Physical Changes in Adolescence Essay

Children must pass through several stages, or take specific steps, on their road to becoming adults. According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services the term adolescence is commonly used to describe the transition stage between childhood and adulthood. Adolescence is also equated to both the terms â€Å"teenage years† and â€Å"puberty.† They also state that puberty refers to the â€Å"hormonal changes that occur in early youth; and the period of adolescence can extend well beyond the teenage years. In fact, there is no one scientific definition of adolescence or set age boundary.† During the adolescence stage, parents will notice the greatest amount of changes that will occur in their child’s body. The adolescent himself/herself will also take note of these changes. Some of these teenagers may experience theses signs of maturity sooner or later than others. Adolescence is the time for growth spurts and puberty. The adolescents may grow several inches in height. This is true for both boys and girls at the age of 13 and goes as far as 18 yrs old. When it comes to the puberty change then these become more visible since there are several signs. The females start with these changes as early as 8 years old and in males at 9.5 yrs. Sexual and other physical maturation that occurs during puberty is a result of hormonal changes. As a child nears puberty, the pituitary gland increases the secretion of a hormone called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This hormone then causes additional effects. In girls, FSH activates the ovaries to start producing estrogen. In boys, FSH causes sperm to develop. In boys it is more difficult to know exactly when puberty is coming. There are changes that occur, but they occur gradually and over a period of time, rather than as a single event. Some of these changes might be the enlargement of the testicles, appearance of pubic hair their voice deepens and at the age of 14 some of them may have even ‘wet dreams’. The girls also happen to experience some changes as well. The first one to be noticed is the developmental of their breast, menstruation period and changes in their body shape start to show. No two teenage bodies are the same so some may  experience these physical changes before others. Physical development is a critical part of adolescence. How adolescents perceive their physical self, that is, what they think they look like and how they feel about it, directly relates to their overall sense of self-worth. Many of these feelings are influenced by their culture, the media, their peers, and their families. They are also influenced by their own initial sense of self-esteem as they enter this rapidly changing phase of physical development. We know that the changes are rapid and often drastic, resulting in rapid growth and physical maturity. Now that we have a sense of some of the important physical changes that occur during adolescence, we can use this information to help us better understand teens. It will also help us recognize their sensitive thoughts and feelings. We can use this information to help us direct them toward positive behavior and outcomes. By the beginning of late adolescence, many of these changes are nearing completion. This allows teens to gain more acceptance and ownership of their body image. By reminding ourselves of these changes, we can become more sensitive to teens’ growth experiences and treat them with the respect, compassion, and consideration that will help them move smoothly through these physical transitions. Parents can help their children by providing support and by being understanding and tactful during discussions about these changes. Preparing one’s children for the initial onset of puberty (menarche for girls and spermarche for boys) will let them know what to expect. It will also minimize any stress and shame that they may feel without adequate preparation. The approach to this preparation should be gentle, but informative. It may be given in a manner that is very positive, explaining that these events are â€Å"normal† and everyone experiences them once in their life. Once the child understands that this is part of the path to adolescence and a rite of passage, they will view these changes with minimal stress and maximum acceptance. What does my adolescent understand? The teenage years bring many changes, not only physically, but also mentally and socially. During these years, adolescents increase their ability to think abstractly and eventually make plans and set long-term goals. Each  child may progress at a different rate and may have a different view of the world. In general, the following are some of the abilities that may be evident in your adolescent: develops the ability to think abstractly  is concerned with philosophy, politics, and social issues  thinks long-term  sets goals  compares one’s self to one’s peers. As your adolescent begins to struggle for independence and control, many changes may occur. The following are some of the issues that may be involved with your adolescent during these years: wants independence from parents peer influence and acceptance becomes very important male-female relationships become important may be in love has long-term commitment in relationship How to assist your adolescent in developing socially: Consider the following as ways to foster your adolescent’s social abilities: Encourage your adolescent to take on new challenges. Talk with your adolescent about not losing sight of one’s self in group relations. Encourage your adolescent to talk to a trusted adult about problems or concerns, even if it is not you he/she chooses to talk with. Discuss ways to manage and handle stress. Provide consistent, loving discipline with limits, restrictions, and rewards. Find ways to spend time together. Topic Home Page | Return to Full List of Topics The information on this Web page is provided for educational purposes. You understand and agree that this information is not intended to be, and should not be used as, a substitute for medical treatment by a health care professional. You agree that Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital is not making a diagnosis of your condition or a recommendation about the course of treatment for your particular circumstances through the use of  this Web page. You agree to be solely responsible for your use of this Web page and the information contained on this page. Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and information providers shall not be liable for any damages you may suffer or cause through your use of this page even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

