Sunday, May 3, 2020
Foundations of Professional Planning - myassignmenthelp.com
Question: Discuss about theFoundations of Professional Planningfor Hospitality. Answer: The Industry When I graduate, I intend to join the hospitality/tourism industry. This industry is considered as the amalgamation of several different kinds of service industries such as the theme parks, cruise lines, transportation and others (Mok Sparks and Kadampully 2013). The hospitality industry is considered as the multi-billion industry that is dependent on leisure and the disposable income of the population. Tourism industry in Australia is considered as the most important contributor in the economy of Australia. Tourism industry represents 3% of the GDP of Australia and it also plays an important role in the national economy (Tribe 2015). I feel that tourism industry has great contribution to the society. The tourism industry presents rich culture of a country to the foreign visitors (Su and Lin 2014). The traditions, places of interest and the festivals of Australia are depicted well and this is being done by tourism sector (Mok Sparks and Kadampully 2013). This industry also has the ca pability of justified representation of the traditional as well as cultural diversity of Australia. The indigenous communities of Australia are being affected by the tourism industry. I feel that the Aborigines are being employed by the varied job roles that are provided by the tourism sector. If the Aborigines have good communication skills, adequate literacy levels in English and able to adopt different cultural styles, then they would be eligible for various job opportunities in the tourism sector (Sharpley and Telfer 2014). The tourism industry is different in various countries of the world and it has been seen that while some of the countries have developed successful tourism industry, other have failed to do so. In developing countries, tourism can be a source for driving major economic growth while in the developed countries, it may be another contributor in the national economy (Baker Merkert and Kamruzzaman 2015). Tourism is instrumental in maintaining adequate amount of social interaction between the host community and the tourists. It creates a place where there is mutual appreciation, tolerance, awareness, learning and understanding. The tourism is responsible for the education of the people in the host countries, whereas it is also instrumental in the development of the socio-economic position of the country. There are number of different job roles in the hospitality sector. I have number of different opportunities when it comes to employment in this sector. This industry has several entry-level jobs but it also provides opportunities for managerial position and high hierarchical positions (McGinley et al. 2014). I can be recruited as concierge, who has a direct interaction with the customers and they often act as a liaison between the hotel and the customers. There are opportunities for executive chefs, including a number of kitchen jobs such as waiters, kitchen staffs and the kitchen managers (Mok Sparks and Kadampully 2013). There are also opportunities for general manager and housekeepers who are responsible for overall administration of the hotel and maintaining optimal level of cleanliness respectively. The primary areas of the hospitality industry are- accommodation, pubs, licensed clubs, cafes, restaurants and casinos (Tasci et al. 2016). The industry has witnessed a tremendous gr owth since its inception. The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) is the peak body in this sector, which has over 5000 members that is spread across the territories and states of the country (Manoharan Gross and Sardeshmukh 2014). This apex body represents almost 24 million visitors of Australia and the rich hotel culture of the country. Professional Skills I aspire to become the general manager of the hotel in which I would be working. This role would require me to supervise the guest services, front desk, kitchen manager and others. I need to make sure that all the departments are running smoothly and they ensure maximum guest satisfaction. There are requirements that are important for getting employed in this sector. I need to have good management skills, detail oriented and highly numerate. I would require that I need to connect with guests and create a positive work environment. I need to create constant memorable experiences so that the guests would be coming in the hotel time and again. The code of ethics of the profession are several and I need to adhere to them. I should respect the confidentiality of the guests information and should maintain anonymity of the client. I should also abide by the provisions of the Employment Agencies Act and Equal Employment Opportunities. I have found out that the industry experts opine that the ideal candidates wishing to work in this industry should have prior general manager experience and prior exposure to this industry. They also opine that I need to show clear leadership patterns and direct all the team members. I should be able to communicate well with the guests so that I can take their orders. Personal Skills I have identified throughout my college life that I am good at leading a team of people. I was the sports captain and hence I am sure that I have the capability to lead a team in my workplace too. I am a people person and hence would be able to manage my group of people at the hotel. I have charming personality and I am successful in controlling emotions and hence I would be able to be successful as the general manager of a hotel. I am able to know that these are my strengths because I was appreciated by my faculty members. I was also class representative, which would not be possible if I lacked communication skills or I lacked appropriate personality. References Baker, D., Merkert, R. and Kamruzzaman, M., 2015. Regional aviation and economic growth: cointegration and causality analysis in Australia.Journal of Transport Geography,43, pp.140-150. Manoharan, A., Gross, M.J. and Sardeshmukh, S.R., 2014. Identity-conscious vs identity-blind: Hotel managers use of formal and informal diversity management practices.International Journal of Hospitality Management,41, pp.1-9. McGinley, S., ONeill, J., Damaske, S. and Mattila, A.S., 2014. A grounded theory approach to developing a career change model in hospitality.International Journal of Hospitality Management,38, pp.89-98. Mok, C., Sparks, B. and Kadampully, J., 2013.Service quality management in hospitality, tourism, and leisure. Routledge. Sharpley, R. and Telfer, D.J. eds., 2014.Tourism and development: concepts and issues(Vol. 63). Channel View Publications. Su, Y.W. and Lin, H.L., 2014. Analysis of international tourist arrivals worldwide: The role of world heritage sites.Tourism Management,40, pp.46-58. Tasci, A.D., Pizam, A., Croes, R. and Chen, P.J., 2016. The return on investment for undergraduate degrees in hospitality and tourism management.Tourism Economics,22(3), pp.505-526. Tribe, J., 2015.The economics of recreation, leisure and tourism. Routledge.
