Introduction to Psychological Testing Paper Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Psychological Testing Paper Essay The field of psychology is one of those broad and exciting fields. Though various psychologists tend to work in a diverse array of fields one of the common aspects that they all share is that they all study behavior and associate its results to some specific measurements. Psychological tests are some of the common tests that are carried out in this field of psychology. The tests are carried and analyzed then the results are interpreted in such a way so as to attain different attributes for various individuals. One of the interesting things is that these results may vary in accordance with various factors which may either have a positive or negative impact on the tests. These tests have found their way into a number of applications with individuals being tested to determine whether they are up to task to ascertain their levels of performance in a diverse array of fields. The term test in psychology testing is one that has to be defined first in order to determine the workability of the process and the results that should be expected. According to a renowned psychologist Anatasi (1997) the term test as used in the field of psychology, is defined as â€Å"an objective and standardized measure of a sample of behavior†. This very definition tends to bring three core elements of psychology testing. The term objective tends to generally give the idea on how the test score is interpreted meaning that it is as a result of an objective criterion instead of subjective judgment by the examiner. The term standardized in the definition means that the results will be uniform independent of any qualified examiner. The term sample in the definition shows us that the test is drawn from previous collected inferences and results. Most of the psychological tests are categorized into a variety of groups depending on the results and the individuals involved. These tests may be administered to an individual that is one person at a time and they are known as â€Å"individual tests† as compared to â€Å"group tests† which are administered to more that an individual. See more: how to start an essay From time in memorial various psychologists have used three main criteria’s to distinguish various abilities that individuals possess. The tests may differ in that they may be grouped as either â€Å"ability or personality tests†. A personality test is described as one that is related â€Å"to the overt and covert dispositions of the individual† (Kaplan and Saccuzzo, 2008). This means that these types of tests will generally measure an individual’s typical behavior. These types of tests will then be divided into two distinctive groups of either structured or objective personality tests. The structured type of tests require the individual to choose from a variety of two options such as â€Å"true† and â€Å"false† or â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no†. Objective personality tests on the other hand are more complicated in that an individual is required to provide spontaneous responses. This type of testing generally assumes that the individual will tend to produce unique characteristics. The main concept behind these tests is actually to evaluate differences or variations that various individuals may exhibit. One of the assumptions that these tests tend to be pegged upon is that the resultants are actually the real differences among individuals. With this it can then be said that the most important aspect of testing is to generally differentiate among those individuals taking the tests (Domino and Domino, 2006). The three, aptitude, achievement and intelligence are used to determine the types of tests to be performed so as to determine their degree in an individual. Achievement in contrast to aptitude refers to previous learning while aptitude refers to the potential that an individual inhibits to do more. Intelligence on the other hand is distinguished from both achievement and aptitude in the sense that it refers to the general potential an individual has to â€Å"solve problems, adapt to environments and profit from experience†. The three however are believed to be interrelated in one way or another and a term that has been coined up to describe this situation is the term â€Å"human ability† (Kaufman and Kaufman, 2004). Two of these tests; achievement and aptitude tests have found their way in educational and most of the times employment institutions where they are used to deduce an individual’s ability. These tests are used to determine how much an individual knows about a certain aspects such as calculations, spellings or masterly of certain material objects such as practices and the like. Intelligence tests on the other hand try to measure an individual’s ability to basically understand the world and its environment analyze its functionality and use the acquired knowledge to improve the quality of the individual’s life. A renowned psychologist by the name Alfred Whitehead (1929) describes intelligence as having the potential to â€Å"enables the individual to profit by error without being slaughtered by it†. However the measurement of this ability has come under close scrutiny with critics arguing that most tests do not provide clear cut results or fail out rightly. The field of psychological testing is mainly governed by two major principles that is; validity and reliability. The term validity as it used in this field means that the tests and results are useful in whatever the reason they are carried on. On more technical terms the term can be said to represent the degree in which â€Å"certain inferences or interpretations† can be considered to be appropriate (Kaplan and Saccuzzo, 2008). Reliability on the other hand refers to the degree in which the tests and results obtained are free from errors. It refers to the accuracy, consistency, dependability of the test results. Although the concept of psychological testing is becoming an important phenomenon in today’s modern world, controversies have in some cases dogged the otherwise noble idea. One of the aspects that come into play is that most of the tests are usually administered by counselors and if the training is not adequate then the validity and reliability of the tests may be somehow substandard. The issue of ethics also comes into play and when monetary aspects are considered then the issue of ethics may just be thrown out of the window. This is especially true considering the number of individuals especially in the internet who purport to be offering an array of tests which their authenticity does not weigh the balance. Some social and theoretical issues have arisen with the fragile issue of race finding its path to those who vehemently criticize this process. However since nothing will ever be perfect, a compromise is often reached whereby the positives of this process outweigh the disadvantages and thus the process is preferred and applied in many institutions.

