible organ transplant. Such conditions entails a fast spreading cancer on a donor, HIV/AIDS infected person. For a dead donor, thorough medical tests need also to be taken to eliminate any possible health risk on recipient. After the medical assessments, only living and non-defected organs may be removed for donation from the deceased donor. This also means that a dead donor can donate many... This paper makes a conclusion that body organs can undergo some defects that are irreversible and the only solution is replacing them for the victim to survive. This is a common case in accidents, organ failures and genetically related defects. It worth to note therefore that this has become the latest widely used medical remedy to improve the performance of the body and save many endangered lives across the globe. One of the emerging challenges in this application is the exponential population growth that has been piling pressure on the otherwise scarce resources. The author of the paper talks that the number of skilled surgeons is still few to match the increasing number of patients facing such medical conditions. Besides, the number of donors is steadily diminishing as the population size of recipients keep surging and this a matter of great global concern. Some of the reasons that explain the vanishing donor numbers are the emerging infections that equally affect the efficiency o f the alternate organs in living donors and cancerous cells in the cadaverous donors. Several patients are also relatively poor to afford the cost of compensating the donor, operational costs and the treatment that define the entire procedure. This paper approves that global statistics on organ transplant shows a positive result on the outcomes. This calls for increased health promotion by the nurses, community health workers and other stakeholders to continue saving lives. More funding by the governments also needs to be projected towards research and development to develop alternatives.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Marketing and Soft Drink Concentrate Essay Example for Free

Marketing and Soft Drink Concentrate Essay The brand Rasna is owned by Pioma Industries that introduced the concept of Soft Drink Concentrate (SDC), a segment that had been created and nurtured by the company in the Indian beverages Market. The brand was originally launched by the name of ‘Jaffe’ in 1976 and marketed with the help of Voltas, but was renamed to ‘Rasna’ in 1979. When the product did not do as well as it was expected, in 1983, the advertising was handed over to an advertising agency named Mudra Communications Ltd. Pioma Industries Limited is perhaps not a familiar name for the average Indian consumer. But Pioma’s brand Rasna is very well known. In fact, the name Rasna is almost a generic name for soft drink concentrates in Indian beverages market. Rasna’s extremely popular advertisements with the tagline â€Å"I love you Rasna† had become an integral part of the Indian advertising folklore. In March, 2002, Pioma announced a radical overhauling of its strategies for the Rasna Brand. This development was rather unexpected, as the brand had been lying dormant since long. Rasna is the market leader in the 250 Crore Indian soft drink concentrate industry. The SDC industry is miniscule compared to the 5000 crore carbonated soft drink industry (CSD). The powdered soft drink concentrate industry is worth around 90 crore. During the ‘80s, Soft Drink Concentrate (SDC) was not a known concept. For the consumers, Soft Drinks were just the aerated drinks which could be purchased in bottles and were usually consumed outdoors. Rasna came, and changed the whole mind set. COMPETITORS IN THE MARKET As the pioneers in Concentrated Soft Drink Industry in India, Rasna, never had to face any threatening from any of its competitors, be it a global player or a small local company. Powder concentrate occupy 85% of the total soft drinks concentrate market. Here, in this study, we are considering both Powder and Syrup CSD as competition for the Brand Rasna. Following are some of the competitors who tried to make their mark in the 250 Crore Indian soft drink concentrate industry: 1. Tang- Kraft Foods. 2. Sunfill- Coca Cola. 3. Fanta Fun Times- Coca Cola. 4. Sugarfree D’lite- Zydus Cadila. 5. Kissan Mr Fruit- Hindustan Unilever. The journey of a brand is not always easy. The market is very dynamic and a brand needs to keep a track of the changes in the market. Rasna had to face such challenges too. But it is the resurrection this brand has shown, through strategic marketing, in all instances that makes it stand out and lead the market. MARKET SHARE Rasna has always been recognised at large for Brand and Company. It ranks No. 1 in the beverages category as â€Å"Most Trusted Brand of India†. It is listed among the top 15 brands in the country. It was awarded as the most preferred brand in the SDC category at the FMCG Most Preferred Awards 2003 and 2004 and Consumer World Award 2004. It has pioneered not only with its strong marketing strategies but also with its proper scaled distribution chain. Rasna has always concentrated on its marketing and brand building and has achieved an expertise in flavour technology. Its efficient management in production and market environments has harnessed to bring to the global consumers, technologically superior products in fruits, vegetables, beverages and confectioneries and to stand as the leader in processed food industry. Rasna has adequate and in-depth knowledge and information on Market sizes and behaviours, Growth prospects, Project Viabilities, Government