Friday, April 10, 2020
How to Write a Sample Essay on Bullying in Schools
How to Write a Sample Essay on Bullying in SchoolsThe first thing that you should do when you start to think about writing a sample essay on bullying in schools is finding the information that you need to write a reasonable essay. This is going to help you get the best essay out of all the samples that you will find.The information that you will need for a bullying sample essay includes what bullying is, what it involves, how to prove that bullying is occurring, the legal and financial ramifications, and what the school needs to do about it. The first thing that you will want to do is to determine what bullying is. This means that you have to first know what bullying is.A bullying survey can help you to know that bullying is not as big a problem as it seems. For example, at first, if you don't hear much about the subject, then you may assume that it's just something that you didn't hear about. If this is the case, then you will need to learn more about the subject. Then, you will be able to discover all the facts and figures that you will need to write a bullying sample essay.If you are looking for information about bullying, then you may also need to know what bullying involves. For example, some people say that the most common type of bullying that occurs in schools is physical. Others say that bullying occurs more frequently in the internet and it is just as bad. In either case, you will want to have an idea of what is included in bullying and what is not included.The next thing that you need to know about bullying is what it involves. That means that you have to look at bullying on a whole. You have to know that there are people who are victims of bullying. Other people say that bullying doesn't involve physical contact, but rather just a way of letting someone know that they are not respected. However, when you look at the subject from the point of view of both the victims and the bullies, you will be able to get a better idea about the type of bullying th at is occurring.In addition, you will also need to know what the school needs to do about bullying. The easiest way to do this is to look at the legal ramifications that can come from bullying. There are times when bullying gets out of hand and that can lead to lawsuits can be costly. That is why it is so important to make sure that the school is following all the laws. As a matter of fact, you can find a lot of information online about what schools should do and how they should act.There are many other things that you can do to help you write a bullying sample essay. However, these two things are very important and you will need to know them if you are going to make an effective essay. Now, get out there and write a great essay and you will find that bullying in schools will not be a big problem anymore.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
The Authors That Face Various Hurdles and Overcome Them
Introduction Malcolm X, Helen Keller and David Raymond are all writers that struggled with self expression, identity and social conformity. These challenges emanated from the lack of language proficiency. However, all three authors succeeded in overcoming insurmountable challenges, and eventually cause audiences to relate to the plight of other people in similar circumstances.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on X. Malcolm, H. Keller and D. Raymond ââ¬â The Authors That Face Various Hurdles and Overcome Them specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More How the authors are alike and different In all three short stories, the writers are struggling with some type of language-related inadequacy. Helen Keller was blind and deaf, so she could not express herself in written or spoken words. She explains that she was ââ¬Å"at sea in a dense fogâ⬠meaning that she was trapped in a world of darkness and numbness (Keller 5). This caused her to become resentful and angry because she could not interact with the world around her. Keller was subsequently shut out from society because of these physical disabilities. Similarly, David Raymond struggled with another type of disability; which was a mental one known as Dyslexia. The condition caused him to be shunned by his playmates. His routine was never the usual one in class; for instance, he had to meet lots of psychiatrists for evaluation (Raymond 14). At some point, Raymond was even taken to a special school. He resented the bus that came to pick him up because it carried mentally retarded or severely deformed children. David did not want his neighbours to see him getting into the bus because they would judge him; all he wanted was to be like everyone else. The condition prevented him from expressing himself or performing normal classroom activities. Malcolm X, had his own type of struggle too; illiteracy. He was dealing with another type of mental darkness as well. This condition prevented him from expressing his ideas as clearly as he needed to. Having been a street hustler, he lacked the opportunities needed to acquire literacy skills. The writer was unable to communicate or interact with people properly, and this put him in a self-created prison. Despite these common struggles among the three authors, one also realises that their social and cultural circumstances had a profound effect on their perception of lack and limitation. As an African American male living in a discriminative society, Malcolm X, felt that his illiteracy contributed to the oppression of his people. His expression of these struggles was influenced by his worldview as a member of the black race. Conversely, Keller felt that her unfamiliarity with language caused her to be isolated. Her identity was defined by her physical disabilities. It is from this background, that she expresses her agonies. Raymondââ¬â¢s worldview was determined by his status as a dyslexic individual. Therefore, his inadequacies, identity crisis, and low self esteem all stemmed from this background. Davidââ¬â¢s style is symptomatic of this position in society.