Friday, December 27, 2019

Common Insect Phobias and How to Treat Them

Insect phobia, also called  entomophobia, is an excessive or irrational fear of insects. This fear stems from disgust or revulsion associated with the appearance, activity, or number of insects. Reactions to a feared insect may range from mild annoyance to extreme terror. Insect Phobias Many people living with a form of entomophobia  try to avoid outdoor gatherings or other situations where coming into contact with insects is a possibility. This disorder impacts various aspects of life, including work, school, and relationships. A person with an insect phobia is probably aware that he or she is behaving irrationally yet feels unable to control his or her reactions. Common Insect Phobias   Fear of ants: MyrmecophobiaFear of beetles: Skathariphobia  Fear of bees: ApiphobiaFear of centipedes: ScolopendrphobiaFear of cockroaches: KatsaridaphobiaFear of crickets: OrthopterophobiaFear of flies: MuscaphobiaFear of moths: MottephobiaFear of mosquitoes: AnopheliphobiaFear of wasps: Spheksophobia   Why Are People Afraid of Bugs? Joao Paulo Burini / Getty Images Many people have an aversion to insects for a number of valid reasons. For one, some bugs live and feed on the human body. Insects including mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks can transmit diseases to humans. As they feed, they may transfer parasitic protozoans, bacteria, or other pathogens that can cause life-threatening diseases such as Lyme disease, Q fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, malaria, and African sleeping sickness. The association of bugs with disease can cause a wariness of insects and a desire to avoid them. Insect appearance may be another reason that people fear bugs. Insect anatomy is starkly different from what is familiar—some bugs have many more appendages, eyes, or other body parts than humans. The movement of insects can also be very disturbing to some. To others, insects are unpleasant because they interfere with a persons sense of control due to their great quantities and unpredictability. They invade personal space and can make a person feel unsafe or unclean. People often experience a natural disdain for anything that feels threatening to their safety or well-being, and insects have this effect on many. It is only when the disdain becomes illogical fear that the condition is classified as a phobia. What Causes Insect Phobia? andersboman / Getty Images While there is not always a precise cause of insect phobia, people may develop an exaggerated fear of bugs from a specific negative experience. Should someone get stung by a bee or be bitten by a fire ant, for example, the painful encounters may affect their opinion of all bugs. Fear of insects may also be a learned response. Children who have witnessed a parent or loved one react with fear to an insect tend to respond similarly. There is also evidence to suggest that those who have suffered brain trauma or experience depression may be more susceptible to phobia development, insect or otherwise. A Phobias Effect on the Body DieterMeyrl / Getty Images A phobia is an anxiety disorder that causes a person to react irrationally to and avoid the thing they fear, regardless of whether the perceived danger is legitimate. Anxiety causes unwanted stress in impacted individuals. Stress is naturally a helpful reaction that prepares us to respond to situations that require focused attention, such as danger or exhilaration. When experiencing these things, the nervous system sends signals for the release of  adrenaline. This hormone prepares the body to either fight or flee, a response managed by an area of the brain called the amygdala. Adrenaline increases blood flow to the heart, lungs, and muscles, which in turn increases oxygen availability in these areas to prepare for upcoming physical activity. Adrenaline also heightens the senses to keep a person aware of his or her surroundings. Those with phobias experience a heightened state of apprehension, brought on by increased adrenaline, when faced with the object of their fear. Their intense stress almost always causes anxiety. Phobias impact both physical and psychological activity by causing an unwarranted response to the stimulus at hand. Insect Phobia Anxiety Individuals with  insect phobias experience varying degrees of anxiety. Some have mild reactions, while others may not be able to leave the house for fear of an insect encounter. A deep sense of gloom or feelings of being overwhelmed are also symptoms and could potentially manifest themselves as a panic attack. Symptoms of Insect-Related Anxiety Include: NauseaHeart palpitationsChest painHeadacheDizzinessProfuse sweatingDifficulty breathingNumbnessMuscle weaknessShortness of breath Insect Phobia Treatment karandaev / Getty Images Insect phobias are commonly treated with cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy. This dual approach deals with the disgust, fear, and anxiety associated with and the behavioral responses to bugs until a person suffering from the phobia becomes more comfortable with experiences he or she fears, which in this case involve insects. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy To manage the emotional response to insects, therapists teach self-calming relaxation techniques and work to alter the patients perspective about the object of his or her fear—insects. They help the person to identify the causes of their feelings and retrain their thoughts, allowing them to think more rationally about bugs. They may accomplish this by studying insects, usually with illustrated books or magazines rather than those containing real photographs. Learning about the helpful roles that insects play in the environment can positively affect the way that insects are regarded by the person, which in turn alters their emotions and behaviors. Exposure Therapy To manage the behavioral response to insects, therapists often use exposure therapy. This practice involves gradual authentic exposure to an insect, beginning with thoughts and usually ending with regulated insect encounters. In one case study, a boy with insect phobia was exposed to increasing levels of contact with crickets. His treatment included: Holding a jar of crickets.Touching a cricket with his foot.Standing in a room with crickets for 60 seconds.Picking up a cricket with a gloved hand.Holding a cricket with a bare hand for 20 seconds.Allowing a cricket to crawl on his bare arm. Safely and slowly increasing contact with a  feared insect can help a person face his or her fears and reverse a learned defense response. It is important to reverse these because they are responses of the nervous system that protect the body from danger. When a person with insect phobia responds to insects in a way that he or she feels prevents them from being harmed, the behavior is reinforced in the brain. Desensitization is the method by which a person confronts the object of their fear little by little, and it shows them that the actual consequences of encountering bugs are not usually as dangerous or harmful as they believed. Over time, the brain will then begin to reinforce this more healthy behavioral response to bugs. A person whose sensitivities to insects have been greatly reduced usually comes to associate more positive responses with insect interaction. With proper treatment, people with insect phobias can diminish their fears or even overcome them entirely. Sources Cisler, Josh M., Bunmi O. Olatunji, and Jeffrey M. Lohr. â€Å"Disgust, Fear, and the Anxiety Disorders: A Critical Review.† Clinical psychology review 29.1 (2009): 34–46. PMC. Web. 25 Nov. 2017.Jones, K M, and P C Friman. â€Å"A Case Study of Behavioral Assessment and Treatment of Insect Phobia.† Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 32.1 (1999): 95–98. PMC. Web. 25 Nov. 2017Pachana, Nancy A, Rana M Woodward, and Gerard JA Byrne. â€Å"Treatment of Specific Phobia in Older Adults.† Clinical Interventions in Aging 2.3 (2007): 469–476. Print.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Gender, Sex, And The Postnational Defense - 1539 Words

GENDER, SEX, AND THE POSTNATIONAL DEFENSE Militarism and Peacekeeping Annica Kronsell New York: Oxford University Press, 2012, In the book Gender, Sex, and the Postnational Defense Annica Kronsell is â€Å"interested in exploring the potential defense and its gender implications† (3). Looking at cases in the European Union and Sweden through a constructivist approach to gender she challenges the mainstream perspectives of masculinity and militarism. In questioning â€Å"whether the broader recognition of human security, and in particular gender and security, has influenced the way defense and military is organized† and â€Å" to what extent gender relations have been transformed in the postnational security and defense context† (4-5) Kronsell challenged the assumptions of the status quo of male and female depicted roles in military organizations and the assumption that gender parity is not realistically achievable. In the first chapter â€Å"Mothers, Soldiers, and National in the ‘Neutral’ Defense† Kronsell draws from Sweden’s military structure, focusing in particular on the conscription and voluntary defense organizations. She outlines how it is that these organizations have constructed a so-called gendered nationality as well as how â€Å"Swedish military defense and practice was founded on gendered ideas about the processes of collective identity formation and nation-making and notions of citizenship† (19). The gender dichotomy of Sweden and its defense is further emphasized when stating,Show MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pages Smith’s fully global perspectives make clear that even though gender parity has rarely been attained in any society and there have been major setbacks or few advances in INTRODUCTION †¢ 5 many countries, the position of women worldwide has improved dramatically and has very often empowered a substantial portion of humanity in ways that would have been unthinkable a century ago. Jean Quataert’s contribution to gender shifts in the twentieth century focuses more narrowly on the variable