Policies, Finances etc.and access to more, enabling the company to respond fast to any proposal with suitable recommendation. It believes that there is a huge and emerging market for Rasna’s kind of product range, all over the world. Rasna is capable of managing global sized manufacturing set-ups working on the most advanced technologies to cater to the huge markets, locally and globally. Rasna has managed to dominate the colossal SDC market because of its massive International operations. One of Rasna’s biggest strength is its marketing and sales set-up, through which millions of customers worldwide is experiencing the flavour of satisfaction. It provides a strong and pro-active marketing support to its distributors and importers around the world- just so that their products stand out and apart on the shelves. Timely delivery schedules of its products anywhere in the world are what have helped them to reach a strong position in the global market. Rasna has its offices in the following countries: * USA and Canada * UK and Europe * Saudi Arabia * Russia * Fiji This strong chain of distribution to large number of countries within a stipulated period of time has helped the brand gain a reputation in the market. It has also helped Rasna in creating enormous business relations all over the globe. The countries which imports Rasna products globally are as under: In recent years, the brand has had to face off challenges, though not from its direct competitors. International soft drink giants like Coca-Cola (Sunfill) and Kraft Foods (Tang) have introduced competitor products in the market. PepsiCo India too is gearing to launch a glucose-based ready-to-drink beverage under the Lehar brand that will be sold at price point of Rs. 5 for a 200 ml stock-keeping unit. All of them have deep marketing pockets and standard products to lure customers away from Rasna. Even the profile of Rasna’s target audience is changing. Kids today are a lot more aware, and their parents don’t mind buying more expensive ready-to-drink products, which the MNCs have. But, true to its entrepreneurial spirit, Rasna is not about to give any ground to its rivals. Though some analysts feel that Rasna has been slow to react to the competition, Piruz Khambatta, Chairman, Rasna, still dismisses the challenge saying â€Å"water is our only competition. † According to the 2010 data, Rasna leads the SDC market. The market shares of Rasna and all the competitors are as follows: * Rasna- 97. 2 % * Coca-Cola’s Sunfill 2% * Sugarfree D’lite- 0. 2% * Kissan Mr Fruit- 0. 1% and * Tang- 0. 5%. COMPARTIVE STUDY ON 4 Ps SCALE The Marketing Mix: Here in this study of the Brand Rasna, we are comparing the brand with its competitors available in the market on the scale of the 4 Ps. The 4 Ps of the marketing mix are: 1. Product. 2. Price. 3. Promotion. 4. Place. Product Line of Rasna: Rasna began with 9 flavours in 1982, and added the 10th in the year 1987. The company was revamped in the year 2002. * In 2002, Rasna changed its look and came up with a new logo. * The tagline of the company was also changed and with a new tagline â€Å"Relish a Gain†, Rasna has tried a deep penetration in the rural and semi-urban market. The recent product line of Rasna is as follows: Name| Pack Size| Flavour| Price ()| Rasna Frootfun| 32 glasses| Orange, Mango, Lemon, Pinaple| 35| Rasna Frootfun| 12 glasses| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 10| Rasna Freshfun| 32 glasses| Shahi Gulab, Keshar Elaichi, Kool Khus, Cola Cola| 35| Rasna Freshfun| 12 glasses| Shahi Gulab, Cola Cola| 10| Rasna 1 ka 2| 2 glasses| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 1|. Rasna FrootPlus Jar| 500 grams| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 85| Rasna FrootPlus Pouch| 750 grams| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 105| Rasna FrootPlus Pouch| 500 grams| Orange, Mango, Lemon| 75| Packing Details: The operating product line of Rasna consists several sku. The company follows different pack size on carton basis. These pack sizes may vary depending on local market demand. The following table will give a general idea of the pack sizes. Sr. No. | Product| Units per Carton| 1| Rasna Instant Drink (powder beverages)| | | Laminate Pouch Packings| | A| 3 gm pouch pack| 50*60|. B| Single Serve pouch pack (12 gm pouch-orange)| 10*12*6| C| 25 gm single serve sachet| 12*2*12| D| 250 gn refill packs| 36| E| 500 gm refill packs| 24| F| 750 gm standby refill packs| 15| G| 1 kg standby refill pack| 15| H| Litro packs 1 ltr| 12*10| | Glass Jar Packings| | A| 250 gm glass jar| 40| B| 500 gm glass jar| 20| C| 750 gm sleek glass jar| 15| | Plastic jar packing 1 kg| 15| | OTS tin Packing| | | 900 gm tin| 15| | 1. 5 kg tin| 6| | 2. 5 kg tin| 6| 2| Litro Pack Instant Drink| | | Pouch suitable to make 1 litre| 12*10| 3| Gofrut Instant Drink (5gm pouch)| 72*10| 4| Shakeup Instant Drink| |. | 25 gm single serve pack | 24*30| | 150 gm standby pouch| 108| 5| Rasna Lite 250 gm jar | 15| 6| Rasna Soft Drink Concentrate| | | 32 glass pack| 200| 7| Rasna Single Serve Iced Tea 9 gm | 14*24*20| Whereas Rasna has so many different varieties of drinks (flavours) and in so many different sized packets its competitors are lacking behind in both flavours and availability of different quantity packs. The Price of Rasna: Accessing all socio-economic class: Rasna’s sole goal has been always to make profit with the volume sale. The pricing strategy has always been the key of Rasna’s success. It targeted the mass rather than the class. * Rasna has always made its products in such a way that it can be accessible to all socio-economic classes. * Its