The Body Image And Advertisements - 1630 Words

Body Image and Advertisements In roughly three decades, the number of advertisement exposed to consumers daily went from 500 in the 1970’s to as many as 5000 today (Johnson, 2006). Fashion advertisements often promote models that have an ideal body which is often models with thin bodies (Diedrichs Lee 2011). Consequently, these advertisements set unrealistic standards to the public (Yu, Damhorst Russell, 2011). Researchers have found that consumers are constantly comparing themselves to media ideals which could affect their body image (Yu, Damhorst Russell, 2011). Body image is â€Å"the way an individual perceives their physical self, but more importantly the thoughts and feelings the person experience due to that perception† (Healey, 2014). There are four aspects of body image, it includes perceptual, affective, cognitive and behavioural (Healey, 2014). Perceptual is the way you see yourself (Healey, 2014). Affective is the way you feel about the way you look (Heal ey, 2014). Cognitive is the thoughts and beliefs you have about your body (Healey, 2014). Behavioural is the things you do in relation to the way you look (Healey, 2014). These aspects are taken into consideration whenever a consumer compares their own body to those that are shown in fashion advertisements. In addition, study have shown that someone that has a negative body image is associated with physical and psychological health problems (Diedrichs Lee, 2011). The ideal bodies that are shown inShow MoreRelatedAdvertising Advertisements And Body Image1645 Words   |  7 PagesThis guidance note, approved by the EASA Board in 2009, is designed to assist the advertising industry and SROs in ensuring that women and men continue to be portrayed positively and responsibly in advertising. History - WOMEN IN ADVERTISEMENTS AND BODY IMAGE Authors have also attempted to correlate various demographic variables such as age and education, as well as geographic variables with preferences for role portrayals in advertising. Through the ages men have been considered to be financialRead MoreEffectiveness of Body Image Portrayal in Different Advertisements 804 Words   |  3 PagesWhat many women think when they see a Victoria’s Secret advertisement on TV is to put the chocolate down and hit the gym. Why is this? To be beautiful and fit is a prerequisite to becoming a model for their various lingerie campaigns. People all around the world tune in to watch the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and see their â€Å"Angels† strut down the walkway in lingerie. In today’s society, being thin is considered attractive and acceptable—what the ideal woman should look like. While noRead MoreThe Body Image Portrayed By Modern Day Fitness Advertisements978 Words   |  4 PagesThe body image portr ayed by modern day fitness advertisements is leading people to view themselves as a lesser person if they are not fit. Modern day fitness advertisements generally contain models that are either in very good shape or are very attractive. This is not done unintentionally. Advertisement companies know that many of the people who go to the gym don’t look like these models. The advertisers also know that people want to look like these models. That is why they place them in the advertisementsRead MoreThe Cultivation of Womanhood Through Advertisement: Body Image, advertisements, spending habits, and their implications 2950 Words   |  12 PagesIn this paper we will explore how advertisements cultivate a woman’s need for consumerism as a part of their own self image. George Gerbner, the founder of cultivation theory, argued that television has the ability to impact the way that people percieve certain message and influence their everyday life. In this study, we will condu ct a content analysis of quantitative and qualitative measures that will study fashion advertisements. Each advertisement will be critiqued by a set of questions to helpRead MoreBody Image Advertisements Are Targeting Towards Specific Gender Groups Essay1984 Words   |  8 Pagesown body images. As the body care, fashion, and fitness industries are thriving, we can see tons of advertisements delivering body images to attract customers. While the majority of them utilize models, athletes, celebrities or someone who has a perfect body to demonstrate the extraordinary effect of the products, there has been an increasing amount of advertisement campaigns that portray â€Å"real beauty† to encourage regular people to appreciate their own beauty. Interestingly, all these body-imageRead MoreWhy Advertisements Are Killing You Essay1078 Words   |  5 PagesWhy Advertisements Are Killing You Regardless of if they mean to or not, all teenagers of today’s generation are exposed to advertisements. Due to teenagers’ persistent attitudes, marketers know what to put in their advertisements in order for it to be successful. Teenagers and young children in today s society are easily influenced by the numerous advertisements they watch. In our current generation advertisements of the perfect body image have been shown, which places a toll on certain teenagersRead MorePatriarchal Capitalist Society : An Analysis Of The Commodity Fetishism Of The Female Slender Body911 Words   |  4 PagesSlender Body This feminist study will define the commodity fetishism of the slender female body within the social relationships of patriarchal capitalism and sales marketing. In American society, the female body has a history of being exploited through patriarchal interpretations of the slender body as part of