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Keller, Raymond and Malcolm X gain a degree of self awareness when they discover the power of language. Malcolm X could never realise his goals of liberation for the black people unless he could express himself well in the English language; when he recognized this, then he became a new person. Malcolm admired his peerââ¬â¢s command of the language, and made the decision to change his circumstances (Malcolm 277). The life-changing moment occurred when he appreciated that there were so many words to learn from the dictionary. He even copied entire pages ââ¬â word for word ââ¬â in order to concretise what he was learning. Malcolm decided that the mastery of lang uage would deliver him from oppression; it would be his tool to personal empowerment and fulfilment. In this regard, the author became self aware. He realised his real potential, and gets a renewed purpose in life. The same thing happened to Keller after she discovered the power of language. When her teacher passed this strange liquid over her palm, and spelt its name on her other hand, she experienced a great awakening. She realised that she had been set free, and that all the barriers that held her hostage would soon be ââ¬Å"swept awayâ⬠. To Keller, the discovery of language signified the discovery of her ability to live a meaningful and joyous life. David Raymond also became self aware after realising that is was possible to still be intelligent or achieve great things when one was Dyslexic. He cites examples such as Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci. All three authors succeed in explaining life in the context of their experiences. Language mastery is something that many peop le take for granted because it comes naturally to them. However, Keller, Raymond and Malcolm X all have peculiar circumstances that make it quite difficult to learn how to read and write. After reading these short stories, one gets to understand the significance of words and their meanings. The narratives are important in raising awareness about racial oppression, physical and mental disabilities, and how they relate to self expression and language. Conclusion The short stories under analysis are quite similar to one another because the authors face various hurdles and overcome them; they become self aware, and teach audiences about challenges in literacy based on their circumstances. Consequently, the three narratives are important in instilling empathy among audiences concerning the experiences of others who are different.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on X. Malcolm, H. Keller and D. Raymond ââ¬â The Authors That Face Various Hurdles and Overcome Them spe cifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Keller, Helen. The day language came into my life. USI, 2011. Web.. Malcolm, X. ââ¬Å"Discovering the power of language.â⬠Language awareness: readings for college writers. Eds. Paul Eschholz, Alfred Rosa and Virginia Clark. NY: St. Martinââ¬â¢s Press, 2004. 271-284. Print. Raymond, David. On being seventeen, bright, and unable to read. Mrshatzi, 2011. Web. This essay on X. Malcolm, H. Keller and D. Raymond ââ¬â The Authors That Face Various Hurdles and Overcome Them was written and submitted by user Giana Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Friday, March 6, 2020
American Association of Retired Persons
American Association of Retired Persons Introduction Social organizations refer to social institutions that are established to serve a specified task usually in the interest of the society at large. Over the years social organizations and groups have played important role in enlightening and mobilizing individuals over various issues facing the society hence contributing to society transformation. In the United States, these groups have significantly influenced the way of life as well as governance.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on American Association of Retired Persons specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More American association of retired persons (AARP) is one of the leading global organizations whose purpose constitutes promotion of positive social change in society. It was founded in 1958 at a time when the elderly experienced a lot of difficulties while acquiring life insurance. John Rother, the organizationââ¬â¢s vice president for policy, strat egy and international affairs, approximates the number of members aged fifty and above to be over four million (AARP, 2010). This organization does not approach aging as a negative component in the society but analyses the world ageing demographics as the driving force to enhance transformation of the social policy that aim at improving the quality of life among people of all generations and all ages (AARP, 2010). The organization supports and promotes the ageing process all over the world through encouraging aging members to reside in places that promote decent living with affordable housing and accessible services, empowering and encouraging individuals to maintain their health and productivity, as well as promoting policies that provide healthy older people with opportunities to continue contributing towards the work force (AARP, 2010). This helps the older generation to maintain a source of income and provides diversity in the labor market. The organization further believes impr oved standards of living are directly related to longer lifespan. AARP provides an opportunity in which diverse societies can share the challenges and opportunities encountered as the members advance in age (AARP, 2010). The organization deals with issues that relate to improvement of the overall welfare of the population that is advancing in term of age and advocates for issues such as the elderly population access to affordable health care. In addition, the organization advocates for availability of retirement security through pension schemes as well as ensuring a firm background for traditional informal support system and creating effective policies around the global aging agenda (AARP, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Improved welfare among the elderly people in the society is associated with economic growth, social equity in distribution of resource s as well as ecological maintenance and preservation which are the key pillars of overall development in any society (AARP, 2010). AARP is a secondary social group whose functions are geared towards achieving high quality of life among the population. The organization has significantly transformed the attitude of Americans towards old age. National association for the advancement of colored people (NAACP) is a civil rights organization that diligently fights for the social justice of the minority groups in America. It was founded in 1909 and itââ¬â¢s the largest of its kind in the United States (NAACP, 2010). Ever since 1941, the organization has been the driving force behind civil rights advocacy in the United States. The organization spearheaded the enactment of 1964 civil rights act, the voting rights passed in 1965, and the1968 fair housing act among other achievements. It aims at promoting voting and voter education among the youth as a way of airing their preferences as wel l as promoting voting rights (NAACP, 2010). The organization further focuses on diverse issues such as climate change facing the country e.g. the hurricane Katrina. It has established climate justice initiative that was created for the purpose of mobilizing and educating people on the climate issue to enable them address the problem of climate change facing the society (NAACP, 2010). The organization has also devised mechanisms to uplift civil and human rights as they relate to economic opportunities (NAACP, 2010). It aims at ensuring that there is just and fair allocation of resources as the country embarks on a road towards economic recovery. It further promotes national education program by ensuring that American students have access to equal and high quality public education by discouraging racial and ethnic disparities prevalent in public institutions (NAACP, 2010). This organization is also a secondary social group whose aim is promoting the rights of the minority groups in Am erica. Bureaucratic Characteristics of Organizations The above bureaucratic organizations are characterized by division of labor where all tasks are classified into highly specialized fields which are allocated to qualified personnel (Lunenburg, 2007). The organizations also have an outlined hierarchy of authority that flows from the board of directors to the employees through senior staff. Bureaucracies are characterized by Impersonality (Lunenburg, 2007) which checks favorism and prejudice among staff members. In these institutions, recruitment, employment and promotions are based on competence and qualification and every task in the organizations is governed by outlined rules to ensure uniformity.