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Energy Modelling for Theory and Applications - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theEnergy Modelling for Theory and Applications. Answer: The central issue analysed in this paper is the elasticity of substitution between energy and other inputs in contribution to the countrys GNP. This paper examines the cost or benefit of the energy policy in terms of consumption or GNP in the input output framework. The perspective of the authors are that decrease in physical availability of the energy increase the energy cost, which further causes a proportionate loss in GDP. According to authors view, if energy-GNP ratio is assumed constant, i.e.; zero input substitutability, the increase in both energy and non-energy inputs are required for the increase in GDP. On the other hand, elasticity of substitutions is infinitely elastic if the input is perfectly substitutable. Substitutability among inputs is necessary otherwise; decrease in energy inputs would reduce the total production of the economy. Hence, the energy policy makers have to choose the right combination of energy and non-energy inputs, which maximises output with minimum cost (Pahlavan, Omid and Akram 2012). As suggested by the paper of Hogan and Manne (1979), reduction in energy supply may have only 1% loss in the economy, however, this loss is large for the economy in monetary terms. Initial price of energy = $1 per unit Price of capital = $3 per unit and price of labour = $3 per unit. Quantity of energy (E) = 100 units, capital (K) = 150 units, labour (L) = 200 units New price of energy = $2, new energy quantity = 70 units, capital = 170 units and labour = 200 units Elasticity of substitution indicates that the degree of substitution between the two inputs (Zhelobodko et al. 2012). Elasticity of substitution between the two inputs is given by = In equilibrium, marginal rate of technical substitution (MRTS) between energy and labour is = price of energy / wage (Raurich, Sala and Sorolla 2012). = $1/ $3 = 0.33 New MRTS = $2 / $3 = 0.67 Change in MRTS = 0.67- 0.33 = 0.34 Initial E/L = 100/200 = 0.5 and after policy change = 70/200 = 0.35 Therefore, change in E/L = 0.35 - 0.5 = - 0.15, however modulus value is taken. Hence, = (0.15 / 0.5) / (0.34 / 0.33) = 0.3 / 1.03 = 0.29 Elasticity of substitution between capital and labour is = Initial K/L = 150 / 200 = 0.75, new K/L = 170 / 200 = 0.85 Change in K/L = (0.85 - 0.75) = 0.10 Initial MRTS = 2/3 = 0.67. As the price of the other inputs except energy remains same, the MRTS will be the same. Hence, = (0.10 / 0.75) / (0.67/ 0.67) = 0.13/ 1 = 0.13 The first reason for the difference in the elasticity is that substitutability between the labour and energy is greater compared to labour and capital. The figure indicates that is higher for E/L ratio compared to K/L ratio, as it may be that increase in energy induces producers to substitute energy with labour (Chen 2012). The second possible reason is that labour and capital are more complementary in nature compared to energy. Marginal productivity of input reflects the price of the inputs and the higher rate of substitution reflects greater substitutability among factors across different sectors of the economy (Klump, McAdam and Willman 2012). Case 1 Use of energy = 100 units and use of capital = 150 units, total production = 1000 units. New energy inputs = 120 units, new output level = 1200 units Production elasticity of electricity indicates the response in output level, when there is a change in the level of electricity used in production (Raurich, Sala and Sorolla 2012). Production elasticity of electricity = (proportional changes in output)*100 / (proportional changes in energy *100) = {(1200 - 1000) / 1000} / {(120 100) / 100} = 0.2 / 0.2 = 1 Production elasticity of capital implies changes of output in response to the changes in unit of capital used in production (Klump, McAdam and Willman 2012). Use of capital input remains unchanged to 150 units Therefore, elasticity = {(1200- 1000) / 1000} / {(150 150) / 150} = 0.2 / 0 = Case 2 Employment of capital has increased to 160 units with unchanged energy inputs. The production elasticity of electricity is = {(1200 - 1000) / 1000} / {(100 100) / 100} = 0.2 / 0 = Production elasticity of capital = {(1200- 1000) / 1000} / {(160 150) / 150} = 0.2 / 0.067 = 2.985 Introduction This study analyses the assumptions of neo classical production function critically. Neo-classical production function is the function of two inputs such as labour and capital. A Neo classical production function has several assumptions to simply the analysis. Cobb-Douglas production function is mostly used neo classical production function in economic analysis. Several authors have criticized some of the assumptions. Assumptions of neo classical production function The assumptions of neo classical production function are as follows: The production function is differentiable with positive marginal productivity of the factors o production. The factors exhibit the law of diminishing returns. The factors of production are substitutable among themselves in a perfectly competitive market. Factors are perfectly mobile. Absence of externality in production Philosophical critics According to the claim of the heterodox economics, the nature of neo classical production function, the substitution effect has not much effect in real economy (Fuss and McFadden 2014). However, in the view of Chen (2012), Cobb-Douglas production function has many real life applications. Moreover, the production only considers the effect of change in capital and labour. It cannot explain the residual element of the production function such as technology in Solow growth model. Schefold (2014) stated that neo classical production function estimates elasticity of output with respect to labour and capital according to the. However, this method of measuring output elasticity is not the correct one. Practically this estimation shows the share of profit in production and share