Music and Adolescence free essay sample

Music is an abstract form of human expression, and can mean deferent things to different people, but It has been a part of every culture on this planet, now or anytime In recorded history (Check Berger, 2006). We will write a custom essay sample on Music and Adolescence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Whether It is individual listening, a concert, party, a dance, or a rite of passage, music contributes to a big part of many adolescents lives across the globe. It has been estimated that from seventh to 12 the grade, the average adolescent spends over two hours per day listening to music.By looking at the extent of the music consumption in the lives of adolescents, it is readily apparent that music plays an important part in their lives (North, Harvested ONeill, 2000). Music holds the power to influence many aspects of adolescents lives, both positively and negatively. It can relax or energize the body, influence cognitive development, enhance self-healing, and foster both comfort and discomfort (Essence Berger, 2006). In this paper, we will look at the effects that music can have on developing adolescent lives, socially, emotionally, and cognitively.There are many ways in which music plays an important role in the social development of adolescents. According touchstone and Katz (Bibb music has important outcomes for the their colonization, because music and peer affiliations provide adolescents with escalating social opportunities and relationships. This preferred music of peers who are admired at this time, whether for sound or travel reason, is likely to become the affiliating party choice (as cited in Miranda Class, 2009). Simon Firth (1987) acknowledges teenage identify formation as one of the main social functions of their music (as cited in Campbell et al, 2007).Teens fill their lives with music, gather around it, talk about it, all in a spirit of sociability. High schools bear witness to many cliques who mark themselves by their music and provide a way for adolescents to identify with oth ers, in their process of solidification (Despond, 1987). Many books and articles have been written suggesting that sub-cultures form around different genres of pop-music. One factor that motivates adolescents to listen to music, are the benefits It brings with a sense of belonging with peers (North Harvested, 1999).Music can help dollish boundaries between those of different ethnic, or social backgrounds. (Campbell et al, 2007) One 13 year old said hat music gave her a sense of a having a place to belong, both inside and outside the walls of school. Once a group focuses on a particular style of music, its members benefit, as they have defined themselves as part of a cultural elite, and attain the emotional gratifications of belonging. (Zillion Gang) page 60 of Social Physiology of Music Edited by Harvested North.. One possible reason that adolescents might gravitate to particular styles of music, is as a means of helping them to define their own identities. A preference for a certain style of music can carry a message to other adolescents, in regards to where they think they belong with their personal attitudes, characteristics and values. Studies show that adolescents use their music preferences as a way of telling others about themselves (North Harvested, 1999). Rock music Is often a natural target of Interest for adolescents, and one reason may be that it can open the exploration of emerging sexual thoughts and feelings.The create state of mind in which fantasy and ones own body Join together (Terror, 2001). Teens listen to music that their friends listen to, form bonds or social groups with people they want to belong with, so musical preferences become a sense of belonging for both personal and group identity (Levities, 2006). Brown Klutz (2003) found that in adolescence, social identity and relationships undergo tremendous changes, as the teen shifts their relationship from parents to peers (as cited in Miranda Grandeur, 2011). There is a link between this transitional time an adolescent is going through of parental protection to independence, and their desire for seeking and Joining a preference culture that serves as a connection to their maturity (Zillion Gang). According to Larson Ekberg (1995), music can form an Important part of the adolescent emerging from the cocoon of familial identity (as cited in Campbell et al 2007). This function of breaking away from parents, is found in some genres of music that include lyrics that express defiance of those who are perceived to control the lives of adolescents. Zillion Gang). According to Bleach, Zillion Weaver (1991), some studies indicate that teens who listen to certain rebellious forms of music such as heavy metal or rap, may also be more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors (as cited in North Harvested, 1999). In other instances, music has also been shown to promote family bonding and communication between adolescents and parents (Miranda Gaudi er, 2010). Music can also play an important role in the emotional development of adolescents. Ere power of music to evoke emotions is evident in advertisements, movies, and mothers.Music can affect adolescents emotionally at a level deeper than is possible Ninth words alone (Terror, 2001). It is used to manipulate our emotions to deeper levels because the emotions we experience in response to music take part in the cortex; the heart of emotional processing (Levities, 2006). Music can evoke both relaxation or stimulation and can also open up channels of self-expression. For the teenager this can provide a means of coping with powerful emotions and fantasies during this critical period of development.For some adolescents it can create a feeling of safety, Inhere they feel free to express feelings. It enables them to connect with, and share feelings of love, longing, anger, sadness, rage, grief, longing, as well as to experience both closeness and isolation. It can give shelter to the distressed and confused adolescent. This process of expressing emotions with music, can help the adolescent o transition from childhood gratification to work on changes and dreams connected Ninth adolescence (Terror, 