Vipers Tangle free essay sample

Symbols a. Vipers Tangle * Hatred of his children * Desire for revenge * Love of money * Refusal to seek beyond those entangled vipers b. Spring * The Spring signals Louis happiness. . He was so happy when a woman came to love him in the person of Isa but it took more than half a century before he experienced that same happiness that he had after his marriage. How strange it is that, at those beginnings of life when a little appiness is handed out to us, there is no voice which warns us this first spring on which you have stumbled is also the last. Quench your thirst, once and for all; you shall not drink again. c. Summer when he passes by the drawing room * This signals his transformation. One hot summer on August 1896, he was again trying to win his children in hand again. d. Rain / Hail * The rain has always been regarded as the symbol for rebirth and in last chapter of the 1st part, Louis realizes that its never too late for them to begin their lives again and that unconsciously, he starts to accept Gods grace. We will write a custom essay sample on Vipers Tangle or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This becomes vident after Isas death when he talked to Genevieve and Hubert where he felt that his hatred and passion for revenge went dead and that he looks forward to being with his children for the first time. e. Maries death * The only child for whom he ever felt true love, Marie, died young. Like Christs sacrificial death on the cross, Marie died for her Papa to redeem him. We can infer that had Marie did not die young and Luc went missing, Louis would Just have his eyes on his two most beloved and would never see the path to Gods saving grace. E. Theme * sin vs. grace * Gods grace is accessible to anyone. Even the most miserly old sinner like Louis who strips himself of all his old illusions as he prepares for his inevitable end. Taking a cold, hard look at his life, and at the consequences of his meanness and solipsism, Louis begins to understand how a deliberate self-deception has shaped his life for ill, not for good. We are presented with a malevolent old man on his deathbed; the authors case is simply this: no one is beyond the reach of Gods grace. Without romanticizing Louis, Mauriac expresses the tragedy of a wasted life, the tragedy of a man who has closed himself off from a community of love to wallow in is own despair. Louis is sinned against as well as sinning, but he reserves many of his harshest Judgments for himself. He is honest, not hypocritical, and he often turns his cruelty inwards. But Gods grace reached him even though the members of his family are lukewarm Christians who spied upon his actions and whom he himself tormented. At fault, they have been driving him to despair and blinding his eyes to the light of truth. F. Salient Features of French Literature present in the Novel f. Individualism is more glorified * Louis has accustomed himself to despising those around him, to closing himself ff from affection, to becoming the monster so many take him to be, almost as a duty rather than a compulsion. He confesses that my passion for possession, and for using and abusing what I possess, extends to human beings. * He compelled his mother to knock down the mud huts where their farm laborers had lived He even dreamt of using Marinette to make Isa suffer, as a form of revenge. Moreover, he is fond of portraying himself as someone cruel, even to his children. He is full of hatred for his family and loves it when he annoys them. * He hates religion and does not believe in God day of penitence; that if the time of his death, he comes to accept the ministry of a priest, he protests in advance so that he could prev ent any abuse of his mental or physical weakness and also because his reason rejects it. For him, no metaphysical idea was attached to the Mass every Sunday; that it was Just a form of worship of a class and a body of ritual lacking any significance other than social and that priests are persons in disguise, masqueraders. With these, it can be said that promotes exercise of his goals and desires while opposing most external interference by the family, a group or institution or by the ociety. g. Clear Manifestation of Artistic Reality * Mauriac artistically laid out the plot for the readers, as well as the real life experiences that he made his characters go through: * Love for land and money dies * Louis has passion for land and money * Louis children only think about the inheritance that they could get as he * Sinning * Louis keeps torturing Isa and his children through his indifference He is filled with anger, hatred and greed in his heart

Setting Your Freelance Writing Fees

Setting Your Freelance Writing Fees Setting Your Freelance Writing Fees Setting Your Freelance Writing Fees By Colin One of the most difficult things for a freelance writer is deciding what rate to charge for jobs. When working for oneself, it’s not as simple as setting a price and sticking to it rigidly for every client that comes along; there are things to consider, and all kinds of worries involved. Setting your own fees also brings with it a new worry that may never have been considered when you first decided you wanted to be a freelance writer – negotiation. This subject, however, is too big for this article, so I’ll cover it later. Meanwhile, here are some of the things to consider when deciding what fees to charge for your writing. What’s The Gig About? Its vitally important that you understand the full remit of a project, so you can provide an accurate quote for the work involved. The key questions to ask, if you haven’t been told beforehand, are: Type of work: is it an article, sales letter, press release, e-book, or a review? What the job is will greatly affect the charges imposed, because a 1000 word article for a golfing website will not normally pay as high as a 1000 word quality sales letter for a large company. Word/page restriction: how much writing does the client expect for his money? The more words or pages, the higher the fee. Deadline: always make sure you know when the client expects the work. If the project length is too short, tell him. Don’t put yourself under pressure to get work out when you know you will struggle to produce your usual standard. If a client insists on a short deadline, factor it into your price and your contract. How Much Knowledge/Experience Do I Have? Specialist writers will likely have got the job because they are specialists. They can charge a higher rate compared with someone who is relatively new to the field and writing the same material. The more knowledge you have, the more you can write, and to an editor that means longevity. To a writer that means a pleasant and regular rate. Having more experience in a topic can be a selling point, so make sure you let the client know this when you are applying, and as such, gauge your fee against your level of experience. Who Will Own The Rights? Often overlooked, the issue of rights for a piece of work can vary the charge quite significantly. Basically, when you sell a piece, you are selling the rights that go along with it, and the more rights you sell, the higher the rate you can charge. Some clients may wish to try and avoid making extra payments for a full rights purchase, and some may not, mainly because so many writers forget or undertake work un-contracted, it is simply not mentioned. Will There Be Significant Research Required? Never overlook research when calculating a fee, especially if it is for a project that will require hours of reading, material preparation, or even travel. While you are browsing the Internet or sitting in a library, you are lose out financially if you make your quote based on output, and not by the hour. Are There Any Other Expenses? Other expenses can include everything from traveling costs, postage costs, courier costs, or making phone calls. Expenses can build up quickly so never underestimate their importance, and always look to get your charges for this type of thing built into your contract. Whats The Going Rate? As you can see from the above, there is much that can alter a charge for a project. There is no set standard, and the rate one freelancer may charge for a piece of work, may differ to another. To get a feel of what is going on in the market place, and how you fit into it, it won’t do any harm to research what your peers are charging. There are various places to gather information, and gauge a suitable level of compensation for your work, and dependent on your experience. Writing Books: Check your local book store or online, as there are literally hundreds of books available for freelance writers. The Writers’ and Artists Yearbook is one of the best. Unions: In the UK the NUJ (National Union of Journalists) is a great source of advice and information. Freelance Writing Websites: There’s no shortage of websites on the Internet where a freelance writer can research what the going rate for a project is. Also check the job boards and see if there is a ball park figure you can live with. Writers’ Forums: A good forum can be a great place to ask for advice. You can also make great contacts for the future. All of this may be surplus to requirements if the publication or client you have applied to has set the payment schedule in advance. If this is the case, evaluate what you would expect to charge for a certain piece of work, and gauge it against what is on offer. If he is offering too low a fee, walk away or negotiate. Convince him of