of wage in income. Another assumption of the neo-classical theorists is that both the product and factor market are perfectly competitive, which is unrealistic. There exist other types of market structure such as monopolistic competition, monopoly and oligopoly. Therefore, production function varies across different sectors of the economy (Davis 2013). The neo classical production function assumes perfect mobility among the factors, which is not always possible in reality. Some of the industries are capital intensive, whereas some of are labour intensive. Hence, the mobility of factors is constrained by their productivity and requirement in the industry (Felipe and McCombie 2014). As depicted by Dosi et al. (2014), mathematical model of Cobb-Douglas model has similarity with the equation of national accounting identity derivative. However, Schefold (2014) mentioned that Cobb-Douglas production function correctly establish relationship with the national accounts, if the wage share is constant and technological progress is considered in production function. Fuss and McFadden (2014) cited that technological progress in the neo classical production function has been assumed linear. Dosi et al. (2014) contradicted this view to state that technological progress fluctuates overtime. Every production process has some externalities irrespective of primary, secondary or tertiary sectors of the economy. The externality may be positive or negative. Therefore, the assumption of no externality is unrealistic. Conclusion The analysis of production function is an important concept in mainstream Neo classical economics. Main inputs in this production function are labour and capital. Technology is used in this model as a residual factor in the production. This factor facilitates the production process. Despite having numerous uses, many economists have criticised this production function due to some of its unrealistic assumptions. The report has critically analysed the limitations of these assumptions. References Chen, B.Y., 2012. Classification of $ h $-homogeneous production functions with constant elasticity of substitution.Tamkang Journal of Mathematics,43(2), pp.321-328. Davis, J.B., 2013.The theory of the individual in economics: Identity and value. Routledge. Dosi, G., Grazzi, M., Marengo, L. and Settepanella, S., 2014. Production theory: accounting for firm heterogeneity and technical change. Felipe, J. and McCombie, J.S.L., 2014. The aggregate production function:Not even wrong.Review of Political Economy,26(1), pp.60-84. Fuss, M. and McFadden, D. eds., 2014.Production Economics: A Dual Approach to Theory and Applications: Applications of the Theory of Production(Vol. 2). Elsevier. Klump, R., McAdam, P. and Willman, A., 2012. The normalized CES production function: theory and empirics.Journal of Economic Surveys,26(5), pp.769-799. Pahlavan, R., Omid, M. and Akram, A., 2012. Energy inputoutput analysis and application of artificial neural networks for predicting greenhouse basil production.Energy,37(1), pp.171-176. Raurich, X., Sala, H. and Sorolla, V., 2012. Factor shares, the price markup, and the elasticity of substitution between capital and labor.Journal of Macroeconomics,34(1), pp.181-198. Schefold, B., 2014. Marx, the Production Function and the Old Neoclassical Equilibrium: Workable under the Same Assumptions?. InContribution to the Conference What have we learnt on Classical Economy since Sraffa(pp. 16-17). Zhelobodko, E., Kokovin, S., Parenti, M. and Thisse, J.F., 2012. Monopolistic competition: Beyond the constant elasticity of substitution.Econometrica,80(6), pp.2765-2784.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Unique Film-making of Tim Burton free essay sample

Tim Burton uses diegetic sounds, lighting, and high angles to express his creative cinematic style. He uses these various techniques to show how he differs from other directors styles. His choice of using these techniques relates back to his childhood, Burton was a reclusive child and very different while growing up. In the movies Edward Scissorhands and The Corpse Bride, he applies these various techniques. In the movie Edward Scissorhands, Burton uses diegetic sounds to foreshadow upcoming events in the movie. He uses the snip of the scissors when Peg, the Avon lady, was in the what seemed deserted mansion to foreshadow what/who Edward was relating to the scissors. Also in Edward Scissorhands, he used the diegetic chopping of the lettuce to accompany a flashback of Edwards past. This helped us understand more about Edward and how he became to be. In The Corpse Bride, Burton uses the diegetic sounds of Victor’s vows to also foreshadow the upcoming events with the corpse bride. We will write a custom essay sample on The Unique Film-making of Tim Burton or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Later on in that scene he used the cracking sound of the hand of Emily to show that she was now â€Å"alive†. The â€Å"I do† of Emily was included to show that Victor was now â€Å"married† to Emily. Tim Burton used a series of various types of lighting in the movies Edward Scissorhands, and The Corpse Bride. In Edward Scissorhands, he used a lot of high key lighting in the town, which had very bright pastel colors. He also used high key in the jail during the conversation between Edward and Peg. He used this so we, as the audience, could focus on the scene playing out.