capitalist commoditization. In this manner, unrealistic expectations of the female body are enhanced in various advertisements, which show artificially photoshopped slender bodies. TheseRead MoreWomen s Representation Of Women1676 Words   |  7 PagesIn a survey regarding body image, 69.3% of teenagers said they were not happy with their appearance, and 64% of women in there sixties said they were not happy with their appearance either. The difference between the two, however, is that the majority of the older women were ‘grateful’ about the way they look, while most teenagers described themselves as ‘self-conscious’ when it comes to their physical appearance (à ¢â‚¬Å"How Women Feel About Their Looks†). These statistics prove that women of all agesRead MoreBeauty and Body Image in the Media978 Words   |  4 PagesReview Of Literature Beauty and Body Image in the Media ( Men ) Review – 1 From the , Journal of Marketing Communication Vol. 11. No. 1. 3-19. March 2005 Idealized images of the male body in advertising: a reader-response exploration BY- RICHARD ELLIOTT CHRISTINE ELLIOTT Warwick Business School. University of Warwick, Coventry. UK. Harris Manchester College University of Oxford. Oxford. UK Introduction : This is a study which particularly focuses on how men are beingRead MoreEssay on Why is Retouching Photographs Necessary?1063 Words   |  5 PagesCelebrities and models are retouched in various forms—photographs, online advertisements, magazines, and more. There are more forms of advertisements today than ever before. Technology is becoming more and more advanced. With more advanced technology come more consumers, ranging in all ages. Younger generations are becoming more acquainted with new gadgets today. They are likely to be exposed to retouched photographs from online advertisements. Many models in these photographs are often retouched in such a

The Odyssey Report - 1377 Words

The Odyssey Report In The Odyssey , Homer uses guest-host relationships as an ethical norm against which behavior is measured. When the ritual is preformed correctly by guest-host, good results ensue. In contrast, the violations of this ethical norm results in misfortune. This idea was taken very seriously by people of that time and it can be found throughout the story. A great example of a guest host relationship where both the guest and the host behave properly is the relationship between Telemachos and King Menelaos. As a guest Telemachos treats his host with respect and dignity. He address menelaos as my lord to give reverence to his kindness and to be polite. Telemachos is very complimentary to his host by saying Zeus must†¦show more content†¦This is another way he is a bad guest because he takes what he wants even without it being offered to him. Upon Polyphemos return he to shows he can be a bad host because he picked up a great huge stone and placed it in the doorway which made escape almost impossible. He continues his streak of meanness by eating some of Odysseus men. It says he devoured them like a mountain lion, bowels and flesh and marrow- bones and left nothing. Odysseus get angry and devises a plan which will allow him to escape. He then takes a wooden rod and thrust the sharp point into his eye and leaned hard on it from above and turned it round and round. This is the punishment Polyphemos receives for his being a bad host. However Odysseus also receives a punishment for entering into Polyphemos house without permission and being a bad guest. His punishment is the great loss of men which he receives, his quick evacuation of the island, and the anger he brings to Poseidon; which causes him to have the suitors come to his house and reek havoc in his kingdom. The final example of a guest-host relationship in which both the guest and host act unaccordingly is Odysseus and the suitors. Odysseus reaches his home and finds his house in shambles. The suitors continuously refer to Odysseus as a nuisance and at one point one of them decides to show his anger. Then picking up the footstool, he threwShow MoreRelatedThe Birth of the Gods in Homers Odyssey1548 Words   |  7 PagesThe Odyssey   Ã‚  Ã‚   Prehistoric man did not question his existence and reality - he just lived as one with nature. When prehistoric man awakened from this simple existence into the world of intelligence, he began to question his existence and reality. Homer’s The Odyssey demonstrated man’s attempt to cope with their own nature through the illusion of the gods, by using them to carry their burdens of hopelessness, helplessness, and fallibility.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The characters of Homer’s The Odyssey struggledRead MoreWomen in the Odyssey by Homer Essay examples684 Words   |  3 PagesThe Odyssey by Homer encompasses a rather modern idea of women and their role for its time. Homer portrays women as creatures who are strong but are ultimately defeated. It is true that in most stories they are portrayed as being weaker, but the women in this poem are oddly strong or have a very strong presence. The three main examples are Calypso, Athena, and the Lotus Flower. Each of these examples has a predominant presence in The Odyssey making them sturdy objects. At first the goddess CalypsoRead MoreEssay on The Mysterious Homer, Author of The Odyssey and The Iliad663 Words   |  3 PagesAuthor of The Odyssey and The Iliad   A sketchy figure by the name of Homer is given credit for the two great epic poems of ancient Greece. The Odyssey and The Iliad influenced Greek culture, education, and morality. Little is known about Homer and