your worth, but remember, fees are based on a number of economic factors as well as what the client is looking to get in return. If he offers too high a fee in your opinion, accept the job immediately! Don’t Flinch The important thing to remember when setting your fees is to never flinch. Don’t begin with fees that are too large, because raising them is an expected part of business, whereas lowering them is a sign of weakness and lack of confidence. Always remember that you are the expert, and your expertise comes at a price. As with all businesses, you get what you pay for, and while smaller clients might be more cautious, you should never flinch from your charges once you have set them out. Confidence in your abilities gives clients confidence in you, and they will generally meet your fees. The Gut Feeling Factor All of the above is subject to scrutiny, debate, personal opinion, experience, self-confidence, and the Gut Feeling Factor. By that I mean some things may alter your approach to setting fees on an individual basis. For example, a client may present themselves with a poor project they would like you to work on, but with the promise of great work down the line. Or you may get a sense that a new client has connections it would be worth working with them. In both cases you may calculate your fee higher or lower, depending on what you feel is appropriate. Things to consider if you get the Gut Feeling Factor are: How much exposure to other potential markets can the client offer? Is there potential for an on-gong relationship? How do you feel about the contact you have had so far? Do you think you will enjoy the work? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Greek Words You Should KnowBody Parts as Tools of Measurement40 Idioms with First

Ethical dilema Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethical dilema - Research Paper Example Moral dilemmas have different origins and depend on the source, they can be classified as those from moral uncertainty, self-imposed, world imposed and those that are prohibitory in nature (Garber 29). Given the nature of the moral dilemma, one can take a position regarding the situation that will present itself to him and opt to defend the action with other morals but the fact remains that the explanation cannot be fully construed to be a justification of the action. It can only be considered just as a better explanation that can be considered the best next alternative forgone. The Moral Dilemma I have been involved in a difficult situation of ethical dilemma in which pitched me in a very precarious situation in making a decision. This was necessitated by the advent of emails that has really created new grounds for ethical dilemma regarding information access and the corresponding privacy. It is a common knowledge that accessing someone’s email without their consent is in its elf infringing on the person right to privacy and that itself is a violation of regulation in most of the places that equally prohibits illegal access to ones mails. This is the situation that I found myself in and I had to make a decision out of the tricky situation. For a brief period, one of the major Casinos hired me to be one of their data analysts and I had to work alongside others in the Casino regarding the work that I was to be doing. In the Casino, I made a friendship with some of the employees in the Casino that I use to work with, in the department of data analysis; we became friends that we did most of the things together and openly riding on the absolute trust that we have built for quite a period. One of the principal regulations that we undertook to during the acceptance of the contract is that no engaging in the gambling process as an employee of the Casino, particularly those involved in the data analysis. This was particularly such because we used to work for the data and that engaging in gambling would lead to direct conflicts of interest (Garber 31). The same Casino has a very stringent policy regarding privacy of mails and personal information and encroaching into a fellow employee’s personal information is not tolerated. Most importantly again is the fact that the management of the Casino is very strict about deadlines that if it passes you become liable for any los that might be incurred. On a certain day, I was engaged in a certain project that was very critical to the company before the 6pm and it was past normal working hours, all the employees had left. I later realized that some of the critical data I needed for the completion of the work were in Tony’s computer (Tony is a colleagues in the work place). I then decided to log into my friends computer so that I can send myself the data again into my computer and proceed with the project to completion given its criticality, though I knew that it was wrong to access an em ployee’s system without his consent. I did log into the account and sent the part of the data that I needed but before I could log out, I saw a mail that Tony has been exchanging with others over gambling process and read the email (Garber 33). After reading the message, it was clear the Tony was engaging in the gambling process against the company’s requirement as a data analyst and t would be disastrous for him to be found

Minority Transfer in California Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Minority Transfer in California - Essay Example Historically, jobs offered to minorities did not require a four-year college education. Secondly, the four-year institutions were not interested in receiving minorities as students from two-year colleges. The four -year institutions mainly targeted students with Advanced Placement. This majority-minority demography who desire and need higher education is hitting colleges and universities. This maintained a two-tier system with an underlying aspect of white supremacy. In California, where 60 percent of K-12 scholars consist of minority groups, only 65-75 percent enrolls in the community colleges. According to reports, only 17 percent Latinos and 19 percent African-American scholars intending to enroll to a four- year institution manage to do so. This system locked out many of the minority students as it is different. Technical course credits were not transferable, and students could not get fee waivers. However, recommendations to revise the old transfer policies are in place (Chau 1) . Statistics indicates that, by 2025, there will be a shortage of degree holders in California. Analyses also indicate that students performing poorly in high schools transfer to community colleges and perform poorly too. ... Poorly prepared students rarely transfer. The report encourages low-performing high schools to help the students realize the challenges of developmental education (Chau 1). Racism is a noticeable aspect within the community colleges. Minority students registered less than 20 percent of all the transfers recorded in colleges. This has necessitated actions aimed at educational reform. Stakeholders involved have come together in order to streamline the system. Civil Rights Project, in its report, recommends dual-enrollment programs, which will provide a better transition between the high schools and colleges, thus expanding programs meant for college readiness. They also recommend simpler transfer processes with credit transfer uniformity. The report also indicated that colleges offering financial incentives would improve on the transfer rates. Some of the colleges have already started implementing the report (Chau 1). In January 1998, Proposition 209 terminated racism segregation in pu blic colleges and universities in the state of California. The Proposition refers to the ban on preferential treatment in learning institutes. Proposition 209 defines new diversity guidelines issued by the Justice and Education departments. Institutions find it difficult to enroll and retain historically under-represented minority (URM) youth. The number of African American and Hispanic scholars drastically dropped at four-year institutions after the year 1998. The University of California has embraced proposition 209. It has diversified efforts and developed a program that reviews the application to incorporate the barriers students have put under control. This has led to the creation of Eligibility in the Local Context program (ELC), to assist in increasing

Thematic Independent Study Of Recruitment Proposal Form Management Essay