volume sale starts at as low as 1 popular in the name of 1 ka 2. * The added sugar product Rasna Frootplus starts from 2 and goes up to 105 for the family pack. * The box pack has a starting price of 10 which can make 12 glasses of drink and is known popularly as 10 ka 12. * The family box pack is available at 35 which is enough for 32 glasses of water. * Rasna has some skus which are very interesting for regular use. The air tight jar has different pack size with price range starting from Rs. 75. The company is constantly focussing on the rural market of India. So, accurate pricing is very important for the company’s growth. For Rasna, accurate pricing has been the key growth driver. They understood that the Indian market is highly segmented. And making products targeting each segment has helped a lot. Whereas pricing has been the key growth factor for Rasna, the competitors have not been able to enjoy that benefit of pricing. Only Tang is available at a sachet of 2 which is again meant for making 1 glass of drink. Likewise, the other competitors cannot even come close to the pricing strategy of Rasna. Promotion: Adding an Emotional Touch: Rasna has from its inception relied heavily on advertisement. The famous mass media campaign, â€Å"I love you Rasna† was one of India’s longest running TV ad. * The promotion of Rasna always highlighted a strong connection with its customers through brand association. * Rasna has always created a brand value by emotionally attaching the customer to their brand. * Focus of the promotion is always to promote the quality of Rasna. * Rasna spends a lot on Research on the target audience, and promotes there products accordingly. * Rasna has used child characters in their advertising campaigns, and through them the company emphasised on the quality of products which was an effective way of promotion. * Rasna has done a great deal to understand the pain of summer and to deliver a product which will ease the pain. This kind of unique and innovative marketing ideas and campaigns made Rasna the monopoly in the Soft Drink Concentrate industry till the time the competitors entered the market. Even now, no brand has been able to beat the promotional campaigns of Rasna. Going by the set standards of Rasna, we can say that the competitors have spent very less time and money understanding the Indian market and the promotional activities that works in the India. Place: Distribution Channel of Rasna: The distribution channel of Rasna follows 3 to 5 tier architecture. It follows the Super-Sub concept of distribution. The steps are as follows: 1. First the product produced in a factory which is strategically located to minimise the transportation cost. 2. The packed product is sent to various company depots across the country to distribute and meet the respective market demand. 3. From the company depot, the product is delivered to the different super stockists according to their previously placed order. 4. Then the goods are sent to the sub stockists or in some cases to the wholesale store. 5. The secondary sale from the super stockist or the sub stockist is ensured by the constant monitoring by the company personal. Rasna follows different distribution channel model according to local market demand. But for every model the end goal of the company is to deliver a quality product to the end user. With a distribution channel consisting of 35 depots across the country and 1. 8 million retail outlets Rasna is bound to be the leader. Among the competitors the only one that has a good and competitive network of distribution is Sunfill by Coca Cola, but still they are not able to compete as availability with retailers is not as widespread as Rasna. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE The competitive advantages of Rasna are listed below: * Being the Pioneer in the market Rasna is well known and very much trusted in the Indian market. * Being in the market for a long time, Rasna knows the Indian taste the best. * Having 7 state of the art production units across the country, the production is never disturbed for any reason. * Because of the widespread distribution network, it is more close to the public. * The marketing strategies used by the company are of superior standard. * Last but not the least, the pricing of the product, which is so low that it is affordable by the lowest segment of the pyramid also. The competitive advantages of Tang are: * Being one of the largest brands of the world, Tang has the sustainability even if it is hit at the beginning. * Tang is available in variety of flavours based on local consumer’s preference. * Tang is fortified with vitamins and minerals. * It is available as powdered and ready to drink bottles. * The powdered Tang is available at low cost. The Competitive advantages of Sunfill are: * Being a brand owned by Coca Cola, the distribution cost is cheaper, so can offer the product at a low and competitive price. * The taste is superior compared to other competitive brands. * Setting up of a production unit close to the target customer segment will help in better marketing. * The company can spend substantial amount on advertising and promotion. The Competitive advantages of Sugarfree D’lite are: * It is a brand owned by a medical company, so people have trust in the product. * It contains no sugar, so it is healthier. * Has medicinal advantages. * Helps in controlling blood sugar level, at the same time gives the pleasures of a soft drink. The Competitive advantages of Kissan Mr.fruit are: * It is there in the market for a long time, so knows the customer taste and preferences. * Tastier than many of the competitor products. * Supply chain is quite strong as it’s a product owned by Hindustan Unilever. SUGGESTIONS FOR GAINING UPPER MARKET SHARE As we conclude the study on the No. 1 Soft Drink Concentrate in India, Rasna, I have the following suggestions to make so that the company can gain more market share and continue to be the leader of the industry: Product- In terms of product, the following can be done: 1. Try to minimise waste in production, so that the cost of production comes down further. 