Exam Guide Econs

. Assume a monopolist faces a market demand curve P = 100 – 2Q, and has the short-run total cost function C = 640 + 20Q. What is the profit-maximizing level of output? What are profits? Graph the marginal revenue, marginal cost, and demand curves, and show the area that represents deadweight loss on the graph. 3. In question 2, what would price and output be if the firm priced at socially efficient (competitive) levels? What is the magnitude of the deadweight loss caused by monopoly pricing? 4. Show that if a firm is a natural monopoly, a government policy that forces marginal cost pricing will result in losses for the firm. . Suppose a change in technology available to fringe firms increases their elasticity of supply, altering the total fringe supply curve from p = 5 + Q, to p = 5 + 2Q. If market demand is Q = 20 – p, show the change in the residual demand curve using a graph. Is the dominant firm better off or worse off after the change? 6. If a monopolist has consta nt marginal cost MC = 20, and faces demand p = 80 – Q, what is the effect on consumer surplus of a $5 per unit tax on sellers? Is the tax revenue collected less than, equal to, or greater than the consumer surplus loss plus the reduction in profits? 7.Suppose a legislator introduced a bill that would decrease patent life for new drugs from 17 years to 10 years, based on the argument that it would reduce deadweight loss through lower prices. What argument could you make against such a change? 8. Suppose a monopoly is for sale. What specifically must be purchased by the buyer in order to retain its market position? How much would it be worth? 9. Suppose a monopolist faces a market demand curve Q = 50 – p. If marginal cost is constant and equal to zero, what is the magnitude of the welfare loss? If marginal cost increases to MC = 10, does welfare loss increase or decrease?Use a graph to explain your answer. 10. The chapter notes that one possible alternative to regulation is for the government to encourage competition. Would this be an efficient mechanism to increase efficiency in an industry where the incumbent firm is a natural monopoly? 11. If a monopoly firm sells a product with price $100, whose marginal cost is $30. What is the price/ marginal cost ratio? What is the Lerner Index? And what is the demand elasticity the firm believes it faces? 12. Suppose a monopoly firm with a constant marginal cost 10 faces an inverse linear demand function p = 50 – Q.What would be the profit-maximizing price and quantity if its marginal cost doubles? How does it compare to the outcome with original cost? Answers 2. First, derive the MR and MC functions; then set MC = MR and solve. See Figure 11. 1. Deadweight loss is equal to area abc. P = 100 ? 2Q R = 100Q ? 2Q 2 MR = dR/dQ = 100 ? 4Q MC = 20 100 ? 4Q = 20 Q* = 20 p* = 60 ? = 1200 ? 1040 = 160 Figure 11. 1 3. To solve for the competitive price and output, set MC = p. 20 = 100 ? 2Q * QC = 40 * pC = 20 The magnitude of the deadweight loss is $400, which is the area of triangle abc in Figure 11. 1. 4. See Figure 11. 2.If the firm is a natural monopoly, AC falls throughout the range of demand. When AC is falling, MC is below AC. By forcing the firm to price at marginal cost, revenue would be less than cost, and the firm would incur losses equal to area abcd. Figure 11. 2 5. See Figure 11. 3. The change in technology reduces the slope of the fringe firm supply curve, allowing them to supply more of the total demand at all prices above $5, making the dominant firm worse off. Figure 11. 3 6. The $5 tax increases MC to $25. Quantity falls from 30 to 27. 5, and price increases from $50 to $52. 50. Consumer surplus falls by $71. 875 (from $450 to $378. 25). Profits fall by $143. 75 (from $900 to $756. 25). Tax revenue collected is $137. 50 ($5 ? 27. 5 = $137. 50). See Figure 11. 4. Figure 11. 4 7. In order for the legislation to have a net positive effect, any social cost must be more tha n offset by the lower prices when the patent expires. Firms would engage in less research and development. If a firm believed that a project could only become profitable in the 11th through 17th year of the patent, it would not be funded, or may be funded at a less than efficient level. The reduction in health that occurs as a result represents the social cost of the policy. . The buyer would have to purchase whatever the source is of the monopolist’s barrier to entry, for example, a patent, or the control of a resource needed for production. The value of a barrier to entry is the discounted stream of profits that a monopolist could expect to earn from that monopoly. In the case of a patent it would be the discounted stream of profits that could be earned in the remaining years before the patent expires. 9. See Figure 11. 5. When marginal cost is zero, the firm sells 25 units of output for $25 per unit. The welfare loss is equal to the area of triangle abc, or $312. 50.When m arginal cost increases to $10, the firm reduces output to 20, and the new welfare loss is def, or $250. 00. Figure 11. 5 10. No. If the incumbent firm is a natural monopoly, to encourage entry through any form of assistance or subsidy will reduce overall efficiency and lead to increased prices, because cost increases as per-firm output decreases. 11. The price/marginal cost ratio will be 100/30 = 3. 33. Its Lerner Index is 70/100 = 0. 7 and the firm believes it faces a demand elasticity of –1. 43. 12. Under MC = 10, we have 10 = 50 – 2Q, hence Q = 20 and p = 30. With the new marginal cost, we have 20 = 50 – 2Q. Hence Q = 15 and p = 35.

Approaches to self-managed learning

Approaches to self-managed learning This report first notes how self-managed learning can enhance lifelong development by evaluating approaches to self-managed learning, ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts can be encouraged, and the benefits of self-managed learning to the individual and organisation. Thereafter, the report comments upon my own current skills and competencies. These are evaluated against professional standards and those of organisation objectives. In the third part of the report, I identify my own development needs and what additional activities need to be undertaken for me to meet them. Finally, a personal development plan outlining current and future needs is given. Introduction Self-managed learning is, as Graves (2012) notes, a process by which individual people find different ways of learning things, whether it be within the organisation they are working for, or with reference to longer-term individual career developments goals. Thus, as Pedlar, Burgoyne and Boydell (2013) suggest, self-managed learning is also about the setting of goals through evaluating the purpose for learning and planning ways by which to achieve such goals. People learn new things using a plethora of different techniques which can be shaped, for example, by culture, behaviour, personality, and perceptions. Indeed, commenting further, Bjork, Dunlosky and Kornell (2013) assert that individuals can learn things not only in a formal educational class but also through friends, and newspapers. Thus, as Ho (2011) posits, self-managed learning gives people a chance to come up with their own strategy in learning. The following section outlines a series of different approaches to self-managed learning. Approaches to self-managed learning Individuals can learn through the research they are undertaking as part of their work or as part of an assignment that they have been issued by either the university or college they are studying at. In addition, people can lea rn different techniques for doing the research. Seminars and conferences People can learn through seminars and conferences, as noted by Collin and Hammond (2013). Seminars and conferences are an effective tool as they give people the opportunity to present their knowledge about something to other people who end up learning new things; thus, seminars and conferences, for example such as that held by the University of Odense in 2013 on the role of Gender in Mediaeval European Cities, are a dynamic learning environment. Further, seminars and conferences help people to become more confident in speaking in public and may also develop their presentation skills: transferrable skills that can be useful in a range of organisational settings – thereby empowering both the organisational and the individual. Social networks There are, as Bourner (2011) notes, a range of different social networks including Facebook, Twitter, My Space, and so on, where people spend an increasing p roportion of their time. Whilst logged onto such sites, people can be chatting with friends or learning new things. This is particularly the case if people share information and knowledge through bulletin boards and forums. People can also learn how social network owners such as Mark Zuckerberg he became successful; and using the information that they obtain, people can apply this knowledge to their own lives thereby find the means of succeeding in

Discuss the development of Implied Terms in English Contract Law and Essay

Discuss the development of Implied Terms in English Contract Law and how this is reflected in the current Sales of Goods - Essay Example For any contract under the English law, an offer must be made of terms which are accepted by the other party. Usually an offer can be an oral or a written statement. The contract is complete only if it is accepted by all the parties concerned. The duration till which a contract can be withdrawn is until the time of its acceptance, but as soon as the contract is established it becomes a binding obligation. Most contracts are subject to the doctrine of consideration and are enforceable only if something is given in return of a promise to perform. Only the parties related to the contract can enforce the contract. If a contract is made on behalf of another party, that does not have any good consideration, that party cannot enforce it. If all the parties concerned with a contract make the same mistake in relation to it, then they will never have reached the agreement they intended. If an event occurs which destroys the contract this too will render the contract void. An agreement is a contract that contains the three basic elements of intention to create legal relations, offer and acceptance, and consideration. There arises a need for unification of law in Europe. Any businessman trading in Europe knows that some of his contracts with foreign parties will be governed by foreign laws. The unknown laws of the foreign countries add to such risks. But one who trades with a few countries only, or is about to make a big deal, will sometimes try to obtain information on the foreign contract law or law that come into question. Such a person will often realize that the foreign laws are difficult to understand for him and his lawyer. Many businessmen hope that no dispute with their foreign partners will arise and that it will then be settled amicably. Most disputes are in fact settled amicably. But in the negotiations leading to a settlement the applicable foreign law will often be a factor of importance and it could be disastrous to be ignorant of them. Fear of the unknown law and incomprehension keep many potential exporters and importers away from the European market. The existences of varieties of laws hamper the mobility of the European businessman. It is a non-tariff barrier to the trade. It is the aim of the European Union to abolish the legal restrictions of the intra-union trade. It follows from this objective that differences of law which restrict this trade should be abolished. The highly intensive and increasing international trade creates a need for legal unifications, paving way to CISG in the year 1980. CISG has been adopted by most countries with important international trade. In the countries of the European Union where the trade has increased many times since the Common Market was established, unification of the contract law will become more urgent the more the trade grows. In case the contract has been induced by some kind of misrepresentation, the party who was misled may withdraw from the contract and thus treat the contract as invalid. Action must be invoked immediately after the misrepresentation is discovered. Suppose the misrepresentation was made innocently it must be proved that it was unreasonable for the party making it before the contract becomes invalid or void. The breach of contract is unlawful and is punishable. The remedy for the breach of contr

