Cognitive Theories Of Selective Attention Essay - 1308 Words

Critically Discuss the Cognitive Theories of Selective Attention Kingston University K1313472 Critically Discuss the Cognitive Theories of Selective Attention Attention is considered to be a core cognitive process, it refers to how people actively process specific information in the environment. Attention refers to how people select from information and stimuli in the environment, facilitating processing of some of the stimuli and inhibiting processing of others. Everyone knows what attention is, it is the taking possession by the mind in clear and vivid form, of one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought...It implies withdrawal from some things in order to deal effectively with others, and is a condition which has a real opposite in the confused, dazed, scatterbrained state. â€Å"This definition of attention was proposed by psychologist William James (1890). This review will focus on literature that gives explanation to selective attention. Selective attention refers to the process where a person is able to select out of many stimuli and focus on the one they want and ignore other stimuli. The cocktail-party effect was investigated in early studies of selective attention. It was first described by Cherry (1953). It’s the observation that even in a noisy environment people are able to focus their attention on who is talking to them. Cherry (1953) investigated this phenomenon by conducting a series of dichotic listening andShow MoreRelatedThe Vaccine War Essay1154 Words   |  5 PagesThe Vaccine War, the particular theory exemplified on the human behavior is Cognitive Dissonance Theory. Cognitive Dissonance Theory is a notion created by Leon Festinger that disputes that dissonance is an awkward feeling that encourages people to take action to diminish it. This theory is composed of two components: cognitions and cognitive dissonance. Cognitions are defined as, â€Å"ways of knowing, beliefs, judgments, and thoughts† (West Turner, 2009). Cognitive dissonance is defined as, â€Å"feelingRead MoreBehaviorism And Behaviorism Theories Of Psychology Essa y1322 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam James is credited as the founder of American psychology. He believed in observing everyday psychological experiences such as attention, memory, and reasoning. James also believed that the mind way very active in nature. Behaviorism says that you have to look at psychology in a way that is observable and objective. The main focus was on how we react to stimuli. Unlike Ebbinghaus both James’s view and behaviorism stray from introspection as opposed to observation. Gestalt psychology emphasizedRead MoreSleep Loss On Attention And Cognitive Performance Essay1445 Words   |  6 PagesHowever, it is clear that without a good night’s rest, sleep-deprived individuals can find it difficult to pay attention, even if they want to stay awake. Thus, it becomes important to examine the underlying mechanisms that explain the negative effects of sleep loss on attention and cognitive performance. Sleep effects can be measured by alertness, which describes the overall state of the cognitive system and can be attributed to two primary components: a circadian system and a sleep homeostasis systemRead MorePerception And Perception Of The Cognitive Development Of Human Beings1367 Words   |  6 PagesBoth attention and perception are concepts that relate to the cognitive development of human beings. Both concepts contribute to our ability to control and direct the processing of stimuli, whether it is physical, visual, auditory or retrieved from stored m emory. Perception is the ability to make sense of our surroundings, whereas attention is the ability to concentrate on any perceived stimuli. A link between perception and attention comes from an individual’s ability to choose which stimuli toRead MoreUnderstanding the Results: Breakdown of the Stroop Effect1199 Words   |  5 Pages there might have been embedded cues that would have lead to a greater interference of the Stroop effect. Understanding our own cognitive powers has proved a difficult task for scientists since the birth of science itself. Our minds work in very complex ways, and we are still trying to understand the relationships that drive our cognition and memory. One such theory is known as the Stroop effect. This came about in the 1030s when an experiment revealed that naming the print color of color wordsRead MoreStages of Learning and Information Processing Theory1694 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Basketball Research Report [Type the document subtitle] 3/21/2014 18218 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Stages of Learning 2/3 3.0 Information Processing Theory 3 4.0 Feedback 4 5.0 Conclusion 4 6.0 Appendices 5/6 7.0 Reference List 