Gender In Respond To Stress And Overcome Stress Psychology Essay

Gender In Respond To Stress And Overcome Stress Psychology Essay The process of growing, different gender does have different respond on when facing the stress and even the way of copping the stress. In this study, we were targeting with both gender by category their age, race, culture and surrounding issue that influence or change them the point of respond to stress and the way of copping the stress. There are many issue and different causes of creating stress for our daily life but it is not a way for both genders. We could have more understand type of stress is facing on the certain age and different respond both genders. In the study, we had realize that a great changing view respond to stress and overcome the stress in both gender on category age of teenager and adult. Furthermore, changing view of stress found in different culture for both gender. It is reason for when reach an adult age. Working environment has making them change. Stress In this world, our daily life is filled with stress. Stress is a common issue that has become a discussion among researchers. There are many reasons why a person gets involve in a stressful condition. Based on Laheys study, sources of stress can be categorized into five category which are life events, frustration, conflict, pressure and environmental condition (Lahey,2012). Life events is one of the major sources of stress as people need to have adjustments in their life every day, regardless of any situations or conditions (Dohrenwend,2006;Lahey,2012). Negative events such as losing a loved one or losing a home after disaster creates anxiety, depression and physical illnesses and psychological illnesses (Lahey,2012) However, even positive events can be stressful too. Getting a new car or house, graduating from college, getting married are also happy situations where people need time to adjust to their normal living pattern ( Lahey, 2012). Frustration Other source of stress comes from frustration which is the result or decision that could not able to satisfy a motive (Lahey,2012). Continuous dissatisfactory of the results gained such as individuals being subjected to racial discrimination would be able to become major source of stress.(Gallo Matthews; Lahey,2012) Conflict The third source of stress is conflict in which a state of two or more motives cannot be satisfied because they interfere with one another. (Lahey, 2012) Conflict happens when two people have different goals or different opinions in which both of them are trying to get an agreement. In this condition, two major source of stress in conflict are trying to satisfy each other with their different opinions while being aware of each other to accept their individual decision. Pressure Stress can be aroused from pressure in facing threats of negative events ( Lahey, 2012). For example, college students feel pressure due to handing in assignments before dateline and preparing for exams. A single mother will feel pressure when providing provision for her family while performing well in her job. An employee will feel pressure in pleasing the boss with excellent work while competing with other colleague. Environmental conditions The environment that we are surrounded by is also one of the factor that causes stress ( Lahey, 2012). For instance, if a person lives in a an environment filled with noise pollution, chances of an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and respiration is high and hindrance in the digestive processes is possible ( Hughes M., 2010 ) . Introduction Different Gender in Respond to Stress and How Overcome the Stress. There are many reasons that cause stress; even we are still at a young age. We believe that both genders have their own methods in responding to stress. At the same time we also believe that both genders responses to stress can be influence by other aspect. In the sports field, both genders athletes have different methods to cope with stress. Researchers found that women use the coping strategies of venting motions, positive reinterpretation, dissociation, and emotional social support more often than men did to cope with stress. ( Hammermeister Burton 2004; Mark Toto 2009). Besides that, there is another study about racial discrimination and ways on how to cope with stress among African Americans (Utsey, Ponterotto, Reynolds Cancelli, 2000). It was found that between adult men and women, women tend to seek social support more than men do (Flora Rahim, 2006). Based on the studies, we understand that both genders have different ways of coping with stress. Furthermore, genders differences have an effect in anxiety disorders that appears to begin around the age of 6 where female are higher than male with ratio is already 2:1 (Robinson, 2006; Sharon Jennifer, 2011). From the statement we understood that stress begins at the adolescence stage. In the study of Kagan and Lewis (1965), it was found that girls are more mentally developed ahead of boys. Therefore, girls have better response to stress compared to male at the adolescence stage (Walter Terry, 1974). This led us to believe that different stress occurs in adolescence stage. Nevertheless, some studies have evidences that clearly stated the differences between genders affect stress. Girls have higher level of stress than boys do during their teenage years as they are more likely to be more aggressive to have conflict with parent and teacher. (Walter Terry, 1974). Based on the MacFarlane (1970) study, during period high school period, girls slightly manifest more anxiety than boys (Walter Terry, 1974). On other hand, women may also experience more school-related anxiety than men during both stressful events (examinations) as well as the long term events (Martin, 1997). Besides schooling period, a study showed that during college period, women experience more negative images of themselves and they are more likely to manifest neurotic symptoms than male (McKee and Sherriffs,1957 as cited in Walter Terry,1974). Other researches analysis provided us some insight on the differences between male and female supporting staff. There are differences in stress outcomes experienced by male and female workers between the age of 25 to 30 year old (Dr. Zafir Fazilah). A study showed that women suffer more stress from working environment compared to men because women also experience certain unique stressors such as gender inequality as well as experiencing stressors common to both genders (Kristina Stephen, 2004). Besides that, for married couples, it is believed that neighborhood stressors will have greater impact on womens mental health rather than mens (Flora Rahim, 2006).There is a considerable amount of evidence indicating that women are more psychologically and physiologically reactive to stressors than men (Liu, Spector Lin Shi, 2008). Through this study and the statement provided, we found that women have the higher percentage to develop stress compared to men. For ways of coping stress, there is a slight difference between both genders. In a study, adult men were found to resort to alcoholic method more than women (Christopher Alvin, 2009). Based on Jessicas study, since men are taught that it is unacceptable to express their depression to others, they may seek comfort from other sources such as alcohol. Indeed, one argument supported the idea that the different rates of depression between men and women are illusionary is that alcoholism is twice as common in men as in women (Murakumi J., 2002). Discussion Conclusion. After analyzing the studies and research papers related to the topic, our group agreed that the first thesis is different gender respond to stress in different ways. It is confirmed that the thesis we had made matches the evident to support it. Besides that, we found that different response in stress starts during teenage years with female developing faster than male. On the overall view, all members of our group believed that the methods used to cope with stress are different where female are far more mature than male. Furthermore, we found that the stress level is different for both gender at young age with females getting more anxiety and more depression especially in high school period when compared to males. The reason for higher level of females depression in high school is because female starts to gets themselves non-invisible attention in school through usage of make up so that they are able to follow the trend of teenage years. It is the reason that women have high stress ou tcome than men. Hence, it led us to believe that women have the higher risk to have psychological illnesses such as insomnia and anxiety disorder. However, female are better in managing with stress based on a study by Mark and Toto (2009). Female are known to vent their emotions, positive reinterpretation, dissociation, and emotional social support more often than men do. (Mark and Toto, 2009). Yet this does not mean that males are healthier than female. Males often use negative way to cope with stress compared to females. Examples like alcohol and smoking cigarettes are common ways for males to cope with stress. This brings great impact to the body heath such as lung cancer and liver diseases. Nevertheless not all of the male are using the same negative copping stress as males also use positive ways to cope with stress. For example they do sports to cope with their stress. The current statement had reached our other thesis which is that both genders have their different ways to cop e with stress. At the end, our group came out with a thesis that both genders have their own ways to respond to stress and to cope with stress because everyone have their own personality, thinking and stress outcome.