Assignment Geography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geography - Assignment Example The trend of unpaid internship is more prevalent in the sectors like politics, technology, journalism and fashion. The article thus focuses on the bizarre scenario operating within the industries demanding the unpaid labor of considerable amount over a considerable span of time. And the predicament of the unpaid personnel in these sectors also finds enough expression in the essay where it has been quintessentially mentioned that the time, when the unpaid labor reaches the point of getting paid adequately for his or her expertise, there are already huge professional as juniors in the industry who have received the status of unpaid intern. Summary The potent issue focused within the article hinges on the fact that unpaid internship might be quite beneficial for the individuals who are young. It also highlights that these young individuals possess the ability of becoming a very good and attractive entrepreneur as they are able to procure skilled and free labor. But this system is very b ad and sluggish for the entire society as a comprehensive unit. As often argued by theorists, the trend of unpaid internship is screwing the job market (Matthews, 2013; Paton, 2013).

Chinas investment in Blackstone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinas investment in Blackstone - Essay Example Governments use this method to secure the domestic market for liquidation. This implies that these assets are of highly liquidated nature and can be altered easily. The oil-producing countries have also come within its grip and are losing or rather investing their wealth in such funds. A company adopted a similar approach in the oil commodity. They then invested their wealth in holding bonds, bank deposits in a similar pattern like central banks. The alarming fact is that no company discloses the application of the funds except for the ones in Norway that provide regular data and statistics. It may be possible that these mysteriously applied investments will be very well lost in the future with no accountability. It happened in one of a developing country wherein a mushroom growth took place in the early eighties. These investment companies conned the unsuspecting public and lured them by promising huge percentage on their investments. The Government kept silent and this approach encouraged the high profit paying companies to get bolder and bolder till the public was convinced to accept them as legitimate companies. The problem further compounded due to no action by the State Bank. The margin of profits increased as the public committed their funds by selling their immovable assets. All cate All categories of people brought in their investment to these companies expecting a higher return on their deposits. Advertisements in each and every newspaper further cemented the authenticity and indisputable legitimacy of these fraudsters. The profits were rolled over and the depositor's received their profits on monthly basis, basking in the realm that a good investment had been made. The bubble burst when the government realized that the funds were been diverted from the scheduled bank and the treasury of the Government was fast losing money to these con artists. No sooner was the action taken and people in droves started to approach the managers of these companies for the return of their deposits that true facts started to stare in their faces. The higher ups evaded the public on rush to their offices and let the lower staff make excuses on their part. The public scenting fraud approached the police and cases were registered with them. Company after company stared to disappear with the savings of the unsuspecting depositors. Huge rallies were taken out to protest against the inaction of the and for the return of their savings, but all to no avail. The Government seemed helpless and the police in cahoots with the company owners further complicated the issue. Only resourceful people with clout were able to draw out some of their savings from these fraudsters. All the rest were left with taking out processions and pleas. Suits were filed in courts and the lengthy, cumbersome legal battle did little for the return of the poor common man. Nevertheless, since these funds are applied abroad so it can be controlled by political pressure and the consequences of these investments may have to be faced by the countries involved. Reference list: Economist Finance & Economics: 'The world's most expensive clubs' www.Economist.com May 24, 2007 Hong Kong Article 2 "Cleaning up" Or Clean Environment - a Global Concern The concept of

Students Caught Cheating or Plagiarizing Should Be Dismissed From Essay - 7

Students Caught Cheating or Plagiarizing Should Be Dismissed From College - Essay Example The present research has identified that plagiarism is an academic offense, which occurs when students copy information from materials written by other people and fail to acknowledge by citing and referencing sources of the information. This may be for example lifting texts from the internet and handing it over for marking, or purchasing papers from writers, with the intent of earning higher marks or beating deadlines for handing in their assignments (Harris 2007). Lecturers, who do not take an effort to verify the integrity of the assignments, end up awarding the high marks and believing that their students are bright while in the real sense, the opposite is true. The real essence of writing exams is to establish the capacity of the students and to take stock of the progress made in the course of learning. As such, results based on plagiarized assignments can never offer the right quality of graduates and this may have a negative effect on the kind of workforce a country depends on economic growth. It is therefore imperative to punish students caught cheating or plagiarizing in order to deter others who may be tempted to do the same. Dismissing such students from college is a viable punishment, which should be adopted by all institutions. On the other hand, there are people who feel that dismissing students from college for cheating and plagiarism is an inhumane punishment, especially for first-time offenders. They argue that there are better ways of dealing with such cases, for example failing a student in the affected subject. It is important to understand that not all plagiarism cases are intentional. According to them, students may lack the skills to cite and reference borrowed ideas while conducting research and writing assignments. Such students should not be made to suffer the consequences but should instead be given another chance to do the papers again or revise the mistakes on the marked assignments for a limited number of times after which the decis ion to fail them is reached.  

Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Analysis Paper - Essay Example These transitions are highly stressful and college years have been known to be the most stressful times in life. This stress is caused by academic, personal and social challenges. Students are expected to perform demanding tasks while adjusting to their new environment under minimal supervision. This stress has a negative impact on them which results to smoking, alcohol abuse and eating disorders. Research has shown that stress experienced in this period decreases mental health which leads to depression and low self esteem. Stress has become a major concern for the millennial student population and there is need to analyze this topic in relation to stress tolerance. It is important to note that people react differently to similar stressors. This paper agrees with this article and shall go into detail to explain why. College years are regarded as being the most stressful time in one’s life. The millennial age bracket has distinct features that entail the way they handle stresso rs. The sole purpose of the research discussed in the text was to make out lifestyle habits and coping approaches that are related to varying levels of stress tolerance among the millennial students in their college years. The methodology applied in this research was a random questionnaire that was conducted in a randomly selected college. The questionnaire included coping strategies, symptoms and checklists for stressors. The subjects were grouped into high stress tolerance and low stress tolerance and the STRs (Stress Tolerance Ratios) determined (Hellen et al. 362). From the results obtained, ten coping factors were connected to high stress tolerance, nine were put one in a situation of low stress tolerance while one was a protective factor. According to the findings of the study, it is clear that the lifestyle habits and coping mechanisms presently being used are ineffective. These strategies also put millennial students in a position of low stress tolerance. This article seeks to address the problem of stress experienced by millennial college students during the transition period. The study also identifies the strategies that are linked to low or high stress tolerance. This population is characterized by unique features thereby their stressors are also distinctive (Hellen et al. 365); thus the need for the application of non conventional coping methods. If some coping strategies are efficient, it is possible for students to develop their stress tolerance, not taking action when the stress is out of hand. This article mainly targets the college administration, teachers and general staff. It is an informative article that has information on the causes and symptoms of stress in the learning environment. It can be used as framework for formulating stress coping strategies. The article is also valuable to parents since it helps them to understand behavior of the millennial students and give them the necessary support throughout this period. The subjects themse lves are educated on how to cope with stress and develop high stress tolerance to the highly stressful college period. This is as clearly indicated in the essay. ‘Stress Tolerance: New Challenges for Millennial College Students’ is an effective essay because it is has been written is a clear language, has used supportive evidence to build on its argument and used transition statements to enhance flow. The writer has used simple and clear statements that are easy to read and understand. The essay has clearly

Contraceptive Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Contraceptive - Article Example Condoms were the contraceptive method preferred by adolescents in Benin. However, the study also reported low uptake of contraception methods among most adolescents (Osaikhuwuomwan & Abieyuwa, 2013). Emergency contraceptives are the other commonly used contraceptive measures. According to Hickey & White (2014), most college students are aware of the emergency contraception and its availability over the counter. However, the researchers also cited that there is low confidentiality in the use of emergency contraception as a method to prevent unplanned pregnancies among the students (p. 30). The level of awareness of emergency contraception and access to the pills over the counter was high among adolescents in San Francisco Bay (Yen et al., 2014). In both studies recognize that the teenagers and youths choose to use emergency contraceptives because they are aware of the pregnancy risk and desire to prevent any form of unintended pregnancy. However, Yen et al., (2014) argue that adolescents lack enough knowledge on emergency contraceptive pills and recommend more education on the ECP among these young people to alleviate the misconception. Contrary to these three studies, other scholars attempted to investigate the relationship between contraceptive use, childbearing and future success in life. Richards & Sheeder (2014) conducted the study and found that most women felt that childbearing would not affect their educational achievement (p. 303). The perception poses a challenge to conventional pregnancy prevention counselling approaches that use contraceptive use as a motivator for women to avoid pregnancy. Most conventional counselling methods urge women to use contraceptives as the primary means to prevent pregnancy. The idea is to motivate women not to bear children at early stages in their lives to secure a bright future. However, as Richards & Sheeder (2014) found out, not all

How is Romeos growing love for Juliet shown in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