2001).Self-esteem is an important part of an adolescents development and the emotional support and social approval from others can influence a childs self esteem (Contracts, MacKenzie-Rivers, Malison, Lung, (2011). Studies show that adolescents preferences of music reflected an attempt to match their own self concept, with perceptions of the people who typically listen to that style. Higher levels of self esteem were also noted to be associated with adolescents identifying themselves ore strongly with a particular musical sub culture (North Harvested, 1999).Studies have shown that music can be associated with mental health issues in suicide, self harm, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and recklessness (Eking, rapacious, Topology, Subconsc ious, Barker, 2012). However, there is a bidirectional relationship between music preferences and mental health issues. While preference for certain types of music may be red flags for mental health problems, it may also be true that preferring these music types reflects the real cause of the problems (Eking et al). For instance, there has been much controversy over the influence of heavy metal music and teenage suicide.A couple decades ago, two famous heavy metal bands were unsuccessfully sued by the parents of suicide dictum adolescents, because their music was being played while the adolescents died. Seeking et al) Studies indicate that preference for heavy metal music among adolescents may be a red flag for increased suicidal vulnerability, but the results also confirm that the characteristics of adolescents play a more important role as risk factors to suicidal behaviors, than their musical preference (Shell Westfield, 999).In one study, heavy metal music listeners were found to have a significant increase in positive attitude after listening to the music they prefer (Eking et al, 2012). Other studies confirmed that, for the majority of teenagers, listening to all genres of music has a positive effect on mood (Shell Westfield,1999). Music techniques have also been shown to be an effective method of treating adolescent mental health issues, because an adolescents life is in many ways, centered around and heavily influenced by music (Davis, Hendricks, Robinson Bradley 1999). There re also many ways in which music plays an important role in the cognitive development of adolescents. According to Arent Larson (1995), music has been found to provide adolescents with a medium which to construct, negotiate and modify aspects of their personal identity, offering them a range of strategies for knowing themselves and connecting with others (as cited in Campbell et al, 2007). It is in the adolescent years, that one begins to discover that there exists a world of different ideas, different cultures and different ideas (Levities, 2006).Students claimed hat they were not only intrigued by, but also thought it was important to know music as a means of understanding other civilizations, musics role in history, or stories of composers and performers. Music was described as an asset to shaping the broader sense of themselves, and how they might use what they know to be successful in the Nor (Campbell et al, 2007). It has been shown that musical activity involves nearly every region of the brain that En know about.Therefore, it should be no surprise that music might enhance reasoning, motor functions, computation, auditory discernment, and coordination in adolescents lives (Hellenic, 2010). Studies have shown that the brain that is engaged in music undergoes neurological changes, and the findings suggest that music stimulates complex cognitive processes (That, 2008). The adolescence brain is forming new connections at an explosive rate, and this applies to the music heard and performed; new music connects other parts of the brain to what we were listening to during this critical period (Levities, 2006).It is interesting to note that deteriorates, many of these elderly people can still remember the songs they heard En they were fourteen! It has been observed that the reason the brain remembers this, is that our teenage years were filled with many new emotional components and our magical and neurotransmitters acted to tag these memories (Levities, 2006). According to Gigged et al (as cited in Hellenic, 2010), adolescence is a period of synaptic pruning that strengthens the connections that are used more frequently and eliminates the ones that are not; this is influenced by things in which the adolescent participates.Chemistry Holland claim that both musical and mathematical processing access those synapses. So, the individual who is practicing USIA is also strengthening the neural connections that control mathematical reasoning (as cited in Hellenic, 2010). Formal music instruction during ones middle school years, indicates additional educational benefits for achievement in other academic areas, particularly in mathematics. Adolescence psychogenesis might present a window of opportunity during middle school for music to create and strengthen enduring neural connections in those regions (Hellenic, 2010).Barr and Christensen have noted that learning to read music involves manipulating patterns and symbols, which are fundamental concepts in algebra. If music and mathematics utilize the same general cortical areas, then the practice of one should influence the other (as cited in Hellenic, 2010). That could explain why the music instruction seems to enhance achievement in other areas such as math. According to Moran 2004), music teachers also assert that studying music fosters creativity, diverse thinking, and problem-solving skills (as cited in Hellenic, 2010).Based on the above studies and contemplations, I conclude that music can have a significant impact on social, cognitive and emotion development of an adolescents fife. So, how can this information be applied to the paraprofessional position of a teac hers assistant in the school system? A teachers assistant can be aware of the role and the effects that music can play in a students life and use it in several ways. Ay showing an interest in what kind of music a teenage student likes, it can communicate to the student an interest in their lives and help build a rapport with them.