Thematic Independent Study Of Recruitment Proposal Form Management Essay The title of essay one is Impact of ICT on recruitment and selection. The aim of this report is to identify traditional methods of recruitment and how they have been revolutionized by the emergence of the Internet. In the past few years, the Internet has dramatically changed the face of HR recruitment and the ways organizations think about the recruiting function. Presently, Information Communication Technologies (ICT), which provide enabling technologies to assist Human Resources (Hers) professionals in the delivery of services, have also simultaneously increased the expectations that employees, managers, customers, and regulators have for the HR functions. The feedback I received from essay one is that Internet recruitment is viewed as an important additional tool and traditional methods are continued to be used in recruiting process. The pros of e-recruitment were to identify and reach large of qualified candidates advertise with dispersed location, provide cost effective method, save the recruiting process time and increase image of organizations. The cons of e-recruitment were the discrimination issue forward to Internet non-user, difficult to recruit executive-level talents on the Internet, the digital divide gap between computer literate and illiterate and the risk of overload of resumes. Analysis of Viva process: The viva process went very well and that was after I submitted my both essays to my supervisor. When it came to the Viva (oral defense), I really wanted to do it well. I spent quite more than enough time preparing the viva in the way that I have seen others make similar preparations. After having been informed that I will be required to defend my second essay, I decided that a good presentation comes from good planning and having at hand all the information that anyone might request, so I spent a long time in the preparation and I went feeling confident. As soon as I arrived at the conference where the presentation was taking place, I became nervous when I realized they were all waiting for me to speak and my nerves made me tremble. I did not know how to stop it. later on, I noticed that panelists seemed not to understand what I was saying despite all the preparations I had made. I suddenly calmed myself down, and in no minutes time I found myself flowing and everybody in the room un derstood I had gained momentum. I did it so well and this happened when I decided talking more slowly without trembling. It was interesting because everyone saw a change in my attitude after a very short time, and from there, I personally started seeing things differently. I regained sufficient confidence and was able to discuss matters in greater depth, thus, I felt more positive until the end of the Viva. Title of essay and aim: The title of essay two is Impact of ICT on recruitment and selection, and the main question is whether E-recruitment is an efficient tool for recruitment, and analyzing how beneficial e-recruitment is to organizations implementing it. The aim of this paper was to: Identify what e-recruitment methods are being used, and what are experiences of organizations trying to implement e-recruitment. Establish how organizations are evaluating the success of their e-recruitment initiatives, and establish the level of success being experienced This paper will help to establish a baseline on the use of e-recruitment by organizations, thereby enabling the on-going monitoring of progress and developments in this area. How essay 2 builds on essay 1 Essay two builds on essay one by analyzing the benefits of e-recruitment to organizations implementing it. However, e-recruitment is an efficient method of recruitment due to a number of reasons, most notably for cost reduction, increases the efficiency of the process, reduce time to hire and provide access to a larger and more diverse candidate pool. The most notable benefits reported by organizations having introduced e-recruitment are the cost savings, which have mainly been due to reduced advertising cost, a reduction in the resources required to process applications and a reduction in recruitment agency costs. Other benefits include more efficient management of communication with candidates and the ability to easily report on key performance metrics as a result of internet based tracking systems. It also shows that online recruitment is an improvement but cannot totally replace the traditional recruitment. Thus, increased use of e-recruitment methods and systems is helping to facilitate this trend by removing much of the routine administration involved in recruiting allowing HR to more easily monitor and track recruitment related activities. What I did well or could have done better: What I did well was planning and researching. I came up with really good research based on what I had planned. The communication and listening skills I acquired during the course made me to respond to questions very well and with full confidence. I gathered all the materials and data that I wanted, compiled it before coming up with the final report. Though during report writing, I was not sure whether I was going the right direction as far as the flow was concerned. I kept doing what I thought was right from my own perspective. What I learned: I have learned that planning and preparing for a Viva does not guarantee someone from trembling, but makes you have the information you need at hand. I also noticed how important it is to go back over things I have written about before presenting, for this could make me familiar with what I had written down. There were things I did not know at the time of questions and answer session, and I recognized there were some areas in which I went wrong. This made me realize that the panelists did not understand what I was saying. I have learned that I was not confident enough to present what I had prepared for. I need to think from the beginning about the process of giving a good Viva, as well as being sure about my reliance on what I have prepared/planned in order to have the best Viva. Conclusion: In order to prepare a good Viva or any presentation, good planning is required as well as doing enough research (have enough information at hand). On top of planning, being confident is another important aspect that can lead a person to present a good Viva. If I was confident enough, I am sure I would not have trembled and my oral defense would have been perfectly done from the time I entered the room. I, therefore, would like to encourage students to make sure they have full confidence in mind before attempting any presentation, which for my case was an oral defense (Viva). Mind maps Essays 1 2 Impact of ICT on Recruitment and Selection TIS Essay 1 Introduction Definitions of terms Human Resources information Systems Recruitment methods Traditional Recruitment methods E-recruitment Advantages of E-recruitment Disadvantages of E-recruitment Selection tools for Recruitment Assessment Centers Internet Testing Psychometric Tests Aptitude and Ability Tests Technologies used in Recruitment and Selection Internet Boards Resume Database and Applicant Tracking Technology Online Testing and Assessments Combined Technologies assisting the recruiting and selection process Conclusion TIS Essay 2 Introduction E-recruitment Technology The rise of E-recruitment Personalizing the process The application process Applicant Tracking System Screening Testing Role of Recruiting Agencies Benefits of online recruitment over traditional recruitment Problems/Risks/Limitations of online recruitment Management of information and validation of online recruitment systems Recommendations Conclusion Database Time Spent Search Terms Results (# of records) Evaluation of material (how/what will it contribute to your essay or support your argument?) Grout J and Perrin S Recruiting Excellence: An Insiders Guide to Sourcing Top Talent (McGraw Hill, 2002) ISBN 0077099680 10 Recruitment and Selection Arundhati Ghosh, Junior Faculty Member, E- Recruitment: The Recent Trend of Recruitment Practices, Icfai National College, Garia, Kolkata 10 Impact of ICT on Recruitment and Selection http://www.ehow.com/about_5463606_technologies-used-recruitment-selection.html 10 Technologies used in recruitment and Selection, Get to know technologies used in Recruitment and Selection, and their impact to HR functions (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Recruitment and Selection Get definitions for Selection and Recruitment http://www.recruitmentcareers.co.uk/Selection-tools-for-recruitment-jobs.htm 20 Selection tools for recruitment Identify selection tools and what they do. Journal10 Personnel Today (Reed Business Information) are a useful journal which often has up-to-date and relevant articles on selection and recruitment practice. 20 Lai, V.S. and Mahapatra, R.K. (1997): Exploring the Research in Information Technology Implementation, Information and Management, Vol.32 pp.187-201. 20 Information technology implementation CIPD (2005) Online Recruitment, [online] (cited 7 December 2005) Available fromhttp://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/recruitmen/onlnrcruit/onlrec.htm?IsSrchRes=1 20 Online recruitment Advantages and disadvantages of E-recruitment http://www.hr-guide.com/data/G318.htm 10 Assessment centres What assessment centers are and what they do Database Time Spent Search Terms Results (# of records) Evaluation of material (how/what will it contribute to your essay or support your argument?) www.onrec.com 12 The growth of E-recruitment Statistics showing how e-recruitment has grown www.hrmguide.co.uk/recruitment/introduction_to_online_recruitment.htm 13 Introduction to online recruitment www.jobsgopublic.com 18 Survey of Disability Discrimination in Employment www.personneltoday.com Flexibility is vital for the future of web recruitment http://www2.monster.ie/casestudy/ibm 15 IBM case study http://www.taleo.com/research/pdf/TaleoResearch_Global500_03_Report.pdf, 20 Website recruiting Recruiting survey Lievens F., Harris M. M. (2003) Research on Internet Recruiting and Testing: International review of Industrial and organizational Psychology, Vol. 18, John Wiley and Sons. 10 Internet recruiting and Testing Bartram D. (2001). Testing through the internet: Mapping the issues for managing the future. A practitioner workshop. Practitioner forum at the Division of Occupational Psychology Conference, Winchester, UK. 20 Testing through the Internet Leavy N., Canny M., Heywood S., Parker B., (2005). Catching talent with the Web; The Impact of an Online Application Process on Candidate Pools paper presented at the Psychological society of Ireland Conference, Derry, Northern Ireland 20 The impact on online application process Kerrin M., Kettley P. (2003). E-recruitment: is it delivering? The Institute for Employment Studies, Report number 402. 20 Is E-recruitment delivering? Wolfe H. Hartley V. (2005). The changing role of Recruitment intermediaries, the Institute for Employment Studies, Report 420. 12 Changing role of recruitment intermediaries Nigel Fielding, Raymond M. Lee, Grant Blank.(2008) The SAGE handbook of online research methods P274, SAGE Publications Ltd 10 Online research methods