How is Romeos growing love for Juliet shown in Romeo and Juliet Essay There are many stages of love shown by Romeo in this play. At first he seems in pain but as the play goes on, he gradually realises his true love and starts to get happier. As I show in this essay Romeo adores Juliet and likens her to many things. Juliet returns this love as well, showing how happy they are in each other. In Act 1 Scene 1, Romeo is featured throughout, in his â€Å"pain of love.† Shakespeare describes many symptoms of how he is affected. It is shown as being painful and affecting him badly. On line 149 Montague – Romeo’s father – says that Romeo is â€Å"the bud bit by the envious worm† as if to say he has a bug inside him, slowing down his will do normal things by chewing away at his soul represented by a bud of a flower. At this point (Line 149), Montague and Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) are still unsure as to what is causing his sadness by saying â€Å"We would as willingly give cure as know† (Line 154), meaning that they want to get him out of his sadness as well as know what is causing it. This is a statement backing-up what he earlier said on Line 136, when Montague says â€Å"And private in his chamber pens himself† – He stays in his bedroom and locks the door. This makes Romeo feel wretched. By locking himself in his room doesn’t help either, as this makes him feel worse. Another significant feature is the frequent references to life and death. For instance Romeo says, on line 200, â€Å"A sick man makes his will† to the end of line 202, being ill is mentioned at least twice. He says a â€Å"sick man,† which shows he is, in a sense, that he is not himself because he loves someone. Another point is that he says on line 187 â€Å"Doth add more grief.† The key word is grief, which is usually used with sorrow feelings and death. Something that appears briefly in one speech is the use of some oxymorons. They can be found in Romeo’s lines 173 – 180. A good example is â€Å"O heavy lightness.† This, if used in real context would not make sense as it a contradictory statement. This shows Romeo’s confusing as he is finding it hard that he cannot get the woman he wants and is frustrated with himself. There are further uses of oxymorons later in the play. In Act 3, Scene 2 around lines 75, there are several oxymorons, examples are â€Å"beautiful tyrant† (Line 75) and â€Å"dove-feathered raven† (Line 76). These are good examples as they show complete opposites and demonstrate what Juliet was feeling as she is torn between feeling for Romeo whilst feeling angry at him because of Tybalt. This shows some of the feelings people have to go through when experiencing love as they have to have important feelings. Images of problems of love are also picked up on. In Romeo’s speech around line 190, he says â€Å"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.† This is saying that love is something that will poison you as it ends up with sighs. Shakespeare is making Romeo get out of his state of love and into his normal self. Romeo even says â€Å"I have lost myself.† He knows this isn’t like him and needs to snap out of it but Shakespeare cleverly gets Benvolio involved, so Romeo is forced to tell more, making it even harder for Romeo breakout of his frame of mind. Lastly Romeo and Benvolio mention love and blindness (and the eye) together. In Act 1 Scene 2, Benvolio says â€Å"Take thou some new infection to the eye.† This is saying that Benvolio wants Romeo to look at other women to stop him thinking about the one, who has been keeping him secluded. This line could also mean that Benvolio thinks Romeo has been blind in terms of looking at other women and that â€Å"a new infection† i.e. an infection means an illness that stops you from seeing, so love is a illness for Romeo. From here could be a turning point in two ways for Romeo. He could start being himself again or looking at other women could make him feel worse as he was in Act 1, Scene 1. Romeo would not want this because he may find it harder to get out of his miserable state a second time round. Also the audience may get impatient as they want to see Romeo progress, not rewind into his former conditions. We now start to see Romeo open up as he sees Juliet. This is now the beginning of him becoming happier. This is also the first time the audience see Juliet, in the eyes of Romeo, so is a crucial part of the play. When Romeo firsts sees Juliet, he is truly amazed, and this is shown clearly. In Act 1, Scene 5, Romeo likens her to a â€Å"rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear† (Line 46). This is effective because it gives the audience an image of jewel, which is prominent in the first place, but to be an Ethiopian’s ear, makes it seem all the brighter. This shows that Juliet is already precious, and stood out to him immediately. Another idea to back this up is the use of the word â€Å"torches† shortly afterwards. This could also be interpreted as standing out from the other people. I think could also mean that she is his light. This shows contrast from earlier when it was dark to him. Religion is also used as a theme. On line 94, Romeo says â€Å"This holy shrine,† which could show that Romeo sees her now as his religion, or his light, as I said in the previous paragraph. He almost worships her and, the effect given is they are now lifting their love to sacred or purer ground, not just all the bits that people usually associate with love. It is still in the balance though as Juliet hasn’t spoken a word to Romeo yet, everything he has said proves how strong his love is. Another religious idea is â€Å"blushing pilgrims† used by Romeo on line 95. Pilgrims is used because it shows he is ready to make the journey of love with Juliet. The impression is that Romeo is waiting and that he wants to find the true meaning of his â€Å"religion.† Shakespeare uses pilgrims cleverly as he makes Romeo more romantic than if he put how Romeo felt bluntly. It makes the audience feel that he deserves Juliet. Romeo is skilful in the way he gets to kiss Juliet. As I said before he is not blunt. Instead he uses â€Å"saints† as his way of wooing Juliet. He is shown to the audience that he is a smooth charmer. He also talks of â€Å"sins,† this leads to him challenging Juliet and sort of be against what she should do. This is even more temptation and that is another way of how Romeo managed to get his kiss. Juliet responds by kissing him back, showing the audience that Romeo has been very clever indeed. She says â€Å"You kiss by the book.† This now shows that Juliet has given in and this is where their story starts and the part of the play speeds up a little. This is proven when Juliet finds out she is in love with a Montague, making it doubly interesting for the audience, so they start to get captivated. For Romeo, this is a complete contrast to how he was earlier in the Act. Earlier in the scene on line 53 he said â€Å"I ne’er saw true beauty till this night,† shows that he finally realised he was never in love, just desperate. From now we realise the full extent of Romeo’s love for Juliet. They both almost worship other and we see how much in Act 2. It is almost like they cannot be separated. In Act 2, Scene2, the audience knows for sure that Romeo’s love is now true, unlike in Act 1 and is happy. Romeo compares to Juliet and being bright throughout page 89. The most obvious example is on line 3 – â€Å"Juliet is the Sun.† This shows that he depends on her just as the Earth depends on the Sun. It gives the effect that he cannot live without her. This is backed from line 15 to line 20. A good example is on line 18 where Romeo says â€Å"The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars.† This shows his true affection for her as she shines out to him more than stars, or she shines out to him more than any other woman. Juliet responds to Romeo in the same sort of pattern, which is brightness. Words such as â€Å"bright angel† and heaven are used. I think Shakespeare did this to make sure the audience realised that things have definitely improved for Romeo and that he is now truly in love. Moving away from brightness, Juliet refers to him as â€Å"dear perfection,† this shows the feelings between them are shared. There are strong images used later on the Act. From line 80 to line 84, is a very strong image shown by Romeo. This means that Romeo would travel on a very risky journey to find her. This is again an example of how strong his love has grown for her. Throughout the Act there is a strong presence that Shakespeare is trying to show the contrast of Romeo in Act 1 and Act 2. In Act 1, we hear of Romeo moping saying he is in love, but in Act 2 we now hear he is in love but is lighter and more active than before. I think this is because in Act 1 Romeo could have thought he was in love but was not, so maybe his instinctive reaction was to sulk. Again these lines show a significant contrast to earlier when there were feelings of darkness. Romeo and Juliet are well and truly glued to each other by now. The love they have shown towards each other and is overwhelming. To them they will feel that nothing will tear them apart despite being Capulet and Montague. Their love will rise to unimaginable heights but the audience can tell that Shakespeare will add a cruel twist where something will happen to bring them apart.