Cognitive Dissonance Essay Example

Cognitive Dissonance Essay Example Cognitive Dissonance Paper Cognitive Dissonance Paper Cognitive dissonance theory was first proposed by Festinger in 1957 in which he suggested that there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency among their cognitions (i. e. beliefs/opinions). When there is an inconsistency between attitudes or behaviours then something must happen to eliminate this inconsistency and the discomfort this causes. Festinger proposed that in the case of a discrepancy between attitude and behaviour it is likely to be that the attitude will alter to accommodate the behaviour. This theory was investigated in a study undertaken by Festinger and Carlsmith in 1959. Subjects were asked to undertake two very dull repetitive tasks. At the end some of the subjects were given one dollar and told to tell the next subject that the task was interesting. Another group of subjects were given twenty dollars and told to tell the next subject that the task was interesting. The final group was sent away once the task was complete without talking to anybody. The groups were subsequently interviewed and questioned on how interesting the task had been. The one dollar group reported that the task was interesting, the twenty dollar group reported the task was boring and the control group reported the same. The conclusion was that the one dollar group was not sufficiently rewarded for lying and therefore cognitive dissonance occurred. They convinced themselves the task was interesting in order to remove the cognitive dissonance. The twenty dollar group were sufficiently rewarded for lying so felt no cognitive dissonance. Dissonance theory and the motorist. When trying to change the attitudes and behaviour of motorists we need to explore Festingers theory of cognitive dissonance. For example, when a motorist takes a rat run in order to avoid a queue of traffic he may not in effect get to his destination any quicker, neither may he recognise the risks associated with his action. If he does recognise this then dissonance will occur. In addition to this he may also live on a residential road and feel aggrieved when motorists use his road to short cut, subsequently cognitive dissonance occurs. In attempt to alleviate this dissonance he may try and justify his actions by altering his attitude in saying that if rat running was a problem on the route he uses then the council would introduce a method of preventing it. He may also convince himself that other people are doing it and one more car wont make a difference. How do we as road safety professionals bring about a change in attitude? Other methods such as physical engineering works can be used to enforce behaviour change however this will only have a short term effect and will be related only to that locality. A long term attitude will have a beneficial effect upon behaviour at all similar situations. One of the biggest successes in road safety during recent times has been the drink drive challenge. In the 1960s and early 1970s it was seen as socially acceptable to drink drive. Your friends did it so you did it with little thought for the consequences. It is fair to say that increased enforcement of this issue has had some affect on reducing the numbers of motorists drink driving but the biggest success has been with attitude change following years of awareness raising and education campaigns. This has brought about a sea change in attitude whereby nowadays it is completely socially unacceptable to drink and drive and it is likely that friends would even prevent each other from doing so. Therefore it can be seen that with sustained targeted and appropriate education attitudes can be changed. It should therefore follow that if we invest the same resources in tackling the issues of inappropriate speed then we can bring about a sustained change in attitude regarding this. We therefore need to challenge the dissonance felt by speeding motorists. In West Sussex we run a road safety campaign aimed at challenging this dissonance. Called Make the Commitment the campaign encourages motorists to sign up to a pledge to say that they will not speed in residential areas. The campaign is adopted by whole communities and not only are the pledges signed but roadside posters are erected to tell motorists that they are in a speed pledge area. This campaign has been successful in challenging the behaviour of those motorists who speed in other areas but would not dream of doing so in their own area. Also included in the campaign has been a number of radio advertisements. This have been hugely successful in reaching the target audience at the time of the behaviour you are challenging thus creating cognitive dissonance in attempt to alter their behaviour at that time. The campaign has been successful in raising the awareness of inappropriate speed and its affects on communities. As mentioned earlier education is also key in bringing about a long term change in attitude and behaviour. The UKs Road Traffic Law Review (1988) recommended that: A pilot study of one day retraining in basic driving skills as a disposal should be undertaken to determine whether such retraining produces a lasting improvement in the driving skills of the offender undertaking it. The recommendation was prompted following the identification that a large number of motor vehicle collisions are caused by driver skills deficit. Furthermore, it was felt that this