Challenges for Advertising Agencies by New Delivery Systems

Challenges for Advertising Agencies by New Delivery Systems Maphosa  Mokone Title of essay or assignment: WHAT HAS BEEN THE CHALLENGE POSED FOR ADVERTISING AGENCIES BY NEW MEDIA AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS? This essay will firstly give a brief overview of the beginning of advertising agencies followed by a brief outline of the role of these advertising agencies. This will be followed by a discussion of about new media and its functions. The challenges that new media and delivery systems have posed for advertising agencies will be discussed and finally a conclusion. Overview of the beginning of advertising agencies will be discussed followed by a brief outline of the role of advertising agencies. Advertising agencies first became prominent in the late 1800s with a rising demand for advertising services from magazines and newspapers (Reference). The first known and acknowledged advertising agency was William Taylor from as early as 1786 followed by another prominent one in 1800 which was started by James Jem White at Fleet Street in London. Agencies started in America in 1850 which placed client produced advertisements in newspapers (Reference). Agencies started operating on a global scale during the early twentieth century. One of the currently well-known advertising agencies that started in the 1850s is James Walter Thompson (JWT) (Reference). JWT first joined Carlton and Smith Agency; eventually purchasing the advertising firm in 1877 and renamed it JWT. Inorder to be to make the agency successful, JWT hired artists and writers; forming the first known Creative Department in any advertising agency. JWT was also the first agency to develop and leave a global footprint (Refer ence). Since then, several other agencies have been created. Whilst some have survived through adapting to current global technological changes, some have folded as a result of depleting advertising budgets. This will be discussed further within the essay. Christian, (2014) asserts that advertising agencies usually operate independently from their clients and sometimes handle overall marketing and branding strategies and sales promotions for its clients. Businesses have for many years been reliant on advertising agencies which use advertising platforms such as television, newspapers, radio and magazines. Advertising agencies are services centred on advertising businesses. According to Hackley, (2010), advertising agencies create, plan and handle advertising for its customers. Advertising agencies may sometimes include marketing and undertake other promotional work for its clients (Hackley, 2010); and can sometimes also handle overall marketing and branding strategies and sales promotions for customers depending on the customers needs (Hackley, 2010). In the beginning, advertising agencies did not create advertisements but simply brokered advertising space in magazines and newspapers. Advertising agencies have overtime added creative se rvices to increase revenue. Their main role is to work with clients to develop advertising campaigns. They are staffed by copywriters, art directors, and media planners who create and place advertisements in what they deem as appropriate media for target audiences. Advertising agencies work within a companys advertising budget. What is New Media and its functions Advertising is becoming increasingly refined due to the introduction of new media. Chun and Keenan, (2006. Eds) refer to New media as products and services that provide information using various forms of electronic communication accessible the use of computer technology; it generally describes content that can is available on-demand through the Internet. New media enables people to view any content on various devices such as computers, laptops, tablets etcetera. This provides people with a way to immediately interact with the content and also enables people to share a lot of content online within a short space of time; this can be social networks or work related content with co-workers. Heath and Bryant, (2000) state that the introduction of new media has posed challenges to traditional advertising agencies due to the growth of the Internet and mobile technologies. Lewis, (2010) concurs by suggesting that the introduction of new media has had significant implications for advertising industry as new media has become the preferred platform of advertising thereby usurping business from advertising agencies. Dewdney and Ride, (2006) state that one of the key features of new and emerging media technologies which are now being used to advertise are often portable and have the capability to reach a wider audience within a very short space of time. New media advertising is mainly cost effective as most of the advertising platforms are free; this is not the case with old media which has always been used by advertising agencies (Lindgren cited in Galloway, 2005). New media advertising has the ability to promote visual marketing which is appealing to the consumer as compared to old media advertising which mostly in print form; and also enables content delivery on demand by consumers depending on the target audience (Las Vegas Review Journal, 2016). New media enables clients to develop blogs or webpages that provide up-to-date information on their products or services within seconds whereas advertising media have to plan in advance and schedule release of information following availability and purchase of advertising space. Within new media delivery systems, customers can subscribe to news feeds by receiving alerts to sales or company events directly to their electronic gadgets (reference). Companies with an online presence can also advertise their business on other popular websites to direct unique visitors to their companys webpage or use influencers to draw business towards their products. Whilst advertising agencies can also use influencers , it takes longer for advertisements to be seen on print media.In addition, new media has the ability and capacity to facilitate person-to-person communication through the availability of multimedia messaging through MMS, text messaging, SMS, emailing, SMS, online chatting and instant messaging, online forums and blogging within a short space of time; whereas old media used by advertising agencies is usually more of story -telling and rarely delivers specific calls to action (Streten, 2013). Advertising agencies use a one way form of communication whereas new media offers a two way communication with target audiences hence businesses now rely more on new media as it is easy to reach prospective new clients (Hausman, 2012) (Owen, 1999). This poses a massive challenge to advertising agencies as the amount of time taken to reach the same number of prospective clients will be much more. New media has brought about change to service provision in areas as diverse as dating, delivery of hi gher education courses and how people do their banking and the advantage is that this can be set for specific target audiences and therefore most companies will prefer this type of advertising as the target audience will be reached faster in comparison to traditional advertising; for example, when advertising adult content on television, this can only be advertised after watershed times and by then, some of the target audiences will not be watching or might miss the adverts (Bennet, 2003). Advertising agencies have been known to work as a link between smaller businesses which cannot often afford personal marketing teams and therefore companies, especially smaller ones turn to new advertising platforms as these are usually free (Inc.com, 2016). Advertising agencies have for many years focused predominantly on traditional media advertising, alongside television media (Brooks, 2012). However, new media has dramatically changed the role that print advertising plays in an agencys overall strategy and therefore advertising agencies have to now determine the new role for print, if any leading to the agencys further predicament. New media enables advertisers to quantify the increased revenue to clients which is a challenge to advertising agencies as their revenues cannot be accurately quantifiable (Hausman, 2012). New media, for example, Instagram, has the provision for advertisers with business insights, to understand their followers and clients engagement with the advertisin g campaigns (Instagram Business Tools, 2016) whereas advertising agencies do not have this provision especially if advertising on print media. Advertising agencies will need to master brand advertising and marketing and so as to be able to quantify the increased revenue to clients. In addition, agencies will need to work