7 1.0 Introduction Motor learning, particularly in the early stages of learning a skill, involves attempts by learners to acquire an idea of the movement, (Gentile, 1972) or understand the basic pattern of coordination (NewellRead MoreLink Between Spatial Attention And Social Anxiety1480 Words   |  6 PagesLink between Spatial Attention Social Anxiety By: Jonathan Loiacono INTRODUCTION Fairly recently, there has been a link of spatial attention to social anxiety. Over the past two decades there has been seen an exponential popularity in pinpointing the exact attentional mechanisms which underlie such selective processing in models of anxiety(Clarke et al 2013). There are several different models of anxiety processing, however in this paper only the cognitive model of anxiety will be used. ThisRead MoreAaron Beck, An American Psychiatrist1188 Words   |  5 Pagesnegative thoughts and that as long as they believed these thoughts to be true, they would continue to have symptoms of depression†(GoodTherapy.org). Beck spent much of his career at the University of Pennsylvania and advocated for the application of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of depression and other mood problems (GoodTherapy.org). What is depression? According to Psychology Today: â€Å"Depression is an illness that increasingly afflicts people worldwide, interfering with concentrationRead MoreDoes the Concept of Negative Priming Contribute to Our Understanding of Selective Attention?1416 Words   |  6 Pagesof negative-priming started to be used to study selective attention. Negative priming is following. Two stimuli are presented to participants and they are asked to react only to one stimulus and ignore the other. The observed responses are slow if the item they have to respond to is the same as the item they have to ignore. The theory of negative priming holds that this slowdown is a result of the dual-process mechanism of selective attention where perceived information is activated and distractingRead MoreAaron Beck Youngest Of Five Children1634 Words   |  7 Pagesnegative thoughts and that as long as they believed these thoughts to be true, they would continue to have symptoms of depression†(GoodTherapy.org). Beck spent much of his career at the University of Pennsylvania and advocated for the application of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of depression and other mood problems (GoodTherapy.org). What is depression? According to Psychology Today Magazine: â€Å"Depression is an illness that increasingly afflicts people worldwide, interfering with concentration

The Pretended Madness of Hamlet in Hamlet Essay - 761 Words

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the main character Hamlet is believed to have gone insane after the death of his father. There is much evidence in the play that causes one to believe that Hamlet is in fact crazy. However, there are also indications to the contrary, Hamlet only feigns madness for the purpose of carrying out his mission. He rehearses his pretend madness first with Ophelia for even if he fails to convince her , that failure would not cause him any harm. The language he uses is clearly not that of an insane person, he is lucid and succinct when he speaks proving that he knows exactly what he is doing. . In Act 1, when we first meet Hamlet, even though he is still grieving his father’s death, he appears to be himself and of†¦show more content†¦In Hamlet, Shakespeare writes about another character who had really gone mad. After her father’s death Ophelia was robbed of her sanity. When comparing Hamlet to Ophelia one can see that Ophelia acts as an insane person would. All she is able to do is dance around and sing about death whilst Hamlet speaks eloquently even if others don’t understand what he is trying to say. Other characters pick up on each of their state of minds. After speaking to Hamlet in Act 2 Scene 2, Polonius says to himself â€Å"Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.† (204), which means that while Hamlet may have been speaking nonsense there was a reason for it. In contrast when Ophelia speaks her brother says â€Å"Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge, / It could not move thus.† (IV.V.169), calling her insane and proving that she had completely lost her mind. In conclusion, Hamlet is not mad; everything he does has a purpose. He is out to avenge his father’s murder. He proves this by telling Horatio that he is going to fake madness, and admitting to his mother that he is not crazy. He also only acts mad in front of Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Oph elia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. When Hamlet is with a trusted friend he is rational and symptom free, however when someone he wants toShow MoreRelatedTragedy And Madness In Hamlet757 Words   |  4 Pagesnamed â€Å"Hamlet†.The protagonist of this story was named Hamlet. He was faced with trials and tribulations which led to an tragic end. Was their a cause of Hamlets madness? Evidence from the play shows, Hamlet was triggered by his father’s words, For Hamlet to avenge his fathers death. For this course of action to occur Hamlet must murder his uncle Claudius, who is soon to be king. Faced with more trials after King Hamlets passing, Gertrude (Hamlets mother) is to marry Claudius. Hamlet is stumpedRead MoreHamlet s Madness Is Less Than Madness And More Than Feigned779 Words   |  4 PagesPeriod Dec. 17. 