2. Venture into new products, like ready to drink bottled drinks. 3. Try producing sugar free products so that even a diabetic patient can enjoy the drinks. 4. Health drinks and energy drinks is another field where the company can venture into. 5. Backward integration is another option that can be suggested to minimise the cost of production. Price- the Company can be more price effective and in turn can gain more market share if, 1. More products are offered in the lower price category. 2. Price be reduced for the larger quantity cartons or bottles. 3. New and introductory products are sold for lesser price so that people are interested in trying the new things. Promotion- In terms of promotion, the company can follow the following suggestions: 1. Use newer and cheaper modes of advertisement, like the social networking sites. 2. Spend more on Banners, posters, Hoardings. 3. Stop the use of sportspersons and celebrities, as the same doesn’t have a long standing effect on the general public. 4. Remove the time lag between the promotion and the availability of new products in the market. Place- Place plays a vital role in the success of a company or a brand. The following are my recommendations for improving the market share: 1. Go to the newer potential places which have not been tapped earlier. 2. The untimely dispatch of goods from the depot to the super stockist needs to be taken care of as it may lead to cancellation of order bookings. 3. Unavailability of goods at certain periods needs to be taken care of with a proper distribution control. 4. Promotional events along with the distribution of brochures, stickers and leaflets should be done through sub-stockists and retailers which will help in increasing the brand value. References: During the preparation of this project, help and references has been taken from many web sites and blogs and articles. They are mentioned here: -Rasna Pvt Ltd. Official site. -Wikipedia-the free encyclopaedia -Puneet Tandon Blogs -Economic Times -Times of India Articles -4psbusinessand marketing. com.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Exorcism in religion and psychology

Exorcism in religion and psychology Contrary to what may seem to be common sense, nowadays the beliefs in paranormal are still very prevalent in the society. Indeed, the revival of the interest and acceptance of such phenomena as poltergeists, ghosts, and devil took place in a quite secularized modern society dominated by the scientific thinking and medical worldview (Milner, 2000). However, it is not that surprising. It could be assumed that the possibility of the belief in the existence of such phenomena is rooted in the peoples understanding of the functioning of the world with religion being one of the sources that provide this kind of information. Some modern scientists propose that religious and spiritual phenomena consist of multiple factors like inherited or developed neural circuitry of the brain, pro-social tendencies selected through evolution, and the general biology of the human mind which generates the specific cognitive processes like religious beliefs (Fayard, Pereau, Ciovica, 2009). This kind of biological predisposition for spirituality and religion might explain why similar phenomena such as possession by the spirits as well as the subsequent healing and expulsion of these spirits are found in many different cultures and religions around the world despite the existing significant differences in ideology and practice. Furthermore, it may also explain why the belief in such paranormal phenomena is still alive in the society even when many old religions and beliefs were extinguished or substituted by science, and modern religions like Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and etc. The revival of the interest in exorcism in the mainstream Christianity was evoked by the rise of the interest in the occult in the society in general such as the fascination with New Age movements which are interested in learning more about the occult (Milner, 2000). Acknowledging all the risks involved in the exorcism, the Christian church was afraid that vulnerable individuals might be hurt by the ritual performed by the healers who lack proper training, beliefs, and resources despite their good intentions, if such are present(Milner, 2000). Furthermore, fascinated by the enthusiasm, spirituality, and mass appeal of various Charismatic and Pentecostal movements that put the emphasis on various occult practices including exorcism, the mainstream Christianity tried to incorporate such practices into their worship in part in response to the demands of the society and due to the perceived threat to the authority of the mainstream Christianity (Milner, 2000). As a result, the issue of e xorcism was brought back to life, however in the light of science. Exorcism defined Despite the revival of interest in exorcism for many people including the ones involved in the Christian ministries, it still remains a bizarre and frightening ritual that came from the past targeting the vulnerable individuals who could be