Mary Anne Warrens The Abortion Issue Essay -- Abortion Issue Mary War

Mary Anne Warren’s â€Å"The Abortion Issue† In Mary Anne Warren’s â€Å"The Abortion Issue,† children are not persons in the empirical sense. Warren believes that prior to a certain point in a pregnancy, the child does not have â€Å"the capacity to understand† the ramifications of what an abortion would be, therefore the abortion does not infringe upon the rights of the unborn fetus. She states that: â€Å"†¦in the ways that matter from a moral point of view, human fetuses are very unlike human persons, particularly in their early months of development†(152). In essence, personhood as defined by Warren can only come after the first trimester. Before that time, the fetus does not have the sentience that would make it a person. Warren’s main criteria for what makes a person will be considered first, then we will move on to her argument on sentience, and the differences she notes between a fetus and an infant. As she states in her paper, there are five main categories that empirically place something as a person. They include sentience, or conscious behavior, such as awareness of our surroundings, rationality: the ability to respond according to what affects us, self-concept: the ability to understand what we are, self-motivated behavior: the planning and carrying out of our own beliefs and thoughts beyond how we are externally affected, and linguistic capacity, or the use of a system to convey messages. Warren does not raise the answers to already obvious arguments when considering these ...

Adolescence: Developmental Psychology and Social Work Practice

Module Title: Human Growth and Behaviour. Assessment Title: What are the advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour through the life-span perspective for social practise? ADOLESCENCE The author’s aim is to outline the advantages as well as disadvantages in adolescence behaviour and human development processes across people life span, and particular adolescence. This essay will look at the different models, theories of social work and the factors that may have influence social work practice.The physical, psychological, socio-cultural, environmental and politico-economical are the factors that Bowlby (1999), Erikson (1995), Freud and Piaget (1977) have mentioned in their theories and the author will explore, discuses and examine them. The factors and the theories are numerous to cover in the essay of this size, and with this in mind the author is looking at examining same of them very briefly and same more in depth. In the first part, the author will cover human developme nt through the life span. The reasons why knowledge and understanding of human development throughout the life course are important to social work practice.The author will also outline the importance of our own personal values, and the impact that these may have on social work practice. Understanding the impact of transactions within a person’s life course is important for social work practice in order to understand other people’s lives. However, it is important to remember that although people may experience the same life event, their response to the situation and the decisions that they make will differ. Deferent people have different perceptions of what is happening to them as they move through transitions in their lives.Their response and learning from it might be very different from one individual to the other. For example, one may have enjoyed school, another tolerated it or hated it. Social workers need to recognise in working with people the different transitio ns and may use them as an opportunity in helping the service users to grow, change, or develop. Of course, there are numbers of different perspectives that could be taken into account of how we develop into who ‘we are’. That is why the author will look at some ideas and theories from biology, sociology, psychology, and their assumptions of what influences they may have on human life.Firstly, the author will look at two theories and try to explain the individual’s behaviour namely, ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’. (Crawford, 2003) The nature viewpoint believes that our genes predetermine who we are and the characteristics we have are inherited, for example people’s physical appearance etc. The problem with this believes is that it suggests that the change is impossible, we are who we are and there is nothing we can do about it. The danger in this thinking is the stereotyping people, and thus supporting prejudice and oppression.On the other hand, the nurture’s viewpoint argues that the environment, and the way we are brought up influence our development, giving the evidence in patterns of family behaviour, for example, introverted or extroverted family members. Again, there is a danger in stereotyping people thus contributing towards oppression. (Crawford, 2003) A sociological approach explains human identity by examining the interactions between people and society in which they live. It explores the different classes of society starting from wide perspective then looking at them and the influence it may have on the individuals. (Giddens, 2001)Physiological approach explains human development by examining the physical development and genetic make-up, for example, biological theories explain a child’s growth and development, concentrating on characteristics inherited from biological family. (Crawford, 2003) Psychology is a discipline, which studies people their thoughts, feelings and emotions. There are m any different theories the most relevant to the subject are the developmental psychology and psychosocial theory. Developmental psychology has an approach of how people develop across life course, by exploring their thoughts, feelings and behaviours (Aronson, 2005).Piaget (1977) the author of cognitive development theory believed that the child seeks to understand and adopt into the environment. In doing so, the child undertakes certain actions as it moves through stages of development. Another approach to understand the human life course from a developmental psychology perspective is presented trough theories that focus on behaviour and how behaviour and actions influence our learning. (Piaget, 1977) Skinner’s (1953) behaviourism explained human development as the acquisition of behaviourism that is learned through responses to experiences.Skinner did not see the individual’s thoughts or conscious mind as influencing their behaviours, but rather behaviour as a respons e controlled by the rewards or punishments in the individual’s environment. (Skinner, 1953) Albert Bandura (1977) also emphasised in his social learning theory the importance of behaviour and the environment, but he saw cognition or thoughts as being a significant factor in the person’s development. Therefore, the social learning theories consider the influence of values, beliefs, self-determination, emotions and thought on the learning process.Psychosocial theories arise from a combination of two perspectives psychology and sociology disciplines. David Howe describes psychosocial as being created by the interplay between the individual’s psychological condition and the social environment (Howe, 1998) Erik Erikson (1995) in his model of life stage development saw people building their identity as they move through ‘crisis’ points in their lives. Each person moving through stages by moral excellence, however the successful progression through each st age, by negotiation of the particular ‘crisis’ to a positive outcome, ensures healthy development (Erikson, 1995)All these theories explain human development as being largely dependent upon the impact of the environment, social and cultural influences. They can be criticised or appreciated for their strengths and weaknesses in the way they explain and describe certain aspects of development. For example, Jean’s Piaget’s (1977) theory of cognitive development could be considered as one of the most comprehensive and logical in helping to understand children’s mental development. However, Piaget’s (1977) theory is not as useful in understanding how life events and challenges influence growth and development in adulthood. Piaget, 1977) For this area of life, course development Erikson’s model of life stage development is more likely to be relevant. (Erikson, 1995) The human life can be very complex, influenced by interactions of biological , social, psychological and environmental factors. It is therefore, very important to appreciate a range of theories from across disciplines. It may not be possible for anyone’s theory to explain all aspects of human life and its development. Taking one approach would lead to one aspect of someone’s life leaving the other aspects of the person’s ignored (Adams, 2003).The author believes that each of the models and theories introduced within this essay are valuable to our