to focus more on the customer than its client inorder to somehow match new media delivery systems. This is likely to be costly for the agency as they need to train staff and change the rest of their planned advertisements (Reference) The challenges that new media and delivery systems have posed for advertising agencies New media has dramatically changed how advertising works and are continuously presenting several challenges for advertising agencies. Some of the hurdles encountered by advertising agencies include using new media and delivery systems media to deliver financial outcomes for clients, and they effectively integrate new media delivery systems such as Facebook, Instagram and twitter into inclusive campaigns and use these to convince clients that experts in social media can effectively deliver better results than doing so in person. Willott, (2011) suggest that changes in both technological and consumer behaviour have led to significant implications for the advertising industry. He argues that new media has given rise to the need to revisit advertising strategies and to the development of new ways of customer engagement for marketers during the communication process. Deuze, (2005) states that whilst engaging customers in advertising activities, new media has forced agencies to rethink new creative possibilities therefore creating challenges for adverting agencies as they have been used to a certain way of advertising which has always suited their business without taking the consumer into much consideration (2007). Therefore, it in this sense that new media has created both opportunities and challenges to advertising agencies and practitioners as they need to rise to the challenge of new media delivery systems by working in a way that will surpass or match or new media advertising. Falls (2009) suggests that advertising agencies are trying to figure out social media and if they want to continue to offer various marketing services to clients, then it is important to evolve and embrace some tenets of new media and adjust advertising strategies. He indicates that some agencies are adjusting by hiring smart new media thinkers; however there are still many that still operate in the same way they did before the introduction of media which has taken over the world of adverting. Falls, (2010) further states that many ad agencies have not yet figured out Interactive advertising; for example, Web 1.0 followed by Web 2.0 and many agencies and their respective creatives (art directors, copywriters, designers) and clients services teams are still not trained to think digitally. He argues that the problem is that there is a culture clash between advertising agencies and new media advertising and the issues can be said to both philosophical and tactical. (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). Philosophically, Falls, (2010) suggest that advertising agencies use a one-way communication system aimed at large groups of customers as compared to new media delivery systems which offer a two-way communication system; this requires listening and speaking. He further argues that new media can be deemed a multiple-way communication system as brands can speak and listen to customers and also observe or watch whilst other customers communicate with each other. Agencies creatives and strategic planners have to try and include similar communication systems however this will take a long time to achieve and can be costly as they have to either engage staff that are familiar with new media or train their existing staff on how new media works which may not be cost effective (Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010). It can be argued that new media delivery systems are customer focussed as it offers value for money to customers whereas advertising agencies are more business focussed and do not of fer to build a relationship with the customer (Coghlan, W. 2007). Therefore, philosophically, it can be argued that agency creative staff are being asked to all of a sudden master and undertake new methods of advertising and communicating which is in contrast to everything they have learnt in their careers. This has a direct impact on agencies as it directly impacts staff morale and can be counter effective. Looking at the issues from a tactical view, Falls, (2010) states that advertising creatives have always primarily focussed on traditional media and therefore are not wed savvy. For most of the employees, during the traditional advertising era, there were technological or electronic designing classes. Advertising was more art focussed which means the agency directors and designers were and still are more art focussed than technological. Traditional advertising is more linked to storytelling whereas web savvy specialists emanate from a technological era hence are experienced at in teractive or digital communication and work production. Falls, (2010) further states within advertising agencies, creative teams usually brainstorm to create their advertisements and are usually not part of the creative process and told what to input in their creative pieces by someone who makes the decision whereas those from the new media era are part of the creative process and therefore become part of the decision making process. (Reference). In addition, new media revolves around content creation, however, advertising agencies are incapable and ill prepared to create and produce the volume and type of content necessary for delivery systems such as Facebook, blogs, YouTube, Instagram and twitter, to name a few. New media on the other hand produces immediate quick conversational and responsive content whereas advertising agencies have to proof read several times and given the go ahead to publish. Advertising agencies buy advertising space and place advertisements for their clients and this is for a certain period of time however in new media, any posts last as long as the user likes and therefore are available to be viewed by more people generating possible new clientele (Reference). This has resulted in advertising agencies realising massive plummeting revenue figures. Due to advertising revenue falling due to plummeting readership and circulation, agencies have been forced to let some of its staff go which has endangered the quality of the newspapers and worsened the situation for advertising agencies (Currah, 2009a). Staff turnover has had a huge impact on advertising agencies due to loss of jobs due to most work which was manually done in old media being done technologically/electronically. Gregory, (2012)s research into how new media was impacting on advertising agencies indicates in the recent global recession in addition to new media appears to have left a massive impa ct on advertising agencies and their employees. Gregory, (2012) states several agencies had to downsize or lay off most of their employees while other employees moved to different industries because they were unsure about their jobs. Learmont, (2008), reports that according to a web based advertising agency media analysis of US Department of Labour employment statistics and news reports, advertising agencies in the United States shed more than 30,000 jobs in 2008 inorder to remain viable. However, in shedding these jobs, the agencies are likely to encounter further challenges as the laid off staff have the knowledge of how advertising works and therefore can get together and start their own competitive agencies that utilise new media and therefore pose more challenges as their customers will follow them in top their new businesses as they will already have a working partnership. These changes resulted in high turnover at other competing corporations; therefore, this weakened client ties to advertising agencies as most employees that individual clients had developed working relationships with had left the advertising agencies and therefore took their businesses elsewhere. Clients were unsure if these advertising agencies would continue trading which could negatively impact their businesses if the agencies went out of business (Gregory, 2012). Advertising agencies need to have consistent and trusting relationships with their afloat otherwise a non-consistent relationship makes it easier for clients to take their business elsewhere. Inorder to overcome McCabe, (2012 in Gregory, 2012) states that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. its difficult to maintain consistent creative approaches and media buying strategies when writers, art directors and media buyers dont remain agency employees beyond one airing of an advertising campaign, This mainly results from low sta ff turnover following agencies retrenching staff go due to low clientele leading to agencies losing their income