2015 Fact or Fake? â€Å"Hamlet’s madness is less than madness and more than feigned†. What is madness? Mad is a word with such uncertainty that it can be stretched to mean an abundance of things more than just pure psychological instability: a weariness of life; a suicidal impulse; a plotting charisma. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, a wild disagreement has been consequent for a series of years in the case of the madness of Hamlet, the play s central narrative, was justifiableRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare992 Words   |  4 PagesWilliams Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, tells a story of Hamlet who seeks revenge against his father’s murderer, who ends up being his uncle, King Claudius. In order to avenge his father’s death Hamlet believes he would need to distract the kingdom from them knowing what he is up to. Hamlet says to Horatio: â€Å"To put an antic disposition on† (Act.1, SC.5, Ln.171). By this statement Hamlet is letting Horatio know th at he will pretend to go mad. Nevertheless, his false madness leads to him killing PoloniusRead MoreIs Hamlet Really Insane?1404 Words   |  6 PagesIV January 1st, 2015. Was Hamlet Really Insane? William Shakespeare, a renowned poet and playwright, wrote the play Hamlet at the turn of the 16th century– which has become known and enjoyed around nearly the entire world. Ever since it was written more than four centuries ago, there has been a decently large amount of debate between Shakespearean scholars, casual readers, literary critics, and sometimes even psychologists and psychoanalysts about whether or not Hamlet ever truly went insane atRead MoreFactors That Influenced Hamlet s Inner Madness1433 Words   |  6 Pages Factors that influenced Hamlet’s inner madness Mental illness refers to a wide variety of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and demeanor. Some examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, addictive behaviors, and bipolar disorder. The definition of madness is the state of being mad; insanity. Madness is a condition of the mind which eliminates all rational thought leaving an individual with no proper conceptionRead MoreAn Analysis Of The Film Hamlets Antic Disposition Essay1290 Words   |  6 PagesAn Analysis of Hamlet s antic disposition In the film†Hamlets antic disposition† the author Alexander W Crawford, describe hamlet as mad, but a close reveal of the play shows that Hamlet is straightforward and sane. His actions and thoughts are a logical response to the situation in which he finds himself. However, he assumes antic-disposition to undercover the truth of his father s death. After the Ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius has murdered his father, Hamlet begins to plan his next steps.Read MoreShakespeare s Hamlet - Hamlet And Ophelia958 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet and Ophelia The play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare is the perfect example of how love can not always conquer all. Hamlet may be regarded as one of Shakespeare s greatest plays. This play follows the story of a young prince named Hamlet who lost his father and had his family torn apart by the hands of his Uncle, Claudius who is now king and step father to Hamlet. Subsequently, Hamlet was also having relational problems with his love, Ophelia. The relationship between Hamlet and OpheliaRead MoreHamlet, By Alexander W Crawford Essay1213 Words   |  5 Pages In the film†Hamlets antic disposition† the author Alexander W Crawford, describe hamlet as mad, but a close reveal of the play shows that Hamlet is straightforward and sane. His actions and thoughts are a logical response to the situation in which he finds himself. However, he assumes antic-disposition to undercover the truth of his father s death. After the Ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius has murdered his father, Hamlet begins to plan his next steps. After all, revenge is a dish best served coldRead MoreComparing Hamlet And The Duchess Of Malfi2373 Words   |  10 PagesCompare the depictions of Madness in Hamlet and The Duchess of Malfi. What is the significance of madness in each play? During the late sixteenth century, dramas