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on American Association of Retired Persons specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, extensive division of labor kills innovation and promotes monotony. Reliance to rules in these s tructures often results in inertia and rigidity and the organizations practically promote downward communication only. Conclusion Social groups play an important role in the society as they strive to ensure that the rights of individuals are not violated against. To ensure their effectiveness, the government and the society should support them in their activities. However, the organization should minimize bureaucratic procedures in order to achieve better results. Reference List Lunenburg, F. E. Ornstein, A. C (2007). Educational administration: Concepts and practices, NY: Cengage learning publishers. NAACP (2010). Advocacy and issues. Official website. Web. Rother, J. (2010). Aging as a global issue. AARP. Web.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
History Paper on the Portrayal of Women in Advertising Research
History on the Portrayal of Women in Advertising - Research Paper Example In this context, it can be stated that portrayal of women in advertising is nothing new. The gender-based advertisement has shown a growing trend and has become more diverse over the years. It is a known fact that repetitive themes shown in advertisement influence the perception of people and society to a great extent. The mode of advertisement using media and print media such as magazines has shown profound transition over centuries. Notwithstanding, it is often argued that the role of women in advertising are much narrower than that of men. In this regard, many scholars have claimed that advertising characters of women are portrayed as subordinates to men and in a passive role. Sexual portrayal and sexuality has been used in advertisement since long. The gender stereotype was clearly visible earlier centuries and the role of women in advertising profoundly affected the perception of society towards women (Jacobson and Mazur 75-82). Historically, women in advertising had been represented as a sex object and had been subject to widespread exploitation. Besides, gender biases and racial biases were clearly apparently in the historical context with respect to women advertising. The image of women during the earlier centuries particularly in 19the century extremely suffered in the society due to objectification as well as sexism. It is evident that women are used in advertisement and their image is sometimes manipulated and distorted in order to promote women as a stereotype sex object. This is again due to the fact that women were given no power in the earlier days. The theme of using women as a sexual object initiated in the year 1850 when women were used and exposed to sell the product. For instance, the portrayal of nude women for the sale of tobacco in the 1850ââ¬â¢s was normal due to the perception and mindset of people. Gender role was high in the initial years when advertisement through television or mag azines initiated. The
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
The Rhetoric of Aristotle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
The Rhetoric of Aristotle - Essay Example This theory is applied to a debate with my parents. I presented a speech to them, where I argued that because I have obediently followed their requests and decisions for the past year, I deserve to be permitted to go to one of my dream vacations, which is going to Hawaii for one week next summer. Aristotleââ¬â¢s Rhetoric Theory will demonstrate if I have used effective rhetoric in convincing my parents regarding my vacation plans, which they will mostly fund. Aristotle differentiates artistic from inartistic proofs and explains the components of the former. Inartistic proofs are external proofs that the speaker cannot make. Artistic proofs are evidence that speakers can make, specifically, logical (logos), ethical (ethos), and emotional (pathos) proofs. Logos refers to logical proof, or evidence that is found in the lines of argument. Aristotle stresses that there are two kinds of logos- the enthymeme and the example. The enthymeme is the strongest of all proofs, wherein it is an incomplete version of formal deductive syllogism. The enthymeme excludes the premise that most people already know and accept. In my claim for my Hawaii vacation, my mother is the most adamantly against it because she thinks that I am too young to go to such as far place with my friends and because she does not think that good deeds must be paid with material things. My father is against my plans because of the same lines of arguments, but mostly because of safety and expenses involved. In my argument, my general premise is: ââ¬Å"Good deeds must be rewarded for positive reinforcement.â⬠My specific premise is: ââ¬Å"I have done good deeds as a child of my parents.â⬠My conclusion is: ââ¬Å"As a child who has done good deeds, I must be justly rewarded with a Hawaii trip.â⬠The enthymeme in my case is that good deeds must be rewarded for positive reinforcement. Although my parents and I generally agree that good deeds deserve to be rewarded for positive reinforcemen t, we have differences on what rewards mean. Nevertheless, I emphasized the enthymeme by providing examples of my good deeds: 1) Following their decisions even when they do not seem to make any sense any more to me and 2) Doing my best to focus on school and have good grades. In addition, I explained the whole budget involved, from tickets, to food, to souvenirs. I added that I have my meager savings that I will use for my trip. These are not exactly part of the enthymeme, but more of examples that prove that I am rational and independent enough to plan long trips away from home. Apart from logos, Aristotle talks about ethos, which I believe I have. I tried to establish my ethos through developing high source credibility. Ethos refers to the ability of the speaker to exude high credibility to his/her audience. Aristotle believes that there are three characteristics that promote high source credibility: intelligence, character, and goodwill. Intelligence is not about actual IQ, but m ore on practical wisdom and shared values. The intelligence that I possess is shown through my careful consideration of the limits of my parentsââ¬â¢ finances and the independence that they can provide me. I mentioned my savings and that I will be going out with my most trusted friends, many of whom they already know and some of which they will personally know in the next few weeks. In addition, I showed shared values in the promotion of good deeds within our family through