traumatized by this practice (Milner, 2000). For instance, within the legal system traditionally exorcism is defined as physical act of holding down the individual while facing the spiritual, psychic and physical opposition from him. It might be even recognized by the court as the false imprisonment, if exorcism is performed without the consent of the individual (Koploy, 2010). On the other hand, in certain religious groups this ritual is considered to be fundamental to faith just like baptism or marriage (Koploy, 2010). Furthermore, due to the fact that exorcism is very closely connected to the belief system and basic religious experiences, it might be seen as a indirect way of controlling and leaning peoples minds (Versteeg Droogers, 2007). It is very hard to describe the actual ritual of exorcism because the practices as well as the beliefs in demons and spirits vary greatly even within the branches of Christianity (Versteeg Droogers, 2007). However, every incidence of exorcism regardless of the religion within which it is performed includes common elements and can be assessed by the following criteria (Versteeg Droogers, 2007): demonological criterion the nature of the evil: personal or impersonal, spiritual or human; etiological criterion the explanation of the problem, spiritual and natural causes; diagnostic criterion methods of finding the cause: discovering spirits and other medical causes; tropical criterion the experience of reality by the people involved in the ritual: direct or metaphorical; ritual criterion: the structure of the ritual, the people involved in it, and other treatments scientific or spiritual that accompany the exorcism. In the Christian perspective the exorcism is the violent and dangerous battle between the person performing the ritual and the devil inside the individual (Milner, 2000). Therefore, the possessed individual may express uncontrollable anger, strange noises, supernormal extrasensory perception and strength, may uncontrollably call the name of Jesus or devil and have a strong desire for drugs, alcohol, and abnormal sexual practices, be subject to violent rages and be able to speak in language they never knew before (Milner, 2000). Furthermore, they might be unable to perform certain religious practices such as praying, reading Bible, and participating in meditation. In addition, the possession affects the social life of individual due to the rapid deterioration of their relationships with other people and outbursts of panic, terror and envy (Milner, 2000). However, the main danger of such practice as exorcism is not the lack of the acceptance in the society, but rather the too much emphasis on it, which may escalate into a full blown paranoia of attributing everything that is contrary to a specific understanding of the world and religion to the work of devil (Milner, 2000). This misunderstanding may result in tragic occurrences such as abuse, violence, criminal activity, suicide or homicide (Milner, 2000). Furthermore, looking from the psychological perspective, the focus on the devil as the cause of the behavior and demonizing what is not demonic encourage people to ignore the psychological and physiological needs and characteristics of the person and may lead to the diffusion of responsibility or even encourage people to deny that they are in fact responsible for their own actions and behavior (Miquel, 2010). Thus, the presence of devil becomes a very quick and simple explanation and may distract the attention from various psychologi cal, medical or social problems (Milner, 2000). Demon possession Being the result of the problem, it is hard to explore exorcism from both religious and psychological side without taking into account its primary cause, demon or spiritual possession. The word possession within the field of psychology usually refers to the belief that the persons mind and body can be controlled by another personality (Stevenson, 1995). That personality might be represented as the deceases person or an evil spirit. This idea was accepted almost universally till the 16th century and was almost always linked to witchcraft (Stevenson, 1995). However, even after the 16th century when the first skeptical work on witchcraft and magic started to appear, such beliefs remained prevalent in the society. The literature indicates many ways of differentiation among the states of possession such as ritual non-ritual, good evil, or voluntary involuntary, but no single classification is yet developed (Stevenson, 1995). The research shows that the incidents of possession are even though infrequent, but not that uncommon as people usually think. For instance about 2% of general Canadian population reported having experiences a possession (Bull, 2001). Furthermore, even though the general religious affiliation declined in the last century, the cases related to vampires, werewolves, and demons have not ceased (Bull, 2001). Despite the fact that such instances are highly influenced by the traditional culture, the beliefs in paranormal and supernatural are common in the modern society and that many of them arise from the direct personal experience (Ferracuti Sacco, 1996). Scientists agree that spiritual possession is a more cultural phenomenon (Miquel, 2010). This suggests that the existence and identification of this phenomena depends not only the perception and the beliefs prevalent in the society, but also on the interpretation given by the typical members of this culture (Miquel, 2010). Therefore, it is understandable that while working with the Christian clients the reports related to demonic encounters may even