an plays became a big role in entertainment and madness became one of the major themes, as Salkeld recognises that the use of madness as a metaphor for subversion became increasingly marked throughout the first half of the seventeenth century . (Salkeld, 1994, pg.144)This madness created a spark within the Elizabethan era and causedRead More Comparison of Madness and Sanity in Hamlet and Death of a Salesman1338 Words   |  6 PagesComparison of Madness and Sanity in Hamlet and Death of a Salesman Could anyone really determine whether or not a person is mad or sane? In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman each of their two main characters, Hamlet and Wily Loman, are put up to this question, but in each situation their so-called madness differs in the cause of them. The ways in which their madness affects their lives is proven by three actions. These actions are neglecting their

Raunch Culture free essay sample

It will also identify the role and responsibilities of marketers in relation to the stakeholders involved. Subsequently, followed by our reflection on raunch culture. Raunch culture is defined as the ‘hyper-sexualisation of youth and in particular, female youth culture’ (Phillips, 2006, 17). Kent (2005) suggests that raunch culture is a ‘market driven’ approach developed during the 1970s and 1980s when pornographic conventions crossed over to women magazines, refelcting the producers’ aims, values and consumers desires. He also highlights that women were portrayed as assertive, even aggressive sexual animals, in active and dominant roles in advertising throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. Therefore, implicating as of the 21st century, raunch culture has evolved as a cultural norm, especially when ‘women are sexually liberated and personally empowered’ (Levy, 2005, 197). As Kent states, this post-modernistic culture has ‘enabled taboos to be transgressed through pleasing erotic imagery packaged as fashion not pornography’ (435). Thus, just like any other cultures (like hip-hop and rock-and-roll), it is simply just another subculture, which certainly does not represent the new feminism. Under this culture, women gain freedom to do whatever they deem fit, based on their own decisions. They need not worry about misogyny or objectification. Via Levy’s (2005) interview with women (from teens to baby boomers), states that the new raunch culture is evident in achieving feminist projects rather than indicating the death of feminism. She also mentions that women are actively engaging in reproducing this culture’s mentality (Levy, 2005, cited in Swygart-Hobaugh, 2007). With the rise of films containing female super heroes, such as The Charlie’s Angels, who are usually scantily clad (Levy, 2005). It suggests that to a certain extent, women’s sexuality can be celebrated in a healthy and empowering manner. Furthermore, women may interpret this empowerment as a reason to wear whatever they like. Another example is Dolce and Gabbana’s billboard advertisement (appendix 1), featuring a women and a man in a sexual position, even though they have clothes on. It portrays the woman, as being totally powerless, as she stays in that very position. On the contrary, it depicts women who are willing to be the weaker gender once again. Women are being objectified and degraded, and this is not what the new feminism is about because it is unnecessary to show more flesh or be the skimpy superhero just to be empowering. On the contrary, young women are indeed falling prey to marketing’s misogynistic and exploitative image of the good life through media, as these young and possibly naive women, are simply finding a shortcut to fame (Levy, 2005). There are real-life examples, supporting the statement above, such as, Paris Hilton, who was seen as the embodiment of raunch culture by Levy (2005; Bradely, 2007). Paris Hilton’s sex tape shot her to fame. Despite whatever means she took to not have the tape leaked, it sent the message that her way of shooting to fame was legit. Additionally, Paris’ fame is prevalent, with exception to the sex tape; she is marketed as ‘the’ party animal and socialite of Hollywood. The effects of Hilton’s fame brought raunch culture to the next level. It indicated that by being raunchy, it was the surest route to fame. Hence, not seen as a positive influence on the young women who are exposed to her celebrity image. Criticism of using sexuality in advertising has also noted that it promotes the objectification of women and them in a disrespectful environment (Boddewyn, 1991). Hence, at this point when Hilton is famous, marketers should take responsibility, as they further marketed her with an image of a ‘bimbotic’ girl (Bradely, 2007). Moreover, as Richins (1991) reports, women always make social comparisons between the advertising models