Monday, January 27, 2020
Eyewitness Testimony Essay
Eyewitness Testimony Essay The use of eyewitness testimony is infamously a primary source of evidence used within the judicial system around the world; however its use has raised various questions as to its reliability and validity especially within court cases. This essay explored first of all, the biological factors of memory and recollection of memories within the human brain. Memories are believed to be stored and processed within the hippocampus part of the brain where it goes through the multi-store model (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968). This is where danger of the reliability of memory occurs. It was argued that eyewitness testimony is a reliable form of evidence especially with its validity in terms of the events leading up to the use of EWT; what is deemed important information is believed to be remembered more clearly. Sigmund Freud (1920) suggested that memories can only be retrieved by encouraging remembering past episodes and re-instating these past memories into their consciousness. Psychologists N ibett and Ross (1980) quoted that the reason why eyewitness testimony is persuasive is that it influences the jury on a deeper level. However, eyewitness testimony posed more disadvantages than advantages with the various factors that affect it such as weapons focus in incidents involving weapons which cause distractions and loss of memories. The primary psychologist that tested the use of memory was Elizabeth Loftus who conducted various experiment to test this, such as the Automobile Destruction experiment in the 1970s. After having collated all the arguments together, it was suggested that improvements must be made in order to improve the quality of eyewitness testimony; these included the legal system and police forces involvement in collating information as quickly as possible. The most imperative form of evidence when investigating a crime is the honesty of witnesses on trial, the application of eyewitness testimony. Though the use of eyewitness testimony by juries is considered most valuable, the question of fallibility of witness statements poses various problems and issues. Eyewitness testimony has been a thriving aspect of the Criminal Justice System, an incredible amount of research into this element of cognitive psychology questions the reliability of peoples memory especially using it as evidence to determine the outcome of the trial and convictions. Research into the reliability of evidence, often referred to as witness psychology is renowned as being the longest established area of law and psychology, dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.à [1]à The area of eyewitness testimony has always posed a problem with reliability and the effectiveness of human memory. Human memory is described by cognitive psychologists Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968)à [2]à as a three stage theory in which memory is modelled in, this memory stage model is called the Multi-Store Model. The Multi-store model theory consists of the memory being divided into three stages, the first stage being the sensory store, the second stage is the short term memory (working memory) and the third being long term memory. The transfer of information from one store to another is controlled by the process of attention and rehearsal of memories. One of the most critical assumptions made by cognitive psychologists is that the human mind has a limited capacity for processing information. Therefore, any external information that the environment consists of is often very difficult for the human mind to assimilate and process; so people are selective about what information is to be retrieved and this is otherwise known as attention, where some information is assimilated while other pieces are ignored. The first stage of the multi-store model, the sensory store, is where the information from the senses (iconic, echoic, tactile, olfactory and gustatory), is transferred into but this is only for a very short period of time. The initial information retrieved by the senses is then transferred into the short term memory store; this is transferred through attention given to the information transferred from the senses involved. When the information has been transferred into the short-term memory store, this is the store concerned with forgetting information and this information is ultimately lost entirely. Therefore, for information to be remained in the memory, from the short term store into the long term store, the information must be rehearsed. Rehearsal is the cycling of information through the memory, this rehearsal of memory can be carried out in two different methods. Therefore this essay will investigate whether the application of eyewitness testimony statements is a reliable form of evidence to be used by the judicial system. Furthermore, this essay will argue whether eyewitness testimony is ideal to use as one of the most important pieces of evidence to use or whether the application of eyewitness testimony is fallible. After comparing for and against the reliability of eyewitness accounts, an evaluation will be drawn over how eyewitness testimony can be improved to an extent where it can be further accurate. This essay will explore the elements of eyewitness testimony and how these factors can determine whether an eyewitness account is accurate. These elements include the effect of weapon focus on witness memory, how leading questions can manipulate witness statements and recollection of memory, reconstructive errors of memory and the application of psychological experiments when exploring the function of these elements on the human memory. Th e application of the eyewitness testimony includes multiple formal questioning sessions with witnesses on trial, taking statements of the events witnessed and witnesses appearing in court with the jury. The issue of integrity when applying eyewitness testimony accounts is delegated to the jury, who are assigned the role of determining the judgement of whether the eyewitness statements are fallible or reliableà [3]à . The use of eyewitness testimony has a profound and compelling effect on the outcome of a trial and conviction, and