understanding of human development through the life span. Social workers need to develop an understanding of these theories from a range of disciplines in order to take holistic approach in their practice. Very important aspects of social work practice are assessments, planning, intervention and reviews. Parker (2003) describes a number of aids and activities that social workers may use when gathering and analysing information as they make assessments with service users. (Parker, 2003)Before mov ing on more deeply to adolescence, the author will briefly look at the importance of childhood and the implications that it has on adolescence, and the rest of life. One of the most important parts of social worker practice is empowering people to be actively involved in processes and decisions that affect their lives. Social workers need to develop this skill as well as other skills like communication and listening to help those who are unable to speak or express themselves. The right of children to have their voices heard has been enshrined in an international treaty, the convention on the Rights of Children (1999).The Convention on the Rights of Children 1991 is a universally agreed set of standards and obligations in relation to the basic human rights that all children have – without discrimination Grant (1991). Early relationships are often viewed by theorists as having a critical role in the person’s emotional well being throughout their life. Attachment theory i nvolves the study of relationships, in particularly early relationships of infants and children. ( Lindon, 1998) Attachment by Lindon (1998) is described as a positive emotional link between two people (a link of affection).The original concept of attachment has been attributed to the studies of John Bowlby (Howe, 1999). He believed that the source development of personality lay in early childhood and that any trauma of failure in these early relationships could permanently shape the development of the child’s personality thus have a great impact on adult’s life. Dozens of studies shown that children rated as securely attached to their mother in infancy are later more sociable, and more positive in their behaviour towards friends and family.They are less dependent on people, less aggressive and disruptive, more empathetic and more emotionally mature in their interactions in school and other settings. Adolescents are also more socially skilled, have friendships that are more intimate, are more likely to be rated as leaders, and have higher self-esteem and better grades Bee (2002). Attachment theory also provides a sophisticated set of ideas for making sense of people’s feelings and behaviours. (Lindon, 1998)) Adolescence in Latin, adolescere means ‘to grow up’ it usually starts with the physical changes associated with puberty, which begin the physical changes to the body. Carlson, 2000) Whilst these are important, there are other critical processes of development: ‘self’ and the search for identity, the development of relationships, for example with friends, and very important changing nature of relationships within families, that are a central feature of this period of an individual’s life. It is a time of not only biological changes but also, psychological and social. Adolescence as a period of life is often seen as a whole period of transition, the transition from childhood to adulthood, probably the mos t challenging and difficult period of life in terms of development (Herbert, 2002).All adolescence confronts the some development tasks – adjusting to changes in their bodies and the challenge of their developing sexuality and new ways of thinking, as they strive for their own identity, emotional maturity and independence. Consequently, relationships, particularly with the family, will be subject to adoption and change. However, the timing of these changes varies between individuals, influenced by such things as gender, genes and culture (Ackerman, 1958). Adolescence as a period of development maybe considered for a range of different perspectives that focus on biological, psychological and social aspects of development. Davies, 1997) Biological development in adolescence is associated with a whole range of physical changes. Puberty is the period of rapid changes that occur as the person moves from childhood and begins adolescence. Hormones affect every aspect of growth and d evelopment and the level of certain hormones rises naturally during adolescence, primarily causing increased sexual interest and mood swings Numbers of physical changes take place, for example a rapid acceleration in growth and weight. (Bee, 2002) Social development in adolescence is a period of transitions from being a child into being an adult.Adolescents seek greater independence from their parent’s relationships moving more towards their peer relationships (Sugerman, 2001). The peer group and the friendship within it play very important part not only in sharing inner feeling and secrets but also in the development of the individual’s identity, changes in our self-concept and self-image. It provides new ways of thinking about problems, values and relationships. It gives the opportunity to think about themselves and the person they are becoming (Erikson, 1995). Erikson (1995) recognised this as the critical crisis of adolescence in the eight stages of development.He believed that the successful resolution of this depends on how the individual resolved the previous crisis of childhood. This period is critical in making sense of the future. Erikson (1995) believed the key to this is the interactions with peers, families, institutions, especially school, society and so on. Erikson(1995) also suggests that the search for identity is ongoing process during adolescence. He says that they may adopt identity based on parents or society they live in, or opposite to that in which the adolescent adopts rebellious, negative stereotype.There can be a situation where a child does not know or care for their identity may explore different alternatives without making any choices. Another one may achieve their identity through assimilation of the experiences and the future plans. Two important parts of identity in social context are gender and ethnicity. Few studies had explored the issue of possible gender differences in relation to social context, with no tren ds apparent. In sum, there has been little evidence of gender differences regarding questions of identity structure or developmental process (Adams, 2003).For young people who are not part of a dominant cultural group, there is concern to establish their cultural identity. They must develop a sense of individual identity and ethnic identity that includes self-identification as a member of their specific group, commitment to that group and its values and attitudes (Bee, 2002). For some young people from an ethnic minority group this may be an issue. However, the critical issue is the decisions they may have to make in operating in a culture of racism and in dealing with negative and racist situation.As a social worker, we need to make sure that our practice is anti-racist and anti-discriminatory with promotion of positive images of people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Moving on to the end of this piece of work the author will look at the complexity of human life in context of sexual exploration, usage of substances and some of major events and their influences upon adolescence life. Herbert (2002) says that homosexual and lesbian experimentation are ordinary in adolescence however longer term attraction to the some sex or both sexes is reported in fewer than 10 per cent of the population.The way of how others see ‘us’ and think of ‘us’ is of vital importance to the way ‘we’ perceive ‘ourselves’ – our self image. This has particular bearing on how adolescents deal with their dawning realisation of the permanence of homosexual feelings of identification. (Herbert, 2002) Our society relies upon various kind of drugs and substances for every day living. It has become a ‘drug culture’. There is a huge increase of drugs and alcohol usage among young people. For the majority of young people this may be a serious issue.Young people who use substances may demonstrate low self-estee m and self-worth, rebelliousness and lack of aspiration in relation to academic achievement. A distinction needs to be made there are those young people who present with a range of anti-social behaviour, such as criminal activity, aggression, and so on. (Coleman, 1990) This might be difficult but social workers need to know how to balance the rights of young people and their responsibility to society. It might be very difficult to understand people’s life course, especially the influences and the complex events that they may have been through.Recognising the impact of life events is very important, their complexity and the effects, they can have not only on people’s lives but on social work practice too. The impact of parental conflicts, for example being exposed to verbal and physical violence will have an impact on children’s behaviour. Children are generally the losers when their parents’ marriages end in divorce or their long-term partnerships are ter minated. Boys and girls are both equally vulnerable says Herbert (2002). Divorce is usually a lengthy process, not simply a single incident in children’s lives.Parental conflict has been associated with poor academic performance, depression and antisocial behaviour (Carlson, 2000). Although not all children