and themselves. As a result, advertising images create negative affect and increases women’s dissatisfaction with their own appearance. Since those images are edited through the consistent usage of digital technology, these idealized images do not portray women in a healthy manner. Indeed, these enhanced images would give these young girls the impression that they need to be ‘perfect’, just like these ‘fake’ images. According to Reist in ABC’s Gruen Session (2010), ‘young women get the message that they need to be thin, hot and sexy just to be acceptable’ in this society. Therefore, by generating the wrong perception of real beauty, the responsibility is pushed to the marketers, as they portray women with this stereotypical body type as acceptable. In addition, as the brand, Dove’s tagline in its advertisement What happened to the ‘real beauty’? (Reist, 2010), marketers need not market their products in manners portraying women as airheads. Consequently, marketers gave most consumers viewing the advertisement, the wrong impression that they need to be stick thin in order to be beautiful and attract men. From a legal perspective, if the target market is over 18, it is legally right to use raunchy images (Brooke, 2010). With these images, Gould (1994, 76) claims that sexuality in advertising are said to be male-oriented ‘either are put for men to look at or for women to â€Å"look at being looked at† to see how they would or should desire to appear to men. ’ In looking at the negative consequences of using sexuality in advertising, these images have demeaning representations of women and deliver the wrong messages to the consumers. For instance, Lynx’s ‘Spray more, get more’ deodorant advertisement depicts many sexy women chasing after this man after he had the deodorant on. It may be a successful advertisement to attract attention and create an entertainment value. However, according to the Gruen session (2010), Jane Caro interpreted it as featuring the women as â€Å"airheads†. Women were being attracted to the guy because of how he smells and not his intelligence. Subsequently, raising questions of why women must be represented as out-of-control sex maniacs who attack any man who has sprayed himself with Lynx (Reist, 2010). In addition, Kent (2005) states that sexualised looking were now permitted, as women were no longer victims of the male gaze. In McNair’s research (2002), television expanded the range of images of women to a mass audience through programs including Sex in the City and Bad Girls. Since Kent suggests that media forms of sexualization is commercial and states that sex sells, the proliferation of porno-chic has led to the ‘pornographication of the mainstream’ (McNair, 2002). In other words, entrepreneurs take this mentality (which includes pornographic books, films and popular culture) and brought their products and advertisements through this transformation of desire. Therefore, marketers have the responsibilities in considering whether their marketing strategy can expose its messages appropriately without distorting society’s perception of women. On the issue of raunch culture in advertising, research indicates that marketers play an important role in exploiting this issue (LaTour Henthome, 1994; Gould, 1994). Different studies indicate that the moral and ethical considerations of society changes overtime. Therefore, the issue of raunchy concepts would be perceived as morally right due to marketers’ consideration of what is acceptable and appropriate has also changed. Moreover, Foucault (1998, cited in Kent, 2005) and Levy (2005) claim that being part of the raunch culture depends on individual choices and, the ethics of sex and sexuality are determined by social contexts, knowledge and relations of power. Accordingly, the issues of the raunch media will be subjected to different perceptions and interpretations depending on the individual. It is crucial to identify the key stakeholders who are affected by the raunch culture. From the internal perspective, key stakeholders include the company itself, their shareholders and employees. From the external perspective, stakeholders involve the regulators such as Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), advertising industries and the society as a whole. By identifying the stakeholders, the marketers’ role here is to focus on how they should respond to such issues in relation to each key stakeholder. According to the analysis above, the discussion on the marketers’ specific role and responsibilities will focus on two specific parties, society and advertising industries, directly affected by this culture. Generally, brands, which use sexualized images to highlight the benefits of the products aim to attract the opposite sex (Petty, Cacioppo Schumann, 1983, cited in Gould, 1994). Hence, the society, who view the