this is why an accurate eyewitness testimony is needed in order to gain justice. The Aspects of Eyewitness Testimony As a consequence of the limitations of information processing in the human mind, witness statements need to be reviewed for accuracy and if any external factors of either the environment or the function of memory may have affected the outcome of the witness accountà [4]à . Quite often, when the memory cannot recall the entire incident or situation, it may result in the unknown areas being replaced by events that may never have took place in reality but the mind may perceive as a potential occurrence and therefore causes fallibility in the eyewitness testimony. In essence, the memory may fill in gaps where it fails to recall what may have happenedà [5]à . Many factors affect eyewitness memories which are illustrated below: Interference of Memory Processing: The period of time that has lapsed between the witnessing of the incident and the questioning of the eyewitness can determine the amount of information that the witness can recall. On the other hand, interference which is the loss of old stimuli as a result of new information can also subsequently reduce the accuracy of eyewitness accounts.à [6]à Leading Questions in Witness Interviews: A leading question in its form or content, suggests to the witness being interviewed what answer is desired or leads them to the desired answer. Some questions can often be made more suggestive than others and these questions the legal concept of a leading question. The main pioneer for investigating the consequences of particular leading questions was Elizabeth F. Loftus in 1974.à [7]à Schemas: The human mind has evolved its memory capacity and the ability to remember certain aspects by organising information into categories, otherwise known as schemasà [8]à . Schemas help organise memories that can consist of familiar people, objects and situations and allow people to understand and act appropriately to whatever is encountered. Arousal, Anxiety and Violence Distraction: Quite often, cognitive psychologists have questioned the poor recall of eyewitness accounts is primarily a result of where their attention is focused upon. A possible reason for arousal, anxiety and violence distraction could be that a violent incident, with the use of weapons, draws the focus of the witnesss attention away from who is causing this anxiety, which results in little or no processing of other information.à [9]à Weapon Focus: When a witness views a crime in which a weapon is used as a method of violence and distraction, the weapon achieves its purpose in distracting the attention of those witnessing the crime. The distraction affects the witnesss attention due to the potential threat of violence9. External Influences: Quite often, external influences can affect the accuracy of eyewitness accounts, especially if the media has been influencing the events that have taken place. The witness may re-interpret their witness statements to match what the media has claimed may have existed or happened. Apart from the media, other external influences may include other witness accounts of what happened and/or the type of environment that the situation may have occurred in, e.g. in darkness, low-lit room etc. Conformity: Through the questioning process that witnesses must endure, group questioning in particular, gives into reason the reliability of witness recollections as they may conform in order to fit each others interpretation of what happened. Reliability of Eyewitness Testimony The use of eyewitness testimony has provided crucial evidence that can often lead to the identification and arrest of a criminal suspect or a hazardous event can be avoided. Eyewitness testimony impacts strongly upon the trial process and the verdicts that are given by the jury are quite often influenced heavily by eyewitness accounts. Stern and Dunning, 1994à [10]à quoted that eyewitness testimony is perhaps the most compelling types of evidence presented to police investigations and criminal trials. Although the human memory and its information processing ability, has substantial amounts of limitations that can lead to invalidity and inaccuracy, it does however, demonstrate a unique ability to process information where the acquired stimulus information is stored. The human mind can potentially hold millions of pieces of information, though not all at once, which when acquired by the brain can be reinstated and remembered. The memories that the mind deems as important for growth and use consistently is life are episonic which represents the episode of the memory where as certain skill or piece of information; semantic which identifies what that piece of information consists of and what it is and finally procedural which processes who that information is to be used or handled. For example, teaching a child how to read a book at a particular age is episonic, knowing what a book is, is semantic and how to read the words in a book would be procedural.à [11]à The process of information being transferred from the short term memory into the long term memory was an experiment conducted by psychologists Welch and Burnett in 1924. The experiment was to test the theory of the serial position curve where it consisted of the subjects being presented with a list of 16 words in which they had to recall in order. The results of this experiment, illustrated the serial position curve in which the recollection of words and the results of the experiment were graphed and this illustrated a curve effect were the last recalled words were remembered best whereas the words in the middle of the recall were remembered poorly. Cognitive psychologist, Sigmund Freud believed that memories were allocated in the brainà [12]à . Freud referred to these memories as true memories and described that they lay deep in the unconscious element of the brain, where they lay undisturbed as a factor of surface mental activity. Freud insisted that these memories were never lost or forgotten as they are only inaccessible and latent, having become a part of the unconsciousà [13]à . For these memories to be accessed, Freud promoted the technique free association. By encouraging witnesses to reminisce about past episodes that have occurred within their lives, Freud insinuated that they could reinstate long-forgotten yet important memories from their past into their consciousness. However, it can be argued that the true memories that Freud insisted exist in the human sub-conscious are in fact potential complex blendings of both fact and fiction. Memory is an extremely fragile aspect of the human mind that can potentially be supplemented, altered and reconstructed by external stimuli that can question an event that may never have occurred. However, it is argued that the human mind is capable of remembering significant pieces of information that is considered vital and important. This is considered one of the key factors in which juries do consider