base. Most business that was traditionally handled by advertising agencies has now mostly been taken over by new media advertising. Business owners appear to prefer this type of advertising as they argue that whilst there are certain challenges in using new media for business advertisements, these are outweighed by the opportunities in terms of cost, longevity of displayed advertisements, reaching target audience on a wide scale (e-marketer, 2016): for example, advertising on Facebook also advertises on Instagram meaning you place one advert on one delivery system and it appears on other delivery systems using Instagrams hashtag system. Due to the hours people spend on their mobile phones, emails and browsing social networks, a little time is now spent reading newspapers and magazines and usually by the older generation who still prefer traditional media advertising, advertising agencies that have remained afloat have had to completely change the way. Most customers would like to skip commercial and therefore prefer to use new media delivery systems which enables them to skip commercials and view whatever interests them. Epstein, (2015) states that advertising agencies and brand advertisers are still focussing on the short slots they that traditional media has used since the inception of traditional advertising because this is what they have always known and been good at. However, due to their reluctance to adapt to the changes brought by new media, the agencies are failing to reach their target audiences as the audiences have now been swept away by the new media and service delivery systems (Choi, (2011). Therefore , it can be argued that despite these changes and challenges being encountered by agencies, they are still inept to adapt to the changes that are ruining agency efficacy. Advertising agencies have become rigid to the ways to they practice such that they have been increasingly slow to adapt to the new media ways of practice (Haughteling, 2015) This could be a result of the way advertisements have been formulated in the past and because they have over the years successfully operated in this way, agencies do not see the need to adapt and evolve to the advertising trends brought about by new media and delivery systems. Haughteling, (2015) suggests that the big successful advertising agencies such as Omnicom, IPG[1], Saatchi and Saatchi and WPP to name a few, have adapted and focussed more upon its digital functions and in so doing, shuffled their teams to suit current trends and laid off excess staff and hired already qualified personnel who are adept in using new media. However, with a ll the changes the agencies have undergone, these have not altered the fundamental threats faced by advertising agencies in this era of rapid technological change resulting from the excellence of new media (Beeching and Wood, 2007). If agencies are ill-equipped to handle the demands of digital media, new partners who are ready to rise upto the challenge will continue to usurp business from the agencies and additional challenges will be realised by agencies and affect their efforts of trying to remain afloat and in competition. In addition, brands can directly partner digital influencers who have hordes of new media followers and play an important role in matching brands, manufacturers and clients as they help to coordinate broader campaigns (Benkler, 2006). Whilst advertising agencies place advertisements that aims to reach a wider group of customers, new media involves individually tailored person to person marketing (Hausman, 2012). New media uses targeting tools which enables advertisers to pay only for advertisements that they feel prospective clients who might be interested in the advertised products (Allen, 2015). Magazine advertising campaigns are commonly produced beforehand and are usually scheduled for months which does not satisfy the consumers need for new content on a regular basis (Hausman, 2012). New media on the other hand produces and immediately issues out regular new content on a regular basis. In addition, OGuinn et al., (2012) state that advertising agencies have periodical subscription fees as compared to new media which is mostly free or cheaper which results in new media having the urge over advertisements placed by advertising agencies. Therefore, this poses several challenges for advertising agencies as they lo se regular and prospective clientele to new media platforms which offers them much more for less payments. In addition to the above, advertising agencies do not completely. Conclusion In conclusion, it is apparent that the rise of new media has posed challenges for advertising agencies in that major changes have been realised within the advertising industry as a whole and to the role of advertising agencies in particular. Coghlan, W. (2007) states that advertising agencies work as a link between clients and consumers however the speed with which new media delivery systems avails new content on various platforms cannot be matched by platforms used by advertising agencies. New media continues to lead in the advertising setting and research shows that it still has a capability to gain further momentum with the next few years as more and more delivery systems are being introduced which appear to be favoured by both the customers and clients (Reference). New media advertising has opened a whole new wide world of opportunities for clients as more and more customers are engaging well with new media. Digital media use is global and is increasingly overtaking agencies time spent watching TV and reading newspapers in on the decline. Internet use now accounts for double the time spent using traditional media (Meeker 2015). New media is getting stronger; for example, Instagram, one of the new media delivery systems is expected to reach at least $3.8 billion business by 2020 (DOnfro, 2016). In contrast, advertising agencies are having to lay off staff due to a decline in clientele and moreso their advertising budget is increasingly decreasing due to a decline in their profit margins. References Andreasen, A.R. (2002). Marketing Social Marketing in the Social Change Marketplace. Journal of Public Policy Marketing.Vol. 21 (I) pp. 3-13 Deuze, M. (2010). Managing Media Work. Business Economics. SAGE Publications. London Fox, S. 1985. Making of Modern Advertising. New York Joseph, T. (2007). Breaking Up America: Advertisers and the New Media World. University of Chicago Press. Chicago. Liang, K. and Jacobs, L. (2015). Chinas advertising agencies: Problems and relations International Journal of Advertising Vol. 13(3) pp. 205-215 Marchand, R. 1995. Advertising the American Dream: Making Way for Modernity, 1920 1940 Berkeley: University of California Press. Miller, C 1994, Advertisers face an interactive future, Marketing News, 28, 14, p. 10, Business Source Ultimate, EBSCOhost, viewed 8 December 2016. OBrien, M., 2015. What Challenges Do Agencies Face? Agency Spotlight Marketing. Available online at: https://www.clickz.com/what-challenges-do-agencies-face-in-2015/25796/ [Accessed on 08 November 2016] Owen, B.M. 1999. The Internet Challenge to Television. Cambridge. Harvard University Press. Patten, G. 2015, Media buying will get harder, Campaign Asia-Pacific, p. 44, [Accessed on: 9 December 2016] Salman, A., Ibrahim, F., Hj.Abdullah M.Y., Mustaffa, N. and Mahbob, M.H. 2011. The Impact of New Media on Traditional Mainstream Mass Media: The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal, Vol. 16(3). Creeber, G. R. Martin. 2009. Digital Cultures: Understanding New Media. Berkshire, England: McGraw-Hill. Bennett, W. L. 2003. New Media Power: The Internet and Global Activism. In Contesting Media Power: Alternative Media Power in a Networked World, edited by N. Couldry and J. Curran. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield. Pui Yuen LEE, 2014. Social Media Challenges for Advertising Business and Creatives Management in the Social Media Era. International Journal of Research in Business Studies and Management Volume 1, Issue 1, PP 1-11. Chris Paterson, David Domingo, Making Online News, The ethnography of new media production, Peter Lang Publishing Inc, New York, 2008, page 175. Michael Learmont (2008), AdvertisingAge, Media companies cull 30,000 in fight for their future, 8.12.2008, http://adage.com/print?article_id=133071 Lundà ©n, K. 2008. The Death of Print? The Challenges and Opportunities facing the Print Media on the Web. Reuters Institute Fellowship Paper, University of Oxford Andrew Currah (2009a): Whats happening to our news: An investigation into the likely impact of the digital revolution on the economics of news publishing; A Reuters Institute Challenge paper. Meeker, M. 2015. Internet Trends 2015, http://www.kpcb.com/internet-trends. Napoli, P. M. 2011. Audience Evolution: New Technologies and the Transformation of Media Audiences. New York: Columbia University Press. Newman, N., Levy, D. A. L., Nielsen, R. K. 2015. Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2015. Oxford: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. http://www.digitalnewsreport.org/ Higuera, V. 2016.Advantagesand DisadvantagesofTraditional Marketing Accessed on 23.12.2016. Available onlie at: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-traditional-marketing-25573.html Absolute Marketing Group. (2016). Traditional vs. New Media: The Balancing Effect | Absolute Marketing Group. [online] Available at: http://www.absolutemg.com/2014/12/23/traditional-media-balancing-effect/ [Accessed 3 December 2016]. Church, R. (2000).Advertising consumer goods in nineteenth-centuary Britain: reinterpretations. The Economic History Review, 53(4), pp.621-645. Hausman, A. (2016). 16 Differences between Traditional Media and Social Networking. [online] MKT Maven. Available at: https://www.hausmanmarketingletter.com/16-differences-between-social-media-and-traditional-media/ [Accessed 23 December 2016]. OpenLearn.(2016).A brief history of advertising. [online] Available at: http://www.open.edu/openlearn/money-management/management/business-studies/brief-history-advertising [Accessed 5 January 201]. Social Media Advantages and Disadvantages in Business. (2016) Las Vegas Review Journal: Social Media Platforms Help Businesses Engage Customers. [Accessed on 28 December 2016] Houghteling, N. 2015. Why your traditional agency will never really understand digital. Available online at: http://mashable.com/2015/04/09/traditional-agency-digital. Accessed 05 January 2017 Epstein, S. 2015. Why the traditional ad agency is a dying breed. Available online at: http://mashable.com/2015/07/30/the-ad-agency-is-dead. Accessed 05 January 2017 Goforth-Gregory, J. 2012. Challenges Facing Todays Advertising Company. Available online at: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/challenges-facing-todays-advertising-company/. Accessed on 04 January 2017 Brooks, S.L.(2012 Evaluating the effectiveness of content and brand marketing Lacayo Advertising in Gregory, J. (2012). Available online at: ttps://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/challenges-facing-todays-advertising-company Accessed on 04 January 2017. Falls, J. 2009. Advertising Agencies And Social Media: A Culture Clash. Available online at https://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/cases-and-causes/advertising-agencies-and-social-media-a-culture-clash/. Accessed on 07 January 2017 Learmont, M. (2008), Advertising Agency, Media companies cull 30,000 in fight for their future, Available online at: http://adage.com. Accessed on 07 January 2017. Beeching, P., Wood, J. (2007). The rise and fall of the advertising agency, Admap, 48-49. Benkler, Y. 2006. The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Brown, J., Broderick, A. J., and Lee, N. (2007). Word of Mouth Communication within Online Communities: Conceptualizing the Online Social Network. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 21(3), 2-20. Caves, R. (2000). Creative industries. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Choi, S. M. (2011). Guest Editorial: Advertising and Social media. International Journal of Advertising, 30(1), 11-12. Coghlan, W. (2007). Facing the Digital Reality: The Path to Future High Performance in Advertising. New York: Accenture Media and entertainment. Hart

Death And The Kings Horseman: Giving Up The Battle Essay -- essays res

From the Western perspective, it is hard to understand ritual suicide as anything positive or helpful to the living. There almost seems to be no Western equivalent to the "duty" of Elesin in Death and the King's Horseman. However, Wole Soyinka gives us a comparable situation in Jane's description of a captain blowing up a ship to save the people on the shore. It's a moment of hypocrisy on Britain's part, both trying to prevent Elesin's suicide and lauding a Western suicide which purports to do the exact same thing - save the living from destruction. It's also clear that Olunde sees this ridiculous parallel, but he does not make Jane see the connection. Instead, he lets the matter drop, which, in the Western perspective is puzzling. We want everyone to see the truth and explain it, and think worse of Olunde because of his inability to show Jane what's really going on. But it is really his own unique viewpoint and actions that show that what he does is much smarter than our want of brute force.Olunde's intelligence stems from thinking before acting. Yes, Jane gives perfect ammunition to explain why his father saving his people from destruction and going to a much better place, but that doesn't mean the best solution is for him to point this out. Changing people's opinions in discussion might be a Western virtue, but opening one's trap is not always the best strategic option. Olunde's education and background combined give him a unique vantagepoint on action, and he...

Abusing the Force Essays -- Law Enforcement Social Issues Police Essay

Abusing the Force The fundamental purposes of law enforcement is the serve and protect the individuals of society. Rough treatment is often times afflicted upon unruly citizens as an alternative reform of discipline. Police abuse remains one of the most serious and divisive human rights violations of today. The secrecy, stress, and dangers of police work leads to an insular and close-knit occupational culture that results in a strong distinction between members of the police and society. An in-depth investigation on police brutalization and its causes of corrupting within the 1991 beating of Rodney King is evaluated by means of the credibility within the rights of citizens in Canada and the United States, the effects from prejudice affliction, and the societal disparagement on morals of the cultures in policing. Corruption is both a result and cause of the separation of the police from society. The isolation of the police can lead to a divergence of the values of law enforcement officials from those that the rest of society professes to uphold (McAlary, 1997). The early morning of March 3, 1991 illustrates the horrific crime in Los Angeles, California. Several California Highway Patrol cruisers chase Rodney King, a robbery parolee, speeding over 110 miles per hour down the Los Angeles strip. King, an African American, is eventually forced to stop after running through several red lights at intersections. As the other two passengers of the car complies with police requests to exit the car and are subdued with minor resistance, King refuses to exit the car, thus a beating is administered by three Caucasian officers at the order of their sergeant who is on the scene. He is subsequently stricken over 56 times by wielding PR 24 metal batons, kicked at least 6 times, and shot twice with a Taser el ectronic stun gun, holding over 50,000 volts of electricity per shot (Lepour, 1991). Additionally, twenty-three other officers stand watching on the scene in which none made effort or suggestion to stop the crude combat. Consequently, King suffers extensive injuries including skull fractures, broken bones, and nerve damage to his face and body. Meanwhile, George Holiday, one of the several civilian by-standees awaken by noises of the police helicopter and sirens, videotapes the initial beating from his nearby apartment. Twelve days later, the three police officers ... ...r peers from the rest of society. The division may be further entrenched by a perception on the part of some officers of public animosity towards the police (Will, G. F., 1998). Every instance of corruption is further reinforces the distance between society and the police by increasing public hostility and distrust towards the police. Policing is an extremely emotional occupation and it is difficult for officers not to involve personally in their work. They are not merely human forms of robots, firing their guns arbitrarily with a complete lack of sense or emotion. No matter what type of activities police officers are involved in, they are often required to use force to rectify certain situations, thus this primary discrepancy is difficult to distinguish between what is required and what is excessive force. As long as police officers play by the rules of their peer group and the public continues to negatively label them, any rapprochement between the two is unlikely. Fundamentally, police officers rely primarily on instinct and as long as their basic intention is to promote good and not evil while citizens need to trust that the instincts of an officer are generally correct.