many scholars question whether he existed at all. (Encarta) Some say two different unknown authors wrote the two poems. (Britannica) Others say that many oral poets were responsible for the finished products. (Britannica) In this report I will discussRead More The Role of Women in Ancient Greece as Depicted in Homer’s The Odyssey897 Words   |  4 PagesThe Role of Women in Ancient Greece as Depicted in Homer’s The Odyssey Women as Citizens For this informative report I will attempt to point out the roles women and how they are viewed in ancient Greece. I will then show how these views are present in Homer’s The Odyssey. How are women, goddess or mortal, conveyed in The Odyssey? The Odyssey was written around 700 BC during the Archaic period (750 – 550 BC). This was a time of great economical and social change in Greek history dueRead MoreEssay on The Odyssey, by Homer, is an Epic888 Words   |  4 Pagesclosely connected, but individual and separate sections. Some important qualities that distinguish an epic are unrealistic antagonists, the Gods and Goddesses playing important roles, and a story involving the re-establishment of a proper leader. â€Å"The Odyssey†, by Homer, is an epic because Odysseus (the hero) faces supernatural antagonists, the gods and goddesses play an important role, and Odysseus is being restored as a rightful leader. Throughout the story, Odysseus faces several supernaturalRead More Important Role of Women in Homers Odyssey Essay examples1721 Words   |  7 Pages   For the Greeks, Homers Odyssey was much more than just an entertaining tale of gods, monsters, and men, it served as cultural paradigm from which every important role and relationship could be defined.   This book, much more so than its counter part The Iliad, gives an eclectic view of the Acheans peacetime civilization.   Through Odyssey, we gain an understanding of what is proper or improper in relationships between father and son, god and mortal, servant and master, guest and host, and--importantly--manRead MoreComic Strip Justification748 Words   |  3 PagesOver the past few weeks, we have been reading and studying the Odyssey. One of our latest projects was making a comic strip to review what we have read so far. Each student needs to justify why they made each frame the way they did. Everyone did theirs differently. My first frame was when Odysseus and his crew, returning from Troy, raid the village of the Cicones. I did not focus on this scene because it has very little meaning to the rest of the story, only a little side story to give Odysseus’Read MoreWhat Is The Theme Of Pathos And Logos In The Odyssey929 Words   |  4 Pagesdemonstrated through pathos and logos in both â€Å"The Odyssey† by Homer and â€Å"Back from War but Not Really Home† by Caroline Alexander. These texts use these rhetorical devices to prove that a soldier’s struggle does not stop when he leaves the battlefield. By doing so, they open the eyes of the reader to the injustice they face. In both articles, pathos, or emotional appeal, is used to show the awkwardness between survivors and civilians. We can see this in the Odyssey when the text mentions, â€Å"But now brilliantRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Into the Wild1669 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many speculations regarding the causes for McCandlesss journey because there is no valid proof. Even the author Krakauer forms his own theory. He accurately hypothesizes youthful derring-do (182) as a motive for McCandlesss Alaskan odyssey (157); in addition, the transcendentalist ideas—escapism, simplicitism, nonconformity, and spiritual connection—McCandless internalized from the literature he read fused with his animosity towards his parents compelled him to venture into the wildRead MoreLoyalty785 Words   |  4 Pagesyou believe is right. An example of this would be if you are getting peer pressured by your peers to smoke, there are several choices you can make. You can smoke just to gain populari ty by that group of people and destroy your health or refuse and report to the counselor. A person who is loyal to self will obviously pick the second option by doing this they will stay true to self, do the right thing and stand up to peer pressure. Last but not the least is loyalty to family. To me loyalty to family

Research on Bipolar Disorder - 626 Words

My research focus is on bipolar disorder. I found at least two dissertations that dealt with the matter. The first is Lauren Teresa DiPaula (2009) A chaotic companion: writers and writing with bipolar disorder. Dissertation. Indiana University of Pennsylvania (http://dspace.iup.edu/bitstream/handle/2069/181/Lauren%20DiPaula%20Corrected.pdf?sequence=1) Her theme was the following: The writer conducted a thorough literatuer review of bipolar disorder supplementing that with qualitative research in-depth open-ended series of interviews with 21 writers who had bipolar disorder. The study was conducted over a period of three years and involved approximately 34 hours of interviews and 585 pages of transcripts, that were analyzed thematically. The objective of her study was to examine the effects of bipolar disorder on writers and their writing. The questions included the following; how writers who suffer from bipolar disorder experience writing in their lives; why they continue writing despite the disorder: contrasts of writing style between those who have bipolar and those who do not; what inspires them to continue writing despite the impediment; how bipolar disorder influences their reasons for writing or not writing in