eyewitness testimony accounts as a vital piece of evidence. Psychologists Nibett and Ross, 1980 quoted that the reason why eyewitness testimony is persuasive is that vivid testimonies have a strong impact on observers so this conclusively means that they are easier to remember especially upon the juryà [14]à . Though the potential invalidity of eyewitness accounts is extensive, error made in witness accounts are extraneous when the observers are able to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate witnessesà [15]à . However, there may be a possibility that the eyewitness account is accurate but leading questions by the criminal investigation team may provoke the memory to be changed to fit the question or the most relevant and fitting answerà [16]à . The Unreliability of Eyewitness Testimony The malleability of eyewitness accounts demonstrates the excessive inaccuracy of it being used as a vital evidential piece in the courts and criminal justice system. Many hypotheses have been established that suggest reasons for the valued use of eyewitness testimony. Saunders et al believe that jurors tend to place too much faith in eyewitness testimonies; however the problem lies with whether eyewitness testimony is a reliable source of evidence to useà [17]à . The inaccuracy of witness accounts is demonstrated by the various aspects that intercept with each other and substantiate hesitation for its use as evidence. The use of leading questions can quite often alter information/intelligence or can quite often misinterpreted accounts to match the information that the witness has been presented with. An experiment conducted by Elizabeth Loftus and John Parmer illustrates the interaction between language and memory in 1974à [18]à . The reconstruction of an automobile destruction consisted of two experiments in which subjects were shown films of automobile accidents. After the observation, the subjects were then asked questions about the events that occurred in the films; How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other? The use of the word smash demonstrated higher estimations in the speed of the car as opposed to other verbs used in place of smash such as collided, bumped, contacted and hit. When the experiment was repeated a week later, the subjects who received the word smashed were more likely to agree to the question asked Did you see any broken glass? even though there was n o recollection of broken glass within the video. These results highlight the theory that the questions asked in relation to an event can result in a reconstruction of a witnesss memory of that event. Though witness memory is quite often inaccurate in that they fail to distinguish the events that had occurred, quite often, the human memory can remember erroneous events and details that may be introduced by third party interference. In the 1970s, Elizabeth Loftus conducted an experiment to demonstrate how third party interference can invalidate witness accounts by introducing false facts. Subjects were shown a slideshow of a car at an intersection with either a yield sign or a stop sign. The experimenter then asked the participants questions which falsely used the word stop sign instead of yield sign which is what was actually shown in the slideshow. The results indicated that subjects remembered seeing the false image; the introduction of false cues altered the memory of the participants in the experiment. Bartlett conducted an experiment in which he read a story The war of the ghosts out loud to a group of participants where he concluded that participants attempted to fit the story into their western schemas and as a result, distorted it during recallà [19]à . This showed that they were not recalling the information exactly as it had been presented to them, but were making assumptions at the story, based on their own understanding. This correlates with what a witness may assume a criminal or crime scene may look like and therefore use this to describe the suspected. Schemas are an effective method of processing and encoding informationà [20]à . The idea of schemas were originally established by Frederick Bartlett in the 1930s which involved a large number studies in which he showed ways in which participants made sense of whatever they were shown affects the way they recall it laterà [21]à . For example, in one of his studies, Bartlett showed participants unfamiliar line d rawings and instructed them to memorise it. Bartlett then asked his participants to talk aloud at the same time as memorising the picture. He found that different participants made sense of the figures in different ways. Later in the experiment, the participants were asked to draw the figures as they remembered them and Bartlett discovered that the schemas which they established during their initial encoding influenced their recall. Therefore, schemas may influence what witnesses may define what a criminal looks like or behaves like and this may influence their account of events. Through the questioning process that witnesses must endure, witnesses can either be questioned on a one-to-one basis where the interviewer questions the witness independently or witnesses can be questioned as a group if the incident has been witnesses by multiple people. In particular, group questioning which gives into reason the reliability of witness recollections as they may conform in order to fit each others interpretation of what happened. This conformity can purposely invalidate information as the witness does not want to be isolated from the events that the other witnesss describe as having happened. This subjective information again affects the testimony because false information is being interpreted is invalid due to conformity of information. The weapons focus effectà [22]à perceives to be a result of the witnesss attention being predominantly directed towards the weapon, resulting in diversion of attention away from the situational aspects and the criminal suspect. When a witness views a crime in which a weapon is used as a method of violence and distraction, the weapon achieves its purpose in distracting the attention of those witnessing the crime. The distraction affects the witnesss attention due to the potential threat of violence. Although an incident has occurred, the attention of the witness is primarily upon the weapon so they are not observing the rest of the incident or the person who is posing the threat and this causes the witness to have lack of information about the incident. This area of eyewitness psychology is known as weapon focus; unfortunately this distraction results in a very poor eyewitness testimony as the witness is unable to recall events and descriptions. Unfortunately, most crimes involve the use of a weapon as a vulnerability tool, which in essence causes the stress and anxiety levels of the witness to rise and therefore will fail to encode and remember vital information. Eyewitness inaccuracy may also be a result of errors that occur within