will be affected by parental conflict, this behaviour has clear and negative effect on children and their future behaviour. Children who loss their mother before age 11 are more vulnerable to depression and suicide thoughts. Suicide attempts are very much a late adolescent phenomenon, the peak being among 15-19 years old. The rate of attempted suicides for adolescent girls far exceeds that for boys.Frequently the action is unplanned, impulsive and undertaken in a manner that is likely to be discovered. Teenagers sometimes have fantasies about their own death, which involve their ‘ending it all’, and yet surviving the event by ‘attending’ their own funeral where they are able to savour the grief and guilt displayed by errant parents or boyfriend/girlfriend. These fantasies indicate how, in some adolescents, the finality of death is not fully comprehended, or at least not while in a depressed or hysterical state. Herbert, 2002) Other young people may present emotional issues, such as depression and anxiety. A distinction also needs to be made between those that might be associated with development issues and those that may be more serious. For example, small portion of young people will present with psychiatric disorders such as the author mentioned above suicide attempts, schizophrenia, anorexia or bulimia nervosa. (Barker, 2003) One in five children and adolescents suffer from moderate to sever mental health problems.A significant number of sever problems in childhood, if not adequately treated can lead to lifelong mental illness in adulthood Children whose parent have mental health illness are known to be at higher risk of developing the same difficulty of their own. (Barker, 2003) The cognitive explanation of children’s and young people’s behaviour is concerned not only with what is actually happening but also with their understanding and a mental representation of what is going on. That is why it is important for social workers to have an understanding of ‘normal’ child growth and development.This will allow comparing, and assessing the development of a child that needs to be assessed. Additionally it would help to judge the role of parents, or carers and their ability to meet the demands of the different stages of the child development, their ability to respond to good parenting, their values, attitudes, and the impact that this can have on the child. (Herbert, 2002) Throughout this essay, the author tried to attempt to identify issues that may specifically affect the individual’s experience of adolescence, namely issues of gender, race and culture.Social workers r esponse to different behaviour issues has to depend of an assessment of the individual, and the range of factors, planning a response and supporting children, young people, parents and others to understand and manage their behaviour problems. Understanding of the theories of human development is necessary in establishing effective partnership with people who use social services. In conclusion, the author presents in this essay some of the advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour across the life span.Social workers need to look at the particular individual behaviour in context of life span perspective because only then they can make the right judgement of that person. However, it is very important for social workers to have a holistic approach in understanding someone’s behaviour. This means taking to account every aspect of the individual’s life. In other words, building an understanding of the whole person’s life, not only physical or psychical but als o social, cultural, historical factors that may have influence their life.Looking at human behaviour gives also a wider perspective, and it takes the social worker beyond his own particular life experience giving a ‘bigger picture’, understanding of people’s behaviour. However, it is important again to be careful to not stereotyping or labelling people. Finally, social workers need to remember that they are dealing with human beings, unique individuals that is way they need to make sure that when they talk to them they must listen carefully and try to understand them from their perspective. 3,228 words Reference: Ackerman, N.W. (1958) Psychodynamics of family life, Imprint Adams, G. R. (2003) Blackwell's handbook of adolescence, Blackwell Publishing,   Adams, R (2002) Social work, Themes issues and critical debates. Palgrave, New York. Aronson, E (2005) Social psychology 5ed. Upper Saddle River,  Pearson Education,   Barker, P (2003) Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. The craft of caring. Arnold, London Bee, H. (2002) Lifespan development  3ed. Allyn ; Bacon,   Boston. Carlson, N. R. (2000) Psychology, The science of behaviour,  Allyn ; Bacon   Coleman, J.C. (1990) The nature of adolescence,  2ed. Routledge. Crawford, K. (2003) Social work and human development, Learning Matters,  Exeter. Davies, M. (1997) Blackwell companion to social work, Blackwell Publishers, Erikson, E. H. (1995) Childhood and society, Vintage. Giddens, A. (2001) Sociology, 4ed. Polity Press,  Cambridge. Grant, J. P. (1991) The state of the world’s children 1991,  Unicef. Herbert, M. (2002) Typical and atypical development. From conception to adolescence. BPS Blackwell,  Oxford. Howe. D. 1999) Attachment theory, Child maltreatment and family support, A practice and assessment model. Macmillan Press. Lindon, J. (1998) Understanding child development, Knowledge theory and practice. Macmillan Press. Parker, J. (2003) Social work practice . Assessment, planning, intervention and review. Learning Matters, Exeter. Piaget, J. (1977) The origin of intelligence in the child,  Penguin Books, Harmondsworth. Skinner, B. F. (1953) Science and human behaviour, Macmillan Press. Sugarman, L. (2001) Lifespan development, Frameworks, accounts and strategies. 2ed. Psychology Press,  Hove. Adolescence: Developmental Psychology and Social Work Practice Module Title: Human Growth and Behaviour. Assessment Title: What are the advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour through the life-span perspective for social practise? ADOLESCENCE The author’s aim is to outline the advantages as well as disadvantages in adolescence behaviour and human development processes across people life span, and particular adolescence. This essay will look at the different models, theories of social work and the factors that may have influence social work practice.The physical, psychological, socio-cultural, environmental and politico-economical are the factors that Bowlby (1999), Erikson (1995), Freud and Piaget (1977) have mentioned in their theories and the author will explore, discuses and examine them. The factors and the theories are numerous to cover in the essay of this size, and with this in mind the author is looking at examining same of them very briefly and same more in depth. In the first part, the author will cover human developme nt through the life span. The reasons why knowledge and understanding of human development throughout the life course are important to social work practice.The author will also outline the importance of our own personal values, and the impact that these may have on social work practice. Understanding the impact of transactions within a person’s life course is important for social work practice in order to understand other people’s lives. However, it is important to remember that although people may experience the same life event, their response to the situation and the decisions that they make will differ. Deferent people have different perceptions of what is happening to them as they move through transitions in their lives.Their response and learning from it might be very different from one individual to the other. For example, one may have enjoyed school, another tolerated it or hated it. Social workers need to recognise in working with people the different transitio ns and may use them as an opportunity in helping the service users to grow, change, or develop. Of course, there are numbers of different perspectives that could be taken into account of how we develop into who ‘we are’. That is why the author will look at some ideas and theories from biology, sociology, psychology, and their assumptions of what influences they may have on human life.Firstly, the author will look at two theories and try to explain the individual’s behaviour namely, ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’. (Crawford, 2003) The nature viewpoint believes that our genes predetermine who we are and the characteristics we have are inherited, for example people’s physical appearance etc. The problem with this believes is that it suggests that the change is impossible, we are who we are and there is nothing we can do about it. The danger in this thinking is the stereotyping people, and thus supporting prejudice and oppression.On the other hand, the nurture’s viewpoint argues that the environment, and the way we are brought up influence our development, giving the evidence in patterns of family behaviour, for example, introverted or extroverted family members. Again, there is a danger in stereotyping people thus contributing towards oppression. (Crawford, 2003) A sociological approach explains human identity by examining the interactions between people and society in which they live. It explores the different classes of society starting from wide perspective then looking at them and the influence it may have on the individuals. (Giddens, 2001)Physiological approach explains human development