approach could also benefit drivers who persistently commit traffic violations. It was felt that these drivers attitudes towards committing offences could be modified, with a consequent reduction in their offending behaviour. The National Driver Improvement Scheme (NDIS) attempts to re-educate motorists who have committed offences such as speeding or non-conformity. Attendance is offered on a referral basis as an alternative to the motorist having a fine or penalty points imposed on them. It is likely that these reasons motivate most motorists to attend rather than a desire to change as they will probably believe that they are a safe driver who was unlucky to be caught on that occasion. Therefore, we may assume that the majority of these individuals consider that they made an active, unforced and positive choice in attending the course. Dissonance theory (Festinger, 1957) suggests that NDIS clients will justify their physical, financial and psychological investment by changing their attitudes in such a way that they become consistent with those endorsed during the course. During the course attitudes and behaviour is examined and the consequences of inappropriate speeding is highlighted to the participants. Anecdotal evidence has shown that attitudes of even the most sceptical participants are affected by the course and whilst there is still much research to be undertaken to ascertain the long term affects of such programmes the initial research has shown that very few of the participants re-offend within the first two years after attending a course. It is also likely, though as far as I am aware not proven, that participants on the course will go on to re-educate others within their social circle as to the consequences of speeding. The course may therefore be having a greater impact than on just the referred participants.

Planning Document Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Planning Document - Research Paper Example The plans established during project planning stage will aid the manager to save time, resources, quality, challenges, transformations and other issues. Additionally, it helps the manager to manage team, members of staff and outside stakeholders to ensure project timely project deliverance and within schedule. Introduction Experts agree that project-planning stage is mainly the most problematic stage for human resource managers because they need to produce skilled staff, adequate resources and tools required to complete the project. They may also require organizing and communicating the plan, project scope, procurement activities and work breakdown structures for the success of the program. This paper explains my project charter for benefit and compensation package revamping, communication plan, the scope of the project and the work breakdown structure for my compensation and benefit package as a new appointed human resource manager in charge of small teams. Discussion Project Charte r for Project Benefit and Compensation Package Revamping As a new human resource head appointee and now responsible for a small team management, I have a critical role ahead. The next project based on this new task is to revamp the benefit and employee compensation package that workers are receiving at the organization. Workforce benefits and compensation are intensively crucial and significant aspects in the process of new hire approval and workforce retention. Similarly, it is my responsibility to revamp, build and provide a valuable benefit and compensation products, that motivate and retain the most crucial and experienced workforce while making them accepted, proud and approved by the company members. The primary goal and purpose of workforce compensation is to offer effective and equal benefits to workforce at a level, which align their expertise, capabilities and contributions to the organization. Compensation is the role of human resource management, which handles all forms of rewards that people receive for their better performance – such as nonfinancial and economic benefits. My financial benefits plan will entail direct rewards like salary, time off pays, wages, any form of bonus and increases on merit basis as well as other plans for profit sharing. Indirect rewards like workforce benefits, (Armstrong & Cummins, 2011). Additionally, nonfinancial benefits involve anything in workstation, which promotes workforce’s self-esteem and self-respect sense by others. Therefore, as a new human resource manager, I will design packages for compensation and benefits for the entire workforce and perspective new recruits. I will design and implement the team’s expectations to prevent miscommunication concerning employees’ requirements. The project charter will include a policy concerning the number of work hours, overtime, time compensation and time off payments (such as Holidays, emergency leaves and personal holidays). In addition, t he least or base grades of salary will be based on position or title of the job, job description, job qualification and educational qualification will be established to determined workforce salary. A compensation plan is what motivates long-term workforce that is rewarded without evaluating their jobs or establishing an entitlement sense. Therefore, as a new human resource leader, I will have to provide this material to higher management and right stakeholders for the project approval. The aim is to indicate where the dollars that workforce spends on after taxation by