the memory process; the memory is divided into three distinct stages of processing: encoding, storage and retrieval. The occurrence of errors is very likely at any particular stage within the memory processing stages. Acquiring information or otherwise known as encoding is illustrated within the Yerkes-Dodson principle which according to its theorists, an increase in arousal improves performance up to a certain point. Once arousal has passed the critical point which is otherwise known as the optimum, performance tends to decline and these results in poorer memory performance. So, in essence when a person is moderately aroused, the information is encoded best as opposed to extreme arousal or stress where the information is lost or encoded insufficiently. The Yerkes-Dodson theoryà [23]à demonstrates that if a witness observes a crime that is substantially violent and/or makes the witness experience high levels o f fear and anxiety, they are less likely to remember any significant levels of information because of the extreme stress which results in encoding of information inaccurate. This conclusively makes their eyewitness account unreliable because they fail to remember any substantial amounts of information and detail of what happened and of the perpetrator. The question of witness account accuracy raises questions about whether the time after the incident occurred, if the account is still valid as evidence because quite often, large amounts of time and substantial interference can deteriorate the information from memory. This deterioration refers to the loss of stimulus information as a result of passed time. The amount of time that has lapsed between the occurrence of the event and the questioning and testimony of the witness can quite often determines the amount of information the witness can recallà [24]à . This interference is due to the loss of old stimulus information caused by new stimulus information; this can also reduce the accuracy of eyewitness accounts. People are more likely to overestimate the duration of brief events but on the other hand underestimate the duration of prolonged events (Penrod, Loftus and Winkler, 1982). Other psychological research has demonstrated that the presence of a weapon also reduces the accur acy of eyewitness accounts. Evaluation of Eyewitness Testimony Taking into consideration the flaws in which eyewitness accounts may consist of, which effectively invalidates the testimony, these flaws can be avoided by both the eyewitness and the criminal justice system that use the accounts as a form of evidence. Most importantly, the way in which witness accounts are handled is vital in establishing a valid eyewitness testimony with as much truth as possible. The interviewing process which is conducted by the criminal justice system i.e. police, courtroom judges, need to be done in a careful and delicate way so that there is no decay or deterioration of information. Though the memory of the witnesses may differ, depending on age and memory capacity, quite often the initial first few hours after the occurrence of an incident is vital in collecting as much valid information as possible. So, the interviewing of witnesses should be conducted right after the incident when possible to avoid any decay of information and/or third party interference. In terms of the actual interviewing process, the use of leading questions should entirely be avoided unless the witness has mentioned specific events or descriptions which would not invalidate information as it has been confirmed by the witness. Leading questionsà [25]à can quite often add new information that the witness may not have known about and will therefore mention false information in order to fit their account with what is evidently known by the police. Specific questions that can be used in the interviewing process may help the witness to run through their track of events which in some circumstances reveal any recollection of events without any external influence. Quite often through the criminal investigation, the witness needs to be interviewed many times to establish the course of events and important descriptions, whether this is through the crown prosecution trial or by the police. If later eyewitnesses need to be interviewed, they should be able to recall as much information that they reported initially, avoiding any extra information that they may have picked up from third party interference. So in essence, there is no uncertain information but information that the mind has remembered and rehearsed within their memory and indicates a positive recollection of events. Though no control can be given to what eyewitnesses will focus on and concentrate entirely on, measures on how information is collected can partially help to distinguish between valid and false information within accounts. Conclusion It can be concluded that the use of eyewitness testimony will also be used as a vital source of evidence by the criminal justice system for years to come. Eyewitness testimony can hold vital pieces of information that cannot be retrieved from any other source, without eyewitness testimony, the police would find it incredibly difficult to discover any potential clues and evidence of what happened or description of what the perpetrator physically looks like. Criminal cases in which there is not eyewitnesses to give evidence are usually those cases which find it incredibly hard to convict the guilty so have to rely upon other physical evidence such as CCTV, DNA, fingerprints etc. However, the use of eyewitness accounts seems to create a lot of doubt in whether it is a reliable source of evidence to be used because its accuracy is questioned based on interpretation. The use of leading questions and third party interference can decay any initial recollection of events that the eyewitness may have believed to have happened. But the human memory has flaws within itself regardless of extra information that can falsify or invalidate the recollection of what occurred and why. The initial pioneer of evaluating eyewitness evidence, Elizabeth F. Loftusà [26]à highlights the flaws of eyewitness accounts and of the human memory. The conclusions in which Loftus has discovered were advantageously used to improve quality of interviews and valid eyewitness accounts but unfortunately cannot eliminate all invalid information. So, in essence, the question as to whether eyewitness testimony is a reliable source of evidence still remains unclear on the basis that it is vital evidence which is needed to collate important information. However, its reliability is questioned in terms of validity and how much the witness is able to accurately recall all pieces of information especially having experienced high amounts of anxiety and stress. Eyewitness testimony will always remain a vital source of evidence but its use should be delicately considered to avoid any false information or invalid convictions.
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