advertisements are affected immediately. To be responsible, marketers have o be aware that young people are also exposed to these sexualised items screened in their television advertisements at such a young age, even though their target market is over 18. An important implication of LaTour Henthome (1994) research is it is essential for marketers to recognize the importance of the moral complexity that has to do with the strong use of sexual appeals whilst incorporating this within their marketing strategies. Furthermore, Phillips (2006) also states that raunch cul ture exposed women to sex at a younger age, leaving them dissatisfied and insecure with their body shape and appearance. To be more specific, marketers must carefully examine the possible social impact on the target market and the society at large with their advertisements. To consider the impact in the advertising industries, some might argue that use of sex appeal is a creative way to capture consumer’s attention in response to competitive pressures (Ford LaTour, 1993, cited in LaTour Henthome, 1994). Hence, if marketers see that such advertisements are popular, they would follow suite and there will be more of such advertisements circulating, which is not beneficial to people who should not be exposed to such content. To speak impartially, the role of a marketer is to sell their products using whatever means possible that includes advertising. However, such promiscuous advertorials might have negative impacts on young women, as it glorifies raunch culture. It is certainly unnecessary for marketers to incorporate raunchy images into their music videos and advertisements, though raunch culture seems to be a new phenomenon and well accepted by the society. These raunchy images of not only women but also men send a wrong message to their consumers. The wrong messages may act as a catalyst to ‘suck’ more young people (both male and female) into the ‘sex’ business such as Lad magazines, raunchy photo shoots, background dancers of hip hop music videos, maybe even pornography. Marketers must have good intentions when using sex appeal instead of using them in an exploitative and degrading way to appeal to consumers’ ‘base instincts’ (Gould, 1994, 97). There is no need for them to further boost raunch culture, as it already has adverse effects on young women who view music videos with sexual references. There is also no need to incorporate aunchiness into their products just to persuade their consumers. Marketers should self-regulate to decide what to use in the various media forms and know what is good or bad for society and whoever who might be affected. AANA (2010) encourages marketers to be aware of the potential risks and to take appropriate steps to address raunch culture issue, eve n though they might have the best intention. Young people and children may be exploited and become the victims of abuse. Thus, as Reist (2010) states, ‘the self-regulatory system has been inadequate to the task of dealing with increasingly pornified imagery in the public spaces. This suggests that despite the interference of AANA, it is still not enough to regulate these advertisements and marketers. Hence, we feel that regulators should review the Code of Ethics in order to reinforce the marketers’ responsibilities in relation to issue including the portrayal of sex, sexuality and nudity in advertising. In conclusion, raunch culture might be a new culture that has given females today the confidence to do whatever they deem fit, as they feel that they are no longer the inferior gender. However, by portraying themselves in highly sexualized images, they are not justifying why they should be respected. Marketers sure play roles in encouraging such highly sexualized images, as it is proven that sex sells, and marketers would make use of this element to sell their products. However, as one who is exposed to a lot of such advertorials, sometimes we do find them overly sexualized, and would wonder if so much sexualized images are necessary or not. These marketers are only concerned about selling their products, and they sure did not consider the aftermath they have could cause once these images become a norm in society. We feel that women these days should not be easily influenced by the marketers, as they should also know how to differentiate themselves. They should have the basic cognitive ability to look up to the right role models, and not simply deem sexy and thin ladies as ones that they should follow. Most importantly, the marketers should take responsibility for sometimes over-publicizing good-looking women as role models. Finally, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. It does not mean that pretty you will be liked. Raunch culture is just, in our opinion, a fad, as it would be slowly ousted by the next new upcoming culture.