the past and today; and whether they see similarities between themselves and other writers with bipolar disorder. Researchers found that the writing process was affected by bipolar with excessive writing occurring during the manic stage and writingShow MoreRelatedBipolar Disorder: A Research3143 Words   |  13 Pagesï » ¿Bipolar Disorder: Introduction Bipolar disorder is a disorder of the brain and is also called manic-depressive illness. Due to this disorder, the affected individual experiences abnormal mood shifts, unusual levels of energy and activities and atypical ability to perform tasks of daily life. As far as symptoms of bipolar disorder are concerned, they are rather severe in nature. They are not like the usual ups and downs experienced by people once in a while. Bipolar disorder has been found to causeRead MoreThe Importance Of A Research On Bipolar Disorder1009 Words   |  5 PagesThe Importance of Mice Research in Understanding Bipolar Disorder Introduction This presentation will be discussing the contributions non-human animal research has made to the field of psychology while focusing on developments in bipolar research. It will begin with an exploration of three research examples that used mice to make discoveries relevant to bipolar disorder. Then my presentation will acknowledge the ethical concerns behind non-human animal research. Next, my presentation will go intoRead MoreEssay about The Research on Bipolar Disorder1673 Words   |  7 Pagescity it strives for order and efficiency. However a patient with Bipolar Disorder has a very chaotic type of brain function; causing changes in mood and sometimes suicidal thoughts Bipolar Disorder is a common psychiatric mood disorder that is defined by recurrent episodes of abnormally elevated mood and depression, changes in energy and, the ability to carry out day to day tasks. (Joel, Jakosson and colleges) â€Å"Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a chronic disease with high risk of relapse. This diseaseRead MoreBipolar Disorder Research Paper709 Words   |  3 Pageswith many flaws. For a person living with bipolar disorder, everyday life can potentially be a coin flip: how you are one day may be very different than how you are on another. According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), nearly six (6) million adult Americans are affected by bipolar disorder (â€Å"About†). A major obstacle for those dealing with Bipolar can be a lack of help. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), Bipolar disorder has been deemed the most expensive behavioralRead MoreCurrent Research On Bipolar Disorder II2570 Words   |  11 PagesCurrent Res earch on Bipolar Disorder II Shannon J. Oliveira American School of Professional Psychology Psychopathology Fall 2014 Current Research on Bipolar Disorder II The following is a review of recent peer reviewed research articles in the field of psychology contributing to new information on the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome measures for Bipolar Disorder II (BDII). First, you will find a description of the diagnostic presentation of BDII, followed by the corresponding results of the researchRead MoreClinical Outcome Research Regarding Pediatric Bipolar Disorder950 Words   |  4 PagesSummary of Clinical Outcome Research Regarding Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder is a life-impacting condition that is often chronic, creates significant impairment, and is marked by a cycling between depressive and manic episodes. These episodes are manifested by unusual and extreme shifts in mood, energy levels, and behaviors that interfere with executive functioning (Wilkinson, Taylor, Holt, 2002). Divided into two levels of diagnosis; Bipolar I Disorder is defined by the occurrenceRead MoreThe Link Between Creativity and Bipolar Disorder, Annotated Bibliography854 Words   |  4 PagesTHE LINK BETWEEN CREATIVITY AND BIPOLAR DISORDER The Link Between Creativity and Bipolar Disorder Creativity is related with bipolar disorder is a popular assumption. The fact that many creative people, including Van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, Leo Tolstoy, and Sylvia Plath, suffered from some kind of mental disorders triggers that idea. Psychologists have been interested in this contingent link for decades. In this paper, after defining both terms, I examine three articles that reportRead MoreTreatment For Middle Aged African American Women With Bipolar Disorder849 Words   |  4 Pageswomen with bipolar disorder What is it? Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by drastic mood swings ranging from immense euphoria to extreme depression. People with bipolar disorder are likely to experience a lack of energy, participation in normal social activities, and the ability to complete daily routines. This can cause interpersonal relationships and work-life to suffer. They may also have strong thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide as a result of bipolar disorder. The causeRead MoreThe Dsm 5 : Bipolar And Related Disorders1693 Words   |  7 PagesThe DSM-5(2013) section on Bipolar and related disorders includes diagnoses for Bipolar I disorder, Bipolar II disorder, cyclothymic disorder, substance/medication induced bipolar and related disorder, bipolar and related disorder due to another medical condition, other specified bipolar and related disorder and unspecified bipolar and related disorder there is no classification for pediatric or early onset bipolar disorder. Though there is the foll owing statement â€Å"the recognition that many individualsRead MoreBipolar, A State Of Sadness, And Mania1313 Words   |  6 PagesShifts of moods and behaviors are normal but when exceeding the time frame of when those shifts last it can cause a disorder. A disorder known as Bipolar. Bipolar is concluded to be alternating periods of depression and mania. Depression, being, a state of sadness, and mania, a state of high energy in which a person seems capable of taking over the world. These symptoms of bipolar ultimately lead to the question of what causes people to be in depressed or manic. Can a time of mania ultimately cause