increase. For instance the survey of the 343 Swiss Protestants patients showed that about 38% of them believe that evil spirits or demons may be the cause of their psychiatric illness and around 30% of them actually tried the healing prayer or exorcism (Bull, 2001). The frequency increases even more if the individuals with the Dissociative Identity Disorder better known to the general population as the Multiple Personality Disorder are assessed. In one study around 29% out of 236 individuals with this diagnosis indentified their other per sonality as a demon (Bull, 2001). Interestingly enough, the tendency to attribute mental illnesses to the work of devil and possession exists in our society from the Stone Age (Ward Beaubrun, 1980). Even though this etiological theory advanced a lot, it is still evident in the modern society. One of the disorders proposed in DSM-IV-TR for further research and possible inclusion in upcoming DSM-V is Dissociative Trance Disorder (2000). The defining diagnostic criterion for this disorder is the presence of a single or episodic altered state of consciousness in which the identity of the person is replaced by another altered identity usually attributed to the spirit or deity (DSM-IV-TR, 2000). However, such diagnosis is valid only if this experience leads to distress or dysfunction. Therefore, it could be said that within the framework of religion, not all possessions are pathological and require some kind of treatment. Furthermore, the possessions experienced during the specific ritual ceremonies may even have a valid individual and social function (Ferracuti Sacco, 1996). However, in some countries such as Italy possession disorders where another identity is identified as a demon appear to be quite widespread. In one survey done in the 1990s 46% of respondents said that th ey believe in devil (Ferracuti Sacco, 1996). Furthermore, there was a higher incidence of various paranormal and magical phenomena among this group of respondents. The fact that the majority of the majority of respondents who reported these beliefs and the incidents of encounter with paranormal were women might possibly be explained by the fact that women are considered to be more religious than men (Spilka, 2003). In addition women are also more likely to have Dissociative Identity Disorder, which is often associated with the demon possession (DSM-IV-TR, 2000). However, some researchers indicate that the belief in paranormal, magical and spiritual phenomena is not pathological unless it interferes with the functioning of individual on both interpersonal and intrapersonal levels (Ward Beaubrun, 1980). Furthermore, possession may even be seen as the culturally appropriate coping mechanism because it offers the way to escape the stressful reality and reduction of guilt by transferri ng it to the evil entity that possessed the individual (Ward Beaubrun, 1980). Exorcism in Christianity Within the Christian tradition, exorcism often belongs to the broader category of ministry called deliverance (Milner, 2000). It includes dealing with such paranormal phenomena as poltergeists, ghosts, and devil. Therefore, the term deliverance derived from the line of the Lords Prayer deliver us from evil is the preferred official term for exorcism in Christianity (Milner, 2000). However, deliverance may apply to both people and places or things, while the term exorcism still traditionally is used only in connection to people. The existence of such practice is defended by the Bible, which describes Jesus healing abilities, one of them being to cast out demons (Koploy, 2010). Thus, the main task of the person performing exorcism is defined as to confront the demon that possessed a person, and restore the victim of possession to life making the person again whole with self, community, church, and God (Milner, 2000). This description allows seeing that the ritual of exorcism is meant t o bring not only religious, but also psychological and social benefits. However, due to its nature the ritual of exorcism can be easily abused, if not carefully controlled. Therefore, churches had to develop the guidelines for diagnosing the need for this kind of interventions in the cases involving the paranormal as well as for the way to carry them out (Milner, 2000). The control is executed by normalizing and medicalizing the primary cause of the exorcism which is demon possession, as well as bureaucratizing and rationalizing the procedures of exorcism. Furthermore, the revival of exorcism in the secularized and scientific society is risky because it raises many issues about the proper balance between the etiological explanations that emphasize the role of the paranormal and spiritual activity or the role of the material and physical factors. These tensions may lead to the reduced cooperation between the medical professionals and spiritual healers (Milner, 2000). Thus, exorcism may become one of those battle fields, where the ideas of medicine, psycho logy or science in general clash with the ideas of religion eliminating each other from their own worldview. However, according to the famous psychologist David G. Myers, this should not necessarily be the case and both religion and psychology may complement each other by addressing different sides of the same issue (1991). Some members of the church involved in the healing ministry try to take an approach that helps to ease the tensions. They still believe in possibility that the devil can be present inside the person, but they also accept other psychological and physical explanations of the condition (Milner, 2000). The healers try to normalize