Othello – Power of Words

Othello Words of Power December 12, 2011 The famous saying, â€Å"The pen is mightier than the sword† means that with words and brains, it can become a greater weapon than a sword. If such a person was to have this power with words, then one shall lead to great things, if the person wishes to do so. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago uses his skills with persuasion and words to captivate the minds around him in reaching desired outcomes. Iago definitely demonstrates his powers with his words in the play on many occasions. He firstly captivates Roderigo in doing whatever he chose him to do. The simple minded Roderigo was not the only one, as Cassio is set up into Iago's traps next. Lastly the great Othello is wrapped up by Iago's tongue and is tossed around as Iago's will. To catch a fish, bait and a hook is required, in the drama Iago plots, Cassio is the bait. Cassio is the man who provokes Othello and unknowingly kills Othello. Iago's intentions were to take Cassio's position in the ranks, because Othello gave the position to Cassio instead of him. Iago does this by exploiting Cassio's biggest flaw, his lack of drinking. Iago uses his fancy speech and talents in song, â€Å"King Stephen was a worthy peer†¦ ith that he called the tailor lown. † (II. iii 89-92) ,to encourage Cassio to drink multiple doses. This causes Cassio to get in a fight which results in Othello removing his position. â€Å"Reputation, reputation, reputation! Oh, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. † (II. iii 262-265) After being de-ranked by Othello, Cassio is haunted by the fact that he lost his reputation, but Iago convinces him reputation is worth nothing. Later on however, he tells Othello that reputation to him is everything. This is just another example of Iago's way of manipulating people's thoughts of him. Post being de-ranked by Othello, Iago convinces Cassio to talk to Desdemona about getting his rank back. Iago tells Cassio, if he can get Desdemona to sweet talk to Othello about you, then you will get your position back for sure. Cassio agrees with Iago having no clue this is just to make Othello jealous. Iago chooses Cassio to be used as bait because Othello already thinks Cassio is more suitable than himself for Desdemona. Cassio fails to recognize any of the jealousy by Othello so he continues to try and get on the good side of Desdemona, which just leads to more jealousy by Othello. Iago trapped Othello and Cassio in a predicament that they cannot escape. Roderigo, a simple man with a simple mind, a man who lets himself trust others more than his own judgment at times, is completely clouded by Iago's words. From the first pages of the play, Roderigo is seen doing what Iago chooses and obeying willingly. â€Å"Were I the Moor I would not be Iago. In following him I follow but myself†¦ For daws to peck at. I am not what I am. † (I. i. 57–65) Here Iago clearly states his motives and expresses that he is not who he appears to be. He is letting everyone know the nice, kind Iago is not the true self. Despite all this, Roderigo is still wrapped up in Iago's lies and continues to do as Iago wishes. Roderigo spends all his money on Iago to hope that Iago can work his â€Å"magic† and make Desdemona his. Iago is constantly letting Roderigo know that Desdemona will soon be his, he tells Roderigo Desdemona will soon come to her senses and run to him: â€Å"It is merely lust of the blood†¦ and go without her. † (Shakespeare, I. iii. 377-404). Even when Roderigo was on the verge of killing Iago because the promises are not coming true, he is still convinced by Iago to do one more task. This ultimately leads Roderigo to his death, because Roderigo never stopped to think everything through. When Roderigo fails to accomplish what Iago planned for him, Iago backstabs him and kills him. The dramatist Iago, is willing to do anything to keep things running smoothly for him. Iago uses Roderigo to set off his drama show, and Roderigo is played by Iago wonderfully. The general of Cyprus, the man who has won countless wars, and the hero of the city, Othello. Despite all these winning characteristics, he still lost to the twisted words of Iago. Othello, an honest black man who falls in love with Desdemona, and she him. At the beginning of the play, Othello had full trust in Desdemona and was happily married to her. As Iago steps in however, that all changes. â€Å"I'll have our Michael Cassio on the hip,  abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb. For I fear Cassio with my night-cap too. Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward me. â€Å"(II. i. 305-308) Iago says his plans to gain Othello's trust, just to betray him in the end. Othello treats Iago like a brother, and is constantly calling him â€Å"Honest Iago†. Iago's plan to destroy Othello is to destroy his love with Desdemona. He does this by making Othello think Desdemona is unfaithful. Iago acts very smoothly, directing the actions of others without them knowing his true intentions. Iago would often be reluctant to speak, seeming innocent. When he does this to Othello, it gets Othello's curiosity to set off. â€Å"I prithee, speak to me as to thy thinkings, as thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts, the worst of words. † (III. iii. 131-133) Othello begs for Iago to speak here, because he cannot bare not knowing what Iago knows. With the speaking abilities of Iago, he is able to lie with such perfection that Othello has no choice but worry about his words, worry if Desdemona is really being unfaithful. Even when Othello would put this idea in the back of his mind, Iago would constantly remind him of it. The cleverness of Iago is demonstrated when he would look like he is helping a person, but the truth is otherwise. â€Å"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss. â€Å"(III. iii. 165-167) Iago seems like he is trying to warn Othello about jealousy, but by saying this he is actually getting Othello more jealous. Othello is unaware the entire time of Iago's plot to get what he wants. As Iago's lies dig deeper into Othello's mind, Othello is forced into an incurable sense of hopelessness about Desdemona, and Othello makes the grave mistake of killing her. Othello's trust in Iago left him listening to no one else, even when he's wife pleaded she is telling the truth. This is the effectiveness of Iago's way with words, and how he uses that to set up his drama, plotting everyone against each other to his benefits. Language, the human's way of communication, a necessity amongst the population, a tool and occasionally, a weapon. Iago's way of speech gives him the advantage over others. In the book Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago uses his way of words to create situations that will lead to a result that favours himself. He manipulates Othello, Cassio, and Roderigo in ways that destroy each other but benefiting him at the same time. Iago expresses this characteristic throughout the play and he turns what would be a fairy tale ending story, into a drama with a tragic ending. Work Cited: Shakespeare, William, and Roma Gill. Othello. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1993. Print.