Progressivism Essay Example

Progressivism Essay Progressivism was an era that desired movement toward reform; it was not single instance but based on a series of advancements. With a new urban-industrial American on deck came the socioeconomic challenges of every day life. Ata basic level, It was a response to the political and cultural changes that plagued the nation, the challenges as side effect of an Industrial society. Many people were Involved In Progressivism, especially the middle class. Even the Immigrant, slum dwellers, and hard laborers took some initiative in hopes to refine the system. Collectively, the people embroiled the series of actions that demanded and granted changes the society of the nation, creating an era that was recognized for the progressive movement that led to outcomes that changed the socioeconomic status of America. Major concerns engulfed the nations society, thus leading to the desire for reform. Some of the central issues included the spread of poverty, the exploitation of labor, monopolies, the breakdown of democratic government, and social injustice. Overall the problems promoted a rapid movement toward financial and industrial concentration and the people were simply a side affect. Most Jobs were performed under hazardous conditions and for very little In wages. Wages were not even enough to support a family let alone feed their starving children. There was an absence of sick day, vacation time and certainly no benefits. Many workers were injured on the job and some even died as result, an example of the atrocities can be seen in many of the exposes by Lincoln Stiffen, The Shame of Cites (1901) and Jane Adams encouraged that a workers level they demand better conditions (Democracy and Social Ethics [1902] and Twenty Years at the Hull House [1910]). We will write a custom essay sample on Progressivism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Progressivism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Progressivism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer From miners inhaling toxic substances causing respiratory disease (Granites Cutter Journal), to textile mills burring to the ground with no chance for escape due to locked doors as exemplified in the incident of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, children often labored for long days and at very young ages. Corporations also grew at an alarming rate, determining monopolies and this controlling the prices of the good produced from them. Clearly at prices In which the common man, usually denned as the unskilled worked who maltreatment a barely there Income could not afford. The determination or financial gain by corporate leaders was at the expense of the middle class and rural labors. The abuse of political power was on the rise and resulted in fraudulent elections and bribery created by party loyalties. There was also little government support for those drowning in poverty, slums were in abundance and social morale was at an all time low. The only ones who seems to be afloat the poverty line and enjoying their lives were the corporate and scandalous political leaders who turned a blind eye to the reality of the society and the ruins it laid in Since many Americans ere worried that the economics in conjunction with political power would distract from the historic traditions of responsible democratic government and free Industrial opportunity they began to form what we know today as the progressives. The progressives Included much of the middle class which consisted of business men, teachers, lawyers, social workers, and people of religion. Often times new, middle class professionals suggested that the application of the professions would aid retorting ten problems noted In collect Muckraking Journalists were also Known as regressive. The Journalist sought to attack and sensationalist corruption and scandal with a sense of moral outrage. Also involved with the progressive movement were groups of frustrated workers who longed to stamp out capitalism. In addition, women too played an integral role in the successes of the Progressive Era as well. They pursued voting rights for woman and social welfare (playgrounds, nurseries to the slums, and banning of unsafe food goods). Though many progressive reformers tended to be white, activist W. E. B. Du Bobs, promoted African American reform and encouraged the demand for equality and full integration into American life. He helped form the NAACP that would help organized and evolve the urban black middle class. The middle class may have been the predominate group in the fight for change and served as an influential role that led to the accomplishments and reform established during this period, all people in the progressive culture were considered contributors in this effort. Progressives faced many difficulties in attempting to reform their society as they knew it; however they were not without many valiant successes. These successes were on a variety of levels, economically, socially and politically. Economically there were many gains, for instance, child labor was outlawed in 1907 by thirty states. The work day was now regulated by the Adamson Act of 1916 and due to many journalistic enlightenments investigators were now out and about evaluating workplace safety and potential hazards as seen in documents depicting horrendous conditions like Granites Cutter Journal depicting the miners hazards. The Jungle depicted the utter lows of the meat packing industry. Employers were now held viable for work related injuries and death (The Workmens Compensation Act of 1916). Monopolies were broken down, Theodore Roosevelt, a supporter of progressivism, was dubbed as the trust buster as he helped control