by examining the physical development and genetic make-up, for example, biological theories explain a child’s growth and development, concentrating on characteristics inherited from biological family. (Crawford, 2003) Psychology is a discipline, which studies people their thoughts, feelings and emotions. There are m any different theories the most relevant to the subject are the developmental psychology and psychosocial theory. Developmental psychology has an approach of how people develop across life course, by exploring their thoughts, feelings and behaviours (Aronson, 2005).Piaget (1977) the author of cognitive development theory believed that the child seeks to understand and adopt into the environment. In doing so, the child undertakes certain actions as it moves through stages of development. Another approach to understand the human life course from a developmental psychology perspective is presented trough theories that focus on behaviour and how behaviour and actions influence our learning. (Piaget, 1977) Skinner’s (1953) behaviourism explained human development as the acquisition of behaviourism that is learned through responses to experiences.Skinner did not see the individual’s thoughts or conscious mind as influencing their behaviours, but rather behaviour as a respons e controlled by the rewards or punishments in the individual’s environment. (Skinner, 1953) Albert Bandura (1977) also emphasised in his social learning theory the importance of behaviour and the environment, but he saw cognition or thoughts as being a significant factor in the person’s development. Therefore, the social learning theories consider the influence of values, beliefs, self-determination, emotions and thought on the learning process.Psychosocial theories arise from a combination of two perspectives psychology and sociology disciplines. David Howe describes psychosocial as being created by the interplay between the individual’s psychological condition and the social environment (Howe, 1998) Erik Erikson (1995) in his model of life stage development saw people building their identity as they move through ‘crisis’ points in their lives. Each person moving through stages by moral excellence, however the successful progression through each st age, by negotiation of the particular ‘crisis’ to a positive outcome, ensures healthy development (Erikson, 1995)All these theories explain human development as being largely dependent upon the impact of the environment, social and cultural influences. They can be criticised or appreciated for their strengths and weaknesses in the way they explain and describe certain aspects of development. For example, Jean’s Piaget’s (1977) theory of cognitive development could be considered as one of the most comprehensive and logical in helping to understand children’s mental development. However, Piaget’s (1977) theory is not as useful in understanding how life events and challenges influence growth and development in adulthood. Piaget, 1977) For this area of life, course development Erikson’s model of life stage development is more likely to be relevant. (Erikson, 1995) The human life can be very complex, influenced by interactions of biological , social, psychological and environmental factors. It is therefore, very important to appreciate a range of theories from across disciplines. It may not be possible for anyone’s theory to explain all aspects of human life and its development. Taking one approach would lead to one aspect of someone’s life leaving the other aspects of the person’s ignored (Adams, 2003).The author believes that each of the models and theories introduced within this essay are valuable to our understanding of human development through the life span. Social workers need to develop an understanding of these theories from a range of disciplines in order to take holistic approach in their practice. Very important aspects of social work practice are assessments, planning, intervention and reviews. Parker (2003) describes a number of aids and activities that social workers may use when gathering and analysing information as they make assessments with service users. (Parker, 2003)Before mov ing on more deeply to adolescence, the author will briefly look at the importance of childhood and the implications that it has on adolescence, and the rest of life. One of the most important parts of social worker practice is empowering people to be actively involved in processes and decisions that affect their lives. Social workers need to develop this skill as well as other skills like communication and listening to help those who are unable to speak or express themselves. The right of children to have their voices heard has been enshrined in an international treaty, the convention on the Rights of Children (1999).The Convention on the Rights of Children 1991 is a universally agreed set of standards and obligations in relation to the basic human rights that all children have – without discrimination Grant (1991). Early relationships are often viewed by theorists as having a critical role in the person’s emotional well being throughout their life. Attachment theory i nvolves the study of relationships, in particularly early relationships of infants and children. ( Lindon, 1998) Attachment by Lindon (1998) is described as a positive emotional link between two people (a link of affection).The original concept of attachment has been attributed to the studies of John Bowlby (Howe, 1999). He believed that the source development of personality lay in early childhood and that any trauma of failure in these early relationships could permanently shape the development of the child’s personality thus have a great impact on adult’s life. Dozens of studies shown that children rated as securely attached to their mother in infancy are later more sociable, and more positive in their behaviour towards friends and family.They are less dependent on people, less aggressive and disruptive, more empathetic and more emotionally mature in their interactions in school and other settings. Adolescents are also more socially skilled, have friendships that are more intimate, are more likely to be rated as leaders, and have higher self-esteem and better grades Bee (2002). Attachment theory also provides a sophisticated set of ideas for making sense of people’s feelings and behaviours. (Lindon, 1998)) Adolescence in Latin, adolescere means ‘to grow up’ it usually starts with the physical changes associated with puberty, which begin the physical changes to the body. Carlson, 2000) Whilst these are important, there are other critical processes of development: ‘self’ and the search for identity, the development of relationships, for example with friends, and very important changing nature of relationships within families, that are a central feature of this period of an individual’s life. It is a time of not only biological changes but also, psychological and social. Adolescence as a period of life is often seen as a whole period of transition, the transition from childhood to adulthood, probably the mos t challenging and difficult period of life in terms of development (Herbert, 2002).All adolescence confronts the some development tasks – adjusting to changes in their bodies and the challenge of their developing sexuality and new ways of thinking, as they strive for their own identity, emotional maturity and independence. Consequently, relationships, particularly with the family, will be subject to adoption and change. However, the timing of these changes varies between individuals, influenced by such things as gender, genes and culture (Ackerman, 1958). Adolescence as a period of development maybe considered for a range of different perspectives that focus on biological, psychological and social aspects of development. Davies, 1997) Biological development in adolescence is associated with a whole range of physical changes. Puberty is the period of rapid changes that occur as the person moves from childhood and begins adolescence. Hormones affect every aspect of growth and d evelopment and the level of certain hormones rises naturally during adolescence, primarily causing increased sexual interest and mood swings Numbers of physical changes take place, for example a rapid acceleration in growth and weight. (Bee, 2002) Social development in adolescence is a period of transitions from being a child into being an adult.Adolescents seek greater independence from their parent’s relationships moving more towards their peer relationships (Sugerman, 2001). The peer group and the friendship within it play very important part not only in sharing inner feeling and secrets but also in the development of the individual’s identity, changes in our self-concept and self-image. It provides new ways of thinking about problems, values and relationships. It gives the opportunity to think about themselves and the person they are becoming (Erikson, 1995). Erikson (1995) recognised this as the critical crisis of adolescence in the eight stages of development.He believed that the successful resolution of this depends on how the individual resolved the previous crisis of childhood. This period is critical in making sense of the future. Erikson (1995) believed the key to this is the interactions with peers, families, institutions, especially school, society and so on. Erikson(1995) also suggests that the search for identity is ongoing process during adolescence. He says that they may adopt identity based on parents or society they live in, or opposite to that