Stereotypes Of Mental Illness Sociology Essay

Stereotypes Of Mental Illness Sociology Essay Stereotypes of mental illness form through personal experiences combined with the influence of external sources, the most influential probably being the mass media. Theoretical conclusions suggest that the media has a powerful influence over society, but they do not consider the types of media and the varying audience associated. This study will attempt to examine whether Disneys portrayal of mental illness affects how society perceives mental illness. This research will be analysed using secondary data. The research is completed through a reviewed selection of Disney films and examination of how characters are assigned mental illness traits. The characters are then compared to how people in similar situations would be accepted in society, and compare whether the Disney films have influenced this acceptance. Results of the study indicate that more research is needed. OMIS2 Low Risk Research Ethics Approval Where NO human participants are involved and/or when using secondary data Undergraduate or Postgraduate or Member of staff evaluating service level quality Project Title Does Disneys portrayal of mental illness affect how society perceives mental illness. Principal Investigator Certification I believe that this project does not require research ethics approval. X I confirm that I have answered all relevant questions in the checklist honestly. X I confirm that I will carry out the project in the ways described in the checklist. I will immediately suspend research and request a new ethical approval if the project subsequently changes the information I have given in the checklist. X Principal Investigator Name: Stephanie Sandall Date: 13/06/2012 Students Supervisor (if applicable) I have read the checklist and confirm that it covers all the ethical issues raised by this project fully and frankly. I confirm that I have discussed this project with the student and agree that it does not require research ethics approval. I will continue to review ethical issues in the course of supervision. Name: Thomas Thurnell-Read Date: 22/08/2012 Introduction The Walt Disney Corporation is an American mass media company which is most famously known for childrens films (Booker, 2012). This dissertation will explore the influence of the media on the audience, more specifically to examine whether Disneys portrayal of mental illness affects how society perceives mental illness. I have identified common features in literature regarding the influence of media and public opinion, and relevant sources will be applied to this study. The Oxford English Dictionary defines mental illness as a condition which causes serious disorder in a persons behaviour or thinking (2012), this does not necessarily mean that society shares the same understanding. Mental illnesses are variations of behaviours that are not considered acceptable in society, a process of socially diagnosing people that deviate from societys norms and can easily be affected by social change (Scheff, 1975). Stereotypes of mental illness form through personal experiences combined with the influence of external sources, shared patterns of behaviour and interactions and affective understanding learned through the process of socialization (Damen, 1987), implying that societys norms and values are what carve our individual personas. Negative stereotypes can also lead to the process of stigmatising, isolating members of society, sometimes even institutionalising members in order to force conformity. Terms associated with mental illness are reduced to casual i nsults rather than official medical terms as society constructs those with abnormal behaviours to be mentally ill (Scheff, 1975). Previous research implies that the most influential external source to shape public opinion to be the mass media (Breslow, 2002). The Walt Disney Corporation is the worlds largest media conglomerate, primarily based in film and television sectors of the media industry (Best Communications Degrees, 2013). Approximately 200 million people will view a Disney film in a year (Giroux, 2002). Due to its large scale availability and popularity, this study aims to examine whether Disneys portrayal of mental illness affects how society perceives mental illness. The Walt Disney Company influences how children are introduced to norms and values of society through its attractive magical image associated with its films. Disney films are considered as a normal form of entertainment for children by society, allowing Disneys perception of society to be taught without challenge, as a result socialising the audience into what Disney finds to be an acceptable ideology (Giroux, 2002). The purpose of this study is to examine whether Disneys portrayal of mental illness affects how society perceives mental illness. This research has practical relevance which hopefully through its findings and conclusion will add to the scientific knowledge, and make society more aware of any effects the media has on the perception of mental illness, most specifically Disney films. In order to understand how Disney movies present mental illness to society through its characters, I will conduct a literature review to gain a stronger background of knowledge on the subject before writing a methodology that will be used to investigate my research question. To assess the research question, I will primarily analyse secondary data and combine this with a personally reviewed selection of Disney films to investigate how characters are assigned mental illness traits. The secondary data will be formed of quantitative and qualitative approaches. I find this technique will allow me to gain a bette r and deeper understanding of the subject. I will then compare the Disney characters to how people in similar situations would be accepted in society, and whether the Disney films have influenced this acceptance. Literature Review Society is dependent on the media for information and entertainment due to its easy access, as well as its ability to be culturally encoded for all to understand. According to Breslow (2002), the mass media perform three major functions in society, these are: educating, shaping public relations, and advocating a particular point of view across society. The Walt Disney Corporation is an American mass media company which is most famously known for childrens films and is the worlds largest media conglomerate (Best Communications Degrees, 2013). Due to Disneys large scale popularity, this study aims to examine whether Disneys portrayal of mental illness affects how society perceives mental illness, since the coverage of mental health in the media is a controversial subject and it is deemed as a sensitive topic by some individuals in society. Audience Research It is not only the media source itself, but the audience that needs to be considered. Disney films are generally intended for a younger audience. Evidence demonstrates that children are the main viewers of Disney films (Booker, 2012). Children can be easily influenced by media consumption as they easily accept and internalise media messages, this is shown by Banduras Bobo Doll Study (1963). Bandura divided 48 girls and 48 boys into 3 experimental groups and a control group. The groups were subject to different conditions associated with a Bobo doll. The first group witnessed an adult become aggressive towards a Bobo doll in a live scenario. The second group viewed a film of the adult acting aggressively to a Bobo doll. The third group watched a cartoon animal act aggressively towards a Bobo doll. The children watched the aggressive acts individually, preventing an influence of opinion or distraction off other children in the group and allowing individual differences of opinion to eme rge. After observing the models, each of the children from the four groups were individually put in a room with an experimenter where they were exposed to a mildly frustrating situation to elicit aggression. After this, the children were sent to play in a room of toys which included a Bobo doll. Researchers covertly observed the children, noting any interaction with the Bobo doll. Results showed that the children who had been exposed to the aggressive behaviour, exhibited nearly twice as much aggressive behaviour than the control group. The results demonstrate that media can be influential on the behaviour of children, therefore implying that Disney movies may affect a childs behaviour. This study can be criticised due to having a small ethnocentric sample size, so the results cannot be generalised to the wider society. However, it must also be considered that children may associate adults as disciplinary figures, so the children mimic the behaviour shown as if they are trying to co nform to adult behaviour. Despite this, this study is appropriate to the research as it demonstrates the influence that media and adult role models have on children. Audiences may also interpret results differently, as Thompson (1995) argues that audiences do not automatically passively accept information but actively select and interpret, resist or even challenge the media, affected through individual differences and experiences. In contrast, McQuail (2005) suggests that the media can have planned and unplanned effects on the audience, with short and long term effects. McQuail does not generalise the audience to be a mass being, as he finds these factors to be heightened by individual differences. Therefore, there is a fragmentation of the audience, in this example Disney films are primarily associated with a younger audience (Booker, 2012). As a result, there is no single mass audience, people may choose to watch a programme at a later date and media messages may not spread throughout society. Furthermore not everyone in society will view the media, so people will not share the exact same values. Despite this, the audience is widely dispersed and the media is easily able to control the audience and spread messages (McQuail, 2005). Contrasting to this perspective, Disney may be more focused on capitalism than social control, as found by Fiske (1987), Disneys content could be influenced through the structured media market-led environment through the consumer choice of media and globalisation. The media is a business and the audience is the consumer. Public interests are subordinated to private capitalistic interests. It could be further considered that the media has become a form of ideological apparatus (Milner and Browitt, 2002). The media narrative is constructed to encourage