big business. The biggest trust that Roosevelt busted was the one involving Northern Securities and J. P. Morgan. Roosevelt had a heavy hand in much of this reform though Wilson and Taft must also be commended for their efforts. Having progressives in political office aided in the success of reform, especially in the realm of government. The middle class peoples also did their part to improve politics. Voters were now allowed to propose new laws, accept or reject the law and to remove political officials and judges from office before their term was over. They also advocated for nominating candidates into primaries and holding elections that diverted fraud, bribery, and other scandalous activities. The Journalist muckrakers helped this cause by exploiting the political wrong doings. To accompany the political and economic success that had prevailed there were also many social advances made. Women, especially implement a support system for immigrants that had recently come to the country. Educational opportunities, sanitation, things as simple as garbage pick up, and municipal hygiene came into importance as did the ideas of proper behavior. Amusement parks like Coney Island offer an escape from the hard reality of the working world as did movies. The environment became a concern and movement toward reducing the coal burning toxins in the air was now a priority, It was thought that if the social environment, surrounding the people improved it would improve the people. By making Delegating ten communities It would Dost morale Ana motivate people to become more efficient and self sustaining. It would offer promise and reward to a society that had longer for reform. In lieu of the many gains that the Progressive Era established, there still loomed racism and moralist. Racism continued to run ramped backed by the blessing of the government. Even those ideals that were said to be equal in essence were but in reality were not. In particular would be political representation, the right to vote and schools for the black community. Schools were established for both white and blacks, proposing the idea that school was equally available however the quality of each was dramatically efferent. Violence against black was common; the technique of choice was lynching. It was taken to a whole new level when in 1916 a Texan mayor requested that the tree not be damaged during the hanging since it was on city property. Sometime the lynching was even conducted in front of crowds and graphic postcards were doled out after the brutal procedure was completed. Even some black communities were burned to the ground. Rarely did the authorities intervene. Many blacks were imprisons and trapped within the system, thought as inferior and treated as such. Aside from the darkness of racism also stemmed the moral issues of the time, drinking, prostitution and use of drugs. Drinking offered an escape to those who wanted a moment away from reality; women found prostitution as way to earn competitive wages for less time and less labor for that matter, and the use of opiates and its derivatives morphine and heroin became a familiar practice, supplied in even the most common of products like Coca-Cola. The use of drugs even carried racist undertones, of drug crazed Negroes and Chinese opium dens. Consistent increases in the smoking of cigarettes occurred. Perhaps this was a consequence of the stress that reform inevitably occurred? More likely though it was due to the initial lack of regulation of these immoral deemed behaviors that allowed for the perpetuation of them. In a time where some many positive gains were made there were some serious side effects to the advancement made in both industry and in the refinement of society. Prohibition soon followed promoted by many women leader, as did the regulation of food and drugs, requiring ingredients to be noted. With reform lingering in their minds it made it much easier to enter and find the positive aspects n the time of war. In the long run the war diminished the energies that were previously put into reform as their energy was now focused on the war itself. The war brought on corporate regulation to a new level and offered a global market during World War l. Since most men were away at war, many women and blacks were offer opportunities in the workforce, with regulated hours, set wages and various protections. This was something that progressivism enabled. Thus when we entered the war, progressivism did not die out but was indirectly supported even more, perhaps without even noticing. Factory work increased and real wages of unskilled worked improved. The war aided in the continued improvement of the economic status and moral reform of the nation. Progressivism was an era that desired movement toward reform; it was not single instance but based on a series of advancements. America was in turmoil due to internal problems and was in dire need of social reforms. It was a response to the political and social challenges that begged for reform. Many people were involved in Progressivism, especially the meme class. Even ten Immigrant, slum alerts, Ana nard ladders took some initiative in hopes to refine the system. Collectively, the people strives to achieve success in change. However with success came additional issues, racism and moralist Just to name a few. The issued of utmost importance were big business monopolies, corruption within a supposed democratic government and the nation in social ruins, a mess of poverty and low morale. The series of actions that demanded and granted changes the society of the nation, creating an era that was recognized for the progressive movement that led to outcomes that changed the socioeconomic status of America forever.