the process of exorcism making it anything but bizarre to the society and develop a healing model that would correspond to the treatment of the whole person which is emphasized in the modern medicine. The actual process of exorcism includes the involvement of doctors, therapists as well as the healers at every level. Thus, such regulations make an exorcism the last option of healing if neither medical nor psychiatric or psychotherapeutic approaches work (Milner, 2000). The healers are trying to make exorcism a highly regulated and infrequent procedure used together with medical diagnosis and treatment of the condition. Furthermore, they emphasize the idea that the task of the person doing exorcism is not only to cast out demon, but to help the person recover in religious, physical, psychological, and social spheres (Milner, 2000). Therefore, the medical, psychiatric or psychological help remains essential even after the exorcism is performed. As one of the authors stated, The results are important, not theories (p.262). Furthermore, the healers tend to distinguish between the possession syndrome, when people due to other medical, psychiatric or psychological factors falsely believe to be possessed, and the actual possession, when the devil is involved (Milner, 2000). Thus, now it is not uncommon to meet an expert in spiritual healing who also has education and professional training in psychotherapy or counseling (Versteeg Droogers, 2007). Exorcism in psychology In the field of psychology of religion, exorcism received some attention in the light of research done on other topics such as cults, Satanism, and even conversion (Versteeg Droogers, 2007). It is known that some experiences such as religion can create and sustain a community because they provide a common purpose for existence, help to define the identity of the group as well as legitimize the community and its goals (Singleton, 2001). Thus, religious experiences are very important elements of the religion, faith, and culture (Versteeg Droogers, 2007). The supernatural experiences of evil and the encounters with the devil are quite obvious examples of such religious experiences. For instance 80% of the Australian Protestants believe that evil spirits are active in this world and 65% of them have no doubt about it (Singleton, 2001). Even though the actual percentage of such people varies according to the doctrines of specific Christian denomination, it still could be said that the b eliefs in the devil are very widespread. Furthermore, Christians believe that both physical and spiritual parts of the body can be subject to the attack of the devil, thus allowing for the physical as well as spiritual healing (Singleton, 2001). However, despite the prevalence of these beliefs in the society, the literature on psychotherapy generally describes exorcism as being not therapeutic for psychiatric patients and even harmful (Bull, 2001). The fact that exorcism is a part of the religious healing practice leads to the view that it is not scientific or psychological and thus could be dismissed as not feasible treatment. In the literature concerning the Dissociative Identity Disorder points out that those performing exorcism are prone to confuse the other protective or self-destructive identity of the person with the presence of the demon (Bull, 2001). Only small percentage of authors actually considers the possibility of implementing exorcism as a treatment option for the disorder. However, the extremely negative and deteriorative outcomes for the exorcised patients found in several separate studies even lead to the idea that exorcism should never be used in therapy (Bull, 2001). The main two objections for its use a re formulated as the lack of psychological or medical understanding of the disorders by the members of the church performing the exorcism as well as the lack of cooperation of the patient during this process (Bull, 2001). However, the therapists with the Christian background, such Friesen and Mungadze, who acknowledge both the presence of the demon as well as the disorder, see exorcism being a helpful treatment in addition to the psychotherapy for some of the patients having a particular religious background (Bull, 2001). They allow the possibility that the psychological disturbance may coexist with the spiritual disturbance, which could be a defining justification for the application of both psychological and spiritual treatments. Even in the same studies that found the negative outcome to be associated with exorcism some positive outcomes were also reported (Bull, 2001). The differentiating factors in these situations were whether the exorcism was couples with psychotherapy and whether the patient felt coerces to participate in exorcism. For instance, even Allison, one of the pioneers in treatment of dissociative identity disorder had mentioned that he has too much experience of the demon possession , exorcism, and positive outcomes to completely dismiss this possibility (Bull, 2001). Furthermore, medicine and science alone are not capable of fully explaining human abilities. Therefore, it is proposed that both the neurobiology of the individual as well as the context of culture significantly contribute to the development of complex human abilities and the ability to relate to God among them (Fayard, Pereau, Ciovica, 2009). This implies that spiritual or religious experience does not exist apart from our physical reality and daily life in the immaterial spiritual reality. Thus, both religion and science can work hand in hand in order to increase the wellbeing of the individual. Bull proposes