in which the adolescent adopts rebellious, negative stereotype.There can be a situation where a child does not know or care for their identity may explore different alternatives without making any choices. Another one may achieve their identity through assimilation of the experiences and the future plans. Two important parts of identity in social context are gender and ethnicity. Few studies had explored the issue of possible gender differences in relation to social context, with no tren ds apparent. In sum, there has been little evidence of gender differences regarding questions of identity structure or developmental process (Adams, 2003).For young people who are not part of a dominant cultural group, there is concern to establish their cultural identity. They must develop a sense of individual identity and ethnic identity that includes self-identification as a member of their specific group, commitment to that group and its values and attitudes (Bee, 2002). For some young people from an ethnic minority group this may be an issue. However, the critical issue is the decisions they may have to make in operating in a culture of racism and in dealing with negative and racist situation.As a social worker, we need to make sure that our practice is anti-racist and anti-discriminatory with promotion of positive images of people from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. Moving on to the end of this piece of work the author will look at the complexity of human life in context of sexual exploration, usage of substances and some of major events and their influences upon adolescence life. Herbert (2002) says that homosexual and lesbian experimentation are ordinary in adolescence however longer term attraction to the some sex or both sexes is reported in fewer than 10 per cent of the population.The way of how others see ‘us’ and think of ‘us’ is of vital importance to the way ‘we’ perceive ‘ourselves’ – our self image. This has particular bearing on how adolescents deal with their dawning realisation of the permanence of homosexual feelings of identification. (Herbert, 2002) Our society relies upon various kind of drugs and substances for every day living. It has become a ‘drug culture’. There is a huge increase of drugs and alcohol usage among young people. For the majority of young people this may be a serious issue.Young people who use substances may demonstrate low self-estee m and self-worth, rebelliousness and lack of aspiration in relation to academic achievement. A distinction needs to be made there are those young people who present with a range of anti-social behaviour, such as criminal activity, aggression, and so on. (Coleman, 1990) This might be difficult but social workers need to know how to balance the rights of young people and their responsibility to society. It might be very difficult to understand people’s life course, especially the influences and the complex events that they may have been through.Recognising the impact of life events is very important, their complexity and the effects, they can have not only on people’s lives but on social work practice too. The impact of parental conflicts, for example being exposed to verbal and physical violence will have an impact on children’s behaviour. Children are generally the losers when their parents’ marriages end in divorce or their long-term partnerships are ter minated. Boys and girls are both equally vulnerable says Herbert (2002). Divorce is usually a lengthy process, not simply a single incident in children’s lives.Parental conflict has been associated with poor academic performance, depression and antisocial behaviour (Carlson, 2000). Although not all children will be affected by parental conflict, this behaviour has clear and negative effect on children and their future behaviour. Children who loss their mother before age 11 are more vulnerable to depression and suicide thoughts. Suicide attempts are very much a late adolescent phenomenon, the peak being among 15-19 years old. The rate of attempted suicides for adolescent girls far exceeds that for boys.Frequently the action is unplanned, impulsive and undertaken in a manner that is likely to be discovered. Teenagers sometimes have fantasies about their own death, which involve their ‘ending it all’, and yet surviving the event by ‘attending’ their own funeral where they are able to savour the grief and guilt displayed by errant parents or boyfriend/girlfriend. These fantasies indicate how, in some adolescents, the finality of death is not fully comprehended, or at least not while in a depressed or hysterical state. Herbert, 2002) Other young people may present emotional issues, such as depression and anxiety. A distinction also needs to be made between those that might be associated with development issues and those that may be more serious. For example, small portion of young people will present with psychiatric disorders such as the author mentioned above suicide attempts, schizophrenia, anorexia or bulimia nervosa. (Barker, 2003) One in five children and adolescents suffer from moderate to sever mental health problems.A significant number of sever problems in childhood, if not adequately treated can lead to lifelong mental illness in adulthood Children whose parent have mental health illness are known to be at higher risk of developing the same difficulty of their own. (Barker, 2003) The cognitive explanation of children’s and young people’s behaviour is concerned not only with what is actually happening but also with their understanding and a mental representation of what is going on. That is why it is important for social workers to have an understanding of ‘normal’ child growth and development.This will allow comparing, and assessing the development of a child that needs to be assessed. Additionally it would help to judge the role of parents, or carers and their ability to meet the demands of the different stages of the child development, their ability to respond to good parenting, their values, attitudes, and the impact that this can have on the child. (Herbert, 2002) Throughout this essay, the author tried to attempt to identify issues that may specifically affect the individual’s experience of adolescence, namely issues of gender, race and culture.Social workers r esponse to different behaviour issues has to depend of an assessment of the individual, and the range of factors, planning a response and supporting children, young people, parents and others to understand and manage their behaviour problems. Understanding of the theories of human development is necessary in establishing effective partnership with people who use social services. In conclusion, the author presents in this essay some of the advantages and disadvantages of viewing behaviour across the life span.Social workers need to look at the particular individual behaviour in context of life span perspective because only then they can make the right judgement of that person. However, it is very important for social workers to have a holistic approach in understanding someone’s behaviour. This means taking to account every aspect of the individual’s life. In other words, building an understanding of the whole person’s life, not only physical or psychical but als o social, cultural, historical factors that may have influence their life.Looking at human behaviour gives also a wider perspective, and it takes the social worker beyond his own particular life experience giving a ‘bigger picture’, understanding of people’s behaviour. However, it is important again to be careful to not stereotyping or labelling people. Finally, social workers need to remember that they are dealing with human beings, unique individuals that is way they need to make sure that when they talk to them they must listen carefully and try to understand them from their perspective. 3,228 words Reference: Ackerman, N.W. (1958) Psychodynamics of family life, Imprint Adams, G. R. (2003) Blackwell's handbook of adolescence, Blackwell Publishing,   Adams, R (2002) Social work, Themes issues and critical debates. Palgrave, New York. Aronson, E (2005) Social psychology 5ed. Upper Saddle River,  Pearson Education,   Barker, P (2003) Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. The craft of caring. Arnold, London Bee, H. (2002) Lifespan development  3ed. Allyn ; Bacon,   Boston. Carlson, N. R. (2000) Psychology, The science of behaviour,  Allyn ; Bacon   Coleman, J.C. (1990) The nature of adolescence,  2ed. Routledge. Crawford, K. (2003) Social work and human development, Learning Matters,  Exeter. Davies, M. (1997) Blackwell companion to social work, Blackwell Publishers, Erikson, E. H. (1995) Childhood and society, Vintage. Giddens, A. (2001) Sociology, 4ed. Polity Press,  Cambridge. Grant, J. P. (1991) The state of the world’s children 1991,  Unicef. Herbert, M. (2002) Typical and atypical development. From conception to adolescence. BPS Blackwell,  Oxford. Howe. D. 1999) Attachment theory, Child maltreatment and family support, A practice and assessment model. Macmillan Press. Lindon, J. (1998) Understanding child development, Knowledge theory and practice. Macmillan Press. Parker, J. (2003) Social work practice . Assessment, planning, intervention and review. Learning Matters, Exeter. Piaget, J. (1977) The origin of intelligence in the child,  Penguin Books, Harmondsworth. Skinner, B. F. (1953) Science and human behaviour, Macmillan Press. Sugarman, L. (2001) Lifespan development, Frameworks, accounts and strategies. 2ed. Psychology Press,  Hove.