the acceptance of social positions, leaving the individual to emotionally invest in the source through identifying similar personal traits. The perspective associates the audience as a passive being, as the media is dominant and positions the audience through an emotional connection. Ctausses (1968) Schema of Differential Audience Reach finds that not all members of the audience accept the media values transmitted. Ctausse displays how media messages go through a process of being offered, receivable, received, registered, before being potentially internalised by the audience. This is further examined by British Cultural Studies, who investigate the way audiences decode media messages. They find the decoding of media messages varies on primary definers and individual differences, such as social and linguistic differences (Hall, 1973). Three types of decoding were proposed by Hall (1973). Dominant decoding views that the audience acknowledges media values and easily accepts the media discourse. Negotiated decoding, detects that the audience recognises the media has interpreted the events in a certain way, the audience is not completely passive to media messages. Oppositional decoding, finds that the audience challenges media authority. An example of oppositional de coding would be the feminist approach to a male presented dominated programme. This is significant to the research as it implies that the Disney audience have individual differences and not all will decode the content in the same manner. However, this research is opposed by cultivation theory. Cultivation theory suggests that the more time spent by the individual watching television, the more the viewer will come to view reality through ideologies imposed by the media (Gerbner et al, 2002). This is reinforced by social learning theory, which implies that learning is influenced by people and events presented in the media (Bandura, 1994), finding media to be a large scale influence on how people perceive society. False representation of mental illness reinforced through the media can encourage the audience to conform and accept stereotypes. This may result in the possibility of negative attitudes towards individuals with mental illnesses obtained during childhood persevering into adul thood. Stuart Halls Reception Theory finds the media to have a polysemic structure, the producers of the media encode a message for the audience to decode (Kitzinger, 2004), implying that the audience are in control. This is further developed by Halls (1973) Encoding and Decoding model which considers the media as a process whereby messages are sent and received with certain effects that alter how the audience perceives things. As a result, media messages can be interpreted differently by audiences and may not be understood in the way desired by producers (Hall, 1973). It can be argued that this process encourages maximum potential of audience involvement, as the media acts as a socialising force, in the case of Disney it allows the development of marketing off the characters personas to society. In support of this, Fiske examined the notion of semiotic negotiation and resistance; the audience has the ability to shape media meaning to the self. This means that the audience can subvert confo rmity, they are not a slave to the media, and therefore Disney films do not necessarily affect how an individual views mental illness (Fiske, 1987). In contrast, Lazarsfeld and Merton (1948) perceive the media to be a form of entertainment, which allows the audience to escape the hardship of reality and simultaneously integrates society. However, it must be considered that this is only a theoretical perspective, it is formed of hypothesise and not first-hand research. Challenges to this theory include the Marxist perspective, which was further developed by the Neo-Marxist perspective as the media was not far developed in Karl Marxs lifetime. As we have seen earlier, it can be considered that Disney has a capitalistic nature and linguistic intentions may not be to harm the audience, but rather captivate them. The media, according to Baudrillard (1989), has created a new form of reality hyper reality where an image is produced by the media that is more real to the individual than the item is initially supposed to represent. This theory is further supported by Giroux (2002) who classifies Disney films as teaching machines (p. 100), enabled through marketing and globalisation. Overall, the media should be used to teach awareness of mental illness and not reinforce negative stereotypes (Stuart, 2006). Media Coverage of Mental Illness It must be considered that the media is used as a form of entertainment. The Uses and Gratification Model finds that the audience is an active force, who use the media for their own pleasure (Fiske, 1987). The media and its producers do not have power over the audience, it merely provides the audience with entertainment and diversion from reality. This is challenged by the Frankfurt School, who find the audience to be passive to media effects. They produced the hypodermic syringe model, which metaphorically analyses the audience as accepting an injection of information from a media source; the audience accepts the norms and values prescribed by the media. The model believes that there is a direct correlation between violent behaviour in the media and violent behaviour in reality, which could be applied to violent Disney villains (Haney, 2005). The Shift Media Survey of 2005 assessed the media coverage of mental health issues. The Shift Media Survey of 2005 conducted primary research, included the use of focus groups, interviews and using a range of media samples. It found only one example which concentrated on the negative stigma experienced by people with mental health problems, with the rest of the articles more focused on the issue of violence. This research can be applied to Disney movies, as villains are generally classed as being violent and acting deviant of social norms. The results of the focus group found that most individuals took the media at face value, highlighting the mass effect of the media and its ability to reinforce prejudices in society. This suggests that the negative stigma attached to mental illness by society is not based on any real knowledge, but on what society have been informed of via the mass media. However, the data of this research cannot be generalised to everyone due to its small specific sample, and correlational data does not imply causation. However, the problem with focus groups is that some participants may either hold back due to the lack of anonymity and confidentiality due to being in a group with other participants, or participants may attempt to answer the moderators questions with answers they presume the moderator wants to hear. Furthermore, the interpretation of focus group data may also vary between researchers. Though this research does no directly apply to Disney media production, its results can be assessed to understand whether the media has an impact on public opinion. Overall, the research finds that media generally portrays mental illness through a negative stereotype, used mainly to reinforce and sell stories associated with criminal or deviant behaviour. These negative stereotypes can also be used in childrens films to differentiate between good and evil characters, as shown by Robinson et al (2007) who discovers that a large percentage of old er Disney characters are associated with these negative stereotypes surrounding mental illness. This is further researched by Sadler (2005) through the notion of cultural sanctioning, the media reinforces cultural ideals, which at the same time maintains viewership through familiarity. Beveridge (1996) focused on the portrayal of mental illness in four classic Disney films: Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Mary Poppins, and Beauty and the Beast. Beveridge examined that sane characters that reacted strongly to a situation were negatively labelled as being mad. This is demonstrated in Dumbo through Dumbos mother defending her son against bullying, she is judged to be mad after her outrage and is subsequently locked away from society, implying that mental illness should be kept from society. McKie (2003) further argues that the negative perception of madness in childrens films is providing children with false impressions of mental illness. This article may not be an academic source, but it is an example of mass media implying that childrens films have an effect on the perception of mental illness, nevertheless it is supported by Mind (2011). Research completed by Mind (2011) suggests that the media is failing to give mental health enough consideration, as demonstrated by 4 5% of the people questioned couldnt recall seeing any reports about mental health in any media over the past twelve months. Only 33% of the participants could remember observing a newspaper report associated with mental illness, 25% could recall seeing a documentary broadcast directly based on the subject, and 22% viewed mental illness being addressed in television dramas. This data may not directly apply to Disney films, but it demonstrates how the media has a large scale impact on the publics recall and opinions. It can be criticised that these statistics are based on the memory and recall ability of participants, therefore the results may not be entirely accurate as some individuals may have forgotten about seeing some mental illness related reports, and this can affect the reliability of the data. Madness is the implication of an individual being in an idiosyncratic state, where people do not immediately understand or make sense of an individuals behaviour (Pilgrim, 2009). This can result in the implication of alienation, as demonstrated by Madhouses in Victorian society, which fuelled negative stereotypes of mental illness in society. Negative stereotypes may put people at risk of social exclusion and can lead to people feeling stigmatised by society. As a consequence, the individual may develop what Goffman (1963) calls a spoiled identity and demonstrate further abnormal behaviour in society. Goffman (1961) primarily writes about patients being institutionalised and the implications of psychiatric hospitals, but the writing can be applied to the treatment of Disney characters. For example, it can be related to a scene in Beauty and the Beast, where Maurice is locked away from society by the townsfolk as society doesnt accept his behaviour or opinions, this will be analysed f urther in the discussion section of the