the phenomenological model of application of exorcism to the treatment of certain disorders such as Dissociative Identity Disorder (2001). According to him, current treatment of this disorder includes the usage of the perception of the patient without taking into account and questioning the reality or truthfulness of what the patient reports. Therefore, the same approach might be used while applying the exorcism as a treatment. This allows to avoid the clash between the religion and psychology by dismissing the delicate question about the actual existence of demons that is so puzzling for some secular therapists and to work within the belief system of the patient in order to use the beliefs otherwise considered irrational and delusional for the benefit of the patient (Bull, 2001). In addition, this also allows keeping the personal biases of the therapist at minimum. Thus, the religion practices and beliefs being the part of the culture and cultural identity of the perso n, the incorporation of such beliefs in the therapy might be seen as a simple culture-sensitive therapeutic approach. Furthermore, taking into account the idea that the patient is coming from the religious background that acknowledges the belief in the existence of demons and views the problem as caused by the foreign evil entity possessing the mind or the body, gives the therapist one more psychological tool for helping the patient (Bull, 2001). Such beliefs and worldview propose the idea that if the patient believes that something was put into the mind or the body, then it can be expelled. This technique showed to improve the overall social functioning of the individuals diagnosed with the Dissociative Identity Disorder (Ferracuti Sacco, 1996). Thus, the therapist may help the patient to apply their own spiritual resources while fighting the psychological or psychiatric diseases or at least coping with it (Bull, 2001). However, some research also indicates that religious coping strategies may be helpful for patients who identify themselves religious leading back to the issue of working within the belief system of the patients (Wildman McNamara, 2008). The same approach is suggested not only in the cases of psychotherapy but also in family therapy or counseling (Bull, 2001). In addition to the beliefs, the actual term exorcism might also be concern while adopting this approach. Due to the negative depiction of this ritual in the popular media such as in the famous film The Exorcist, this term may evoke a negative reaction. Therefore, for the sake of the comfort of the patient it can be substituted with more appropriate terms like the one preferred by the church which is deliverance or spiritual warfare (Bull, 2001). Furthermore, the therapists are even advised to use the same work describing the perceived foreign evil entity inside the patient that the patient uses (Bull, 2001). The therapist should not only identify the evil spirit that possesses the patient, but also ask the patient to tell if he or she believe in the any higher force that is more powerful than the one inside them in order to use this reference in the further treatment trying to expel the foreign evil entity (Bull, 2001). Assessing this approach from the perspective of the Christian healers, it should be said that it does not contradict the scripture. The Bible shows many episodes of exorcism. However, there are no strict guidelines regarding the symptoms, places or the ways to perform it. Furthermore, the patients from the Judeo-Christian background that perceive themselves being possessed also believe in the power of God who can help to expel the demons (Bull, 2001). However, the personal and professional skills of the person performing exorcism are no less important than the skills of the psychologist because they both provide the guidance during the exorcism necessary to achieve the regenerative outcome (Ferracuti Sacco, 1996). Conclusion The presence of extensive literature on exorcism and demon possession in the fields of theology, anthropology and sociology where spirit possession is considered to be a classic topic, and the lack of it in the fields of psychology of religion or psychiatry shows that these phenomena are not very well researched (Versteeg Droogers, 2007). Even though such incidents are not very common, they are also not as rare as society perceives them to be. For instance, about 10% of the patients in India who are diagnosed with dissociative disorder not otherwise specified actually have a possession disorder (Ferracuti Sacco, 1996). Thus, studying the psychological significance of exorcism within the Christianity or any other religion and the ways it can be applied for the benefit of the patients in combination with other medical or psychological treatment may bring some substantial results. However, as Wildman and McNamara state, while doing an empirical study in the field of religion the resea rchers should be very careful considering the social implications of their research (2008). Even the unbiased study on religion still occurs in the specific social and cultural context. Thus, the results of the ideologically neutral study might escalate and have a profound effect on the social policies, laws, and both religious and non-religious self-understanding of individuals (Wildman McNamara, 2008). Handling such controversial topic as exorcism and its application in medical, psychological or psychiatric treatment which brings together the issues of religion, medicine, psychology and psychiatry requires even more carefulness because it possesses both the benefits and the problems of each field.