Nurture Your Child’s Self-Esteem Essay

Kids start developing their sense of self as babies when they see themselves through their parents’ eyes. Your tone of voice, your body language, and your every expression are absorbed by your kids. Your words and actions as a parent affect their developing self-esteem more than anything else. Praising accomplishments, however small, will make them feel proud; letting kids do things independently will make them feel capable and strong. By contrast, belittling comments or comparing a child unfavorably with another will make kids feel worthless. Avoid making loaded statements or using words as weapons. Comments like â€Å"What a stupid thing to do!† or â€Å"You act more like a baby than your little brother!† cause damage just as physical blows do. Choose your words carefully and be compassionate. Let your kids know that everyone makes mistakes and that you still love them, even when you don’t love their behavior. Catch Kids Being Good Have you ever stopped to think about how many times you react negatively to your kids in a given day? You may find yourself criticizing far more often than complimenting. How would you feel about a boss who treated you with that much negative guidance, even if it was well intentioned? The more effective approach is to catch kids doing something right: â€Å"You made your bed without being asked — that’s terrific!† or â€Å"I was watching you play with your sister and you were very patient.† These statements will do more to encourage good behavior over the long run than repeated scoldings. Make a point of finding something to praise every day. Be generous with rewards — your love, hugs, and compliments can work wonders and are often reward enough. Soon you will find you are â€Å"growing† more of the behavior you would like to see. Set Limits and Be Consistent With Your Discipline Discipline is necessary in every household. The goal of discipline is to help kids choose acceptable behaviors and learn self-control. They may test the limits you establish for them, but they need those limits to grow into responsible adults. Establishing house rules helps kids understand your expectations and develop self-control. Some rules might include: no TV untilhomework is done, and no hitting, name-calling, or hurtful teasing allowed. You might want to have a system in place: one warning, followed by consequences such as a â€Å"time out† or loss of privileges. A common mistake parents make is failure to follow through with the consequences. You can’t discipline kids for talking back one day and ignore it the next. Being consistent teaches what you expect. Make Time for Your Kids It’s often difficult for parents and kids to get together for a family meal, let alone spend quality time together. But there is probably nothing kids would like more. Get up 10 minutes earlier in the morning so you can eat breakfast with your child or leave the dishes in the sink and take a walk after dinner. Kids who aren’t getting the attention they want from their parents often act out or misbehave because they’re sure to be noticed that way. Many parents find it rewarding to schedule together time with their kids. Create a â€Å"special night† each week to be together and let your kids help decide how to spend the time. Look for other ways to connect — put a note or something special in your kid’s lunchbox. Adolescents seem to need less undivided attention from their parents than younger kids. Because there are fewer windows of opportunity for parents and teens to get together, parents should do their best to be available when their teen does express a desire to talk or participate in family activities. Attending concerts, games, and other events with your teen communicates caring and lets you get to know more about your child and his or her friends in important ways. Don’t feel guilty if you’re a working parent. It is the many little things you do — making popcorn, playing cards, window shopping — that kids will remember. Be a Good Role Model Young kids learn a lot about how to act by watching their parents. The younger they are, the more cues they take from you. Before you lash out or blow your top in front of your child, think about this: is that how you want your child to behave when angry? Be aware that you’re constantly being observed by your kids. Studies have shown that children who hit usually have a role model for aggression at home. Model the traits you wish to cultivate in your kids: respect, friendliness, honesty, kindness, tolerance. Exhibit unselfish behavior. Do things for other people without expecting a reward. Express thanks and offer compliments. Above all, treat your kids the way you expect other people to treat you. Make Communication a Priority You can’t expect kids to do everything simply because you, as a parent, â€Å"say so.† They want and deserve explanations as much as adults do. If we don’t take time to explain, kids will begin to wonder about our values and motives and whether they have any basis. Parents who reason with their kids allow them to understand and learn in a nonjudgmental way. Make your expectations clear. If there is a problem, describe it, express your feelings, and invite your child to work on a solution with you. Be sure to include consequences. Make suggestions and offer choices. Be open to your child’s suggestions as well. Negotiate. Kids who participate in decisions are more motivated to carry them out. Be Flexible and Willing to Adjust Your Parenting Style If you frequently feel â€Å"let down† by your child’s behavior, perhaps you have unrealistic expectations. Parents who think in â€Å"shoulds† (for example, â€Å"My kid should be potty-trained by now†) might find it helpful to read up on the matter or to talk to other parents or child development specialists. Kids’ environments have an impact on their behavior, so you may be able to modify that behavior by changing the environment. If you find yourself constantly saying â€Å"no† to your 2-year-old, look for ways to restructure your surroundings so that fewer things are off-limits. This will cause less frustration for both of you. As your child changes, you’ll gradually have to change your parenting style. Chances are, what works with your child now won’t work as well in a year or two. Teens tend to look less to their parents and more to their peers for role models. But continue to provide guidance, encouragement, and appropriate discipline while allowing your teen to earn more independence. And seize every available moment to make a connection! Show That Your Love Is Unconditional As a parent, you’re responsible for correcting and guiding your kids. But how you express your corrective guidance makes all the difference in how a child receives it. When you have to confront your child, avoid blaming, criticizing, or fault-finding, which undermine self-esteem and can lead to resentment. Instead, strive to nurture and encourage, even when disciplining your kids. Make sure they know that although you want and expect better next time, your love is there no matter what. Know Your Own Needs and Limitations as a Parent Face it — you are an imperfect parent. You have strengths and weaknesses as a family leader. Recognize your abilities — â€Å"I am loving and dedicated.† Vow to work on your weaknesses — â€Å"I need to be more consistent with discipline.† Try to have realistic expectations for yourself, your spouse, and your kids. You don’t have to have all the answers — be forgiving of yourself. And try to make parenting a manageable job. Focus on the areas that need the most attention rather than trying to address everything all at once. Admit it when you’re burned out. Take time out from parenting to do things that will make you happy as a person (or as a couple). Focusing on your needs does not make you selfish. It simply means you care about your own well-being, which is another important value to model for your children.