dissertation. Lawson and Fouts (2004) found 85% of 34 animated films produced by Disney between 1937 and 2001, contained references to characters with mental illness. There was an average of 4.6 references per film alienating characters, furthermore 21% of principal characters were being judged to have a mental illness. The research concludes that the use of terms such as crazy mad and nut allows a segregation of characters, separating them from what is classed as normal. This can provoke alienation and associate fear with characters deemed as being mentally ill. However, this study does not consider the appearance of characters, which could further affect the audiences perception of a character. This research may be dated due to more Disney films being released, it displays how frequently Disney refers to mental illness. It must also be considered that there is a time limit in the media when divulging a story, therefore the use of stereotypes to portray characters allows easier association with t he viewers daily life (Signorielli, 2001). In contrast to the research discussed, Booker (2010) finds that Disney encourages individualism that people do not need to change who they are to be accepted in society. Characters appear to suffer negative treatment by society until they learn to accept who they are. For example, this is shown through Dumbo learning to embrace his differences and proving himself to society. This could suggest that mental illness is related to moral failures. Medicine has adapted Disney characters to mental disorders, implying that science finds the Disney characters to be associated with mental illness. The psychological and personality disorders named after Disney characters, include: Peter Pan Syndrome, Sleeping Beauty Syndrome, Rapunzel Syndrome, and Cinderella Complex. These conditions imply that Disney characters have had a direct impact on mental illness. Peter Pan Syndrome, according to Kiley (1983), demonstrates the alienation of men failing to confront the emotional realities of society through their narcissistic nature, women are found accountable of accepting immature behaviour. The psychological condition finds that some members of society, like the fictional character, remain in a childish state, failing to accept appropriate adult roles in society. The work primarily focuses on men and shows how women mature faster. This is similar to the Disney film which shows Wendy to grow up and teach the other children how to behave. S leeping Beauty Syndrome is a disorder that involves people uncontrollably sleeping for days at a time. Rapunzel Syndrome often affects those with mental illness, as the Rapunzel character is implied to be suffering severe depression, it involves people eating their hair (Singla et al, 1999). Cinderella Complex finds women conform and lower expectations in order to fit into society, young girls have no aspirations, conforming to a stereotypical housewife lifestyle (Kerr, 1985). The research may be dated, but it supports the thesis of Disney affecting societys perception of mental illness. The medical model defines mental illness through classification schemes. There are several weaknesses of this model including the validity and reliability of diagnostic criteria (Sadler, 2005). The model ignores individual differences and classifies people into categories in which they might not belong. In opposition to this, Szasz (1961) puts forward the Myth of Mental Illness which contemplates whether mental illness actually exists, due to the overuse of the notion associated with problems of living. However, the existence of mental illness has been around for a long time and in a variety of cultures, implying that mental illness is not socially constructed, but that society can manipulate how mental illness is perceived. Szasz (1961) further examines that the label of mental illness allows the power of social control to discipline and manage those who wont conform. This includes state legislation, such as the Mental Health Act 2007 (CPS, 2013). Conclusions Whilst conducting the literature review, it has been understood that Walt Disney himself was associated with mental illness. His mother died when he was young, coincidently he was obsessed with the concept of family. This could have impacted the structure of Disney productions, as most Disney movies begin with the mother dying or already dead. However, this may not account for movies created after his death that contain references to mental illness, unless Disney are intending to stick to storylines that Walt Disney would find acceptable. Not all texts address mental illness in association to Disney films, as shown by Deconstructing Disney (Byrne and McQuillan, 2000) and Mouse Morality: The Rhetoric of Disney Animated Film (Ward, 2002). These books cover themes such as sexuality, race and gender, but fail to consider the implications Disney films have on mental health. The disregard implies that it is acceptable for Disney to stigmatise those who are mentally ill. The research discussed suggests that there has been little social change in regards to how the media portrays mental illness, there is a negative stereotype and this is presented in the selection of Disney films studied. However, I feel that there is only a limited number of studies and this is an area that needs to be examined in more detail. Each source analysed highlights a negative connotation attached to mental illness which has produced a stigma in society, reinforced by the media discourse. Wahl et al (2003) reach a concerning conclusion that future generations will be continually exposed to negative images and views of mental illness unless children are introduced to destigmatising programs. Instead of labelling someone as insane and producing a negative stigma, the media and society should focus on the specific problems and behaviours of the individual, fixing the negative stereotypes attached to mental illness (Jorm, 2000). While none of the above theories offer a solution to the negative association of mental illness, they do demonstrate awareness. There is no perspective that can be absolute when analysing social actions. Methodology This section will reflect how evidence will be collected to support the arguments of my research question. As discussed in the Literature Review, the majority of the previous work in this area has concentrated on stereotypes and the audience. In order to find out whether the publics perception of mental health is affected by Disney films, I need to establish initially how the public perceive mental health in order to reach a context specific definition of mental illness. The NHS is the largest publicly funded health service in existence, therefore I feel that they have a high enough influence to be regarded in this research in order to gain an understanding of mental health. I will use a publically available NHS document, in order to gain an understanding of what the British health system classifies mental illness as: Mental well-being crucially affects healthy functioning of individuals, families, communities and societies. It fundamentally affects behaviour, social cohesion, social inclusion and economic prosperity. Underlying social, economic and environmental dimensions that can affect a persons well-being relate to factors such as employment status, education, health and household/neighbourhood characteristics. (NHS Confederation, 2012). To find out whether the publics perception of mental health is affected by Disney films, I will conduct a content analysis to identify what terms related to mental illness are used in Disney films, I will then consider the contextual intentions of Disney. I will use theory to further analyse my results to gain a well-rounded view of the subject. I will also examine behavioural responses to Disney through the use of secondary research such as The Shift Media Survey of 2005 to examine my data. There is a mixed methods approach to the research, it is not specifically focused on quantitative or qualitative methods, allowing a continuum of the two. Selecting the Sample In order to examine whether Disneys portrayal of mental illness affects how society perceives mental illness, I have decided to base my research sample on the most popular Disney feature length films. I examined the success rate of films from each of them based on their profit, which combined with the availability of films, the following films were included: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953), The Jungle Book (1967), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), Toy Story (1995), Hercules (1997), Tarzan (1999), The Emperors New Groove (2000), The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Alice in Wonderland (2010). In total my sample consisted of sixteen Walt Disney Pictures, with only two films not being of an animated nature. Procedure To begin with, I viewed my selected films and took general notes which allowed me to create a basic coding scheme. I then re-watched the films to ensure reliability, I also re-recorded the occurrence of the selected terms associated with mental illness across a range of Disney films. The coding scheme included references to behaviour and the physical description of characters, such as mad insane and strange. I will also note the contextual circumstances of which the references were made. The coding scheme will initially exclude character names, but these will be noted for later consideration, e.g. The Mad Hatter. The context of code will be considered before recording to make sure the term is being used an appropriate sense. Once the coding was complete I noted the main themes that had emerged in order to aid my future analysis. Visual representations are also important to consider when studying mental illness in the media to examine how characters conform to stereotypes, as I found through my literature review that there was a lack of regard to character appearances. Analysis A content analysis describes what is there, but does not provide underlying reasoning, so I will be combining my research with a theoretical analysis. This will consist of selecting and discussing theoretical material and a detailed comparison of applicable theories. This will aid us in understanding whether certain theories help us to comprehend particular patterns of social behaviour. This approach will allow me to assess contrasting sources, allowing a more critical attitude. However, a content analysis describes what is there, but does not provide underlying reasoning. Data collected from a variety of sources, such as