Pollution And Environmental Problems Of Mankind - 3103 Words

Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Pollution and environmental problems of mankind In recent years, we often hear and use the word ecology, but one can hardly assume that everyone understands him correctly. About even the experts argue what meaning people should invest in this concept. In the meantime, they argue, laymen have realized such ecological minimum: it means - to breathe clean air, drink clean water, eat food without nitrates and glow in the dark. The term ecology (from the Greek oikos - a house, dwelling place, and logos - science) was provided in 1866 by the German zoologist Ernst Haeckel, who introduced it into use to refer to general science about the organisms and their environment. But now the concept of ecology has already gone far beyond the scope of what to put in it and Ernst Haeckel as specified in the reference books and encyclopedias. Now it is an independent science about the environment (in terms of its interactions with living organisms and, above all people). It nourishes not only and not so much biology, but almost all of Earth science - meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, climatology, geography, geology with the necessary for their physical and mathematical and chemical methods, as well as sociology, psychology and economics. Such an extension of detention of Ecology and offset of accents demanded rapid quantitative growth of humanity, which began to realize the dangers that threaten the entire planet (nuclear disaster, potentialShow MoreRelatedMalthus s Theory Of The Demographic Transition Theory1279 Words   |  6 Pageshave high birth rates which put a strain on the global aspects of the environment. As our planet now holds over 7 billion peo ple (US Census Bureau, 2016), scientists, economists, and environmentalist’s struggle to find a solution to our â€Å"growing† problem. One theory that explains this population change is the demographic transition theory. This theory, defined as a thesis that links population patterns to a society’s level of technological development (Macionis, 2013 p. 636), suggests that the keyRead MoreModernism And Its Impact On The Environment906 Words   |  4 Pagesoptimistic view of human impact on the environment that has been the dominant viewpoint for the last 200 years. The knowledge that mankind holds the ability to control the environment heavily stresses why climate change is not such a problem to worry about. One of the core beliefs of the modernistic perspective is that people have no need to fear future environmental disaster because the next technological advancement that will prevent it is right around the corner. Furthermore, those who share thisRead MoreThe Sacred Balance Essay1726 Words   |  7 Pageswe are inevitably heading for a global environmental catastrophe that will destroy mankind. Constantly scaring society as a means to create awareness for the environment has created ‘doom fatigue. The threat of doom for humankind is used so often, that it has become a clichà © that many dismiss simply as a shallow warning. In his book The Sacred Balance, David Suzuki has attempted to overcome the ‘doom fatigue so his ideas of conservation and environmental management do not become the monotonousRead MoreEnvironment Issues Are Destructive Effect From Human Activity On The Nature1288 Words   |  6 Pagespressure when government solving these problems. Earth s environment is an important factor in the survival of mankind and environmental issues that affect human life. Therefore, Protecting the environment is human responsibility. And Equal protection of the environment to protect ourselves. Global warming, shortage resources and ocean pollution are major environment issues and pressure around the world. The number of reasons and influence of these environment problems and p ressures will be given. GlobalRead MorePoint Source Pollution Essay1248 Words   |  5 PagesReview of Literature Introduction Pollution has been an ongoing program that dates back thousands of years and consists of air, noise, water, light, soil, thermal, and radioactive forms (causes). This research paper will concentrate on water pollution, types, causes, and solutions to deal with what possibly will lead to an inevitable destruction of our environment, leading to water ways that cannot sustain life. Life cannot exist without clean, or non-polluted water. Since our drinking water andRead MoreEnviromental Pollution785 Words   |  4 PagesEnvironmental pollution  is a term that refers to all  the ways  by which people pollute their surroundings. People dirty the air with gases and smoke, poison the water  with chemicals  and other substances, and damage  the soil  with too many fertilizers and pesticides:  People also  pollute their surroundings in various other ways. For example, they ruin  natural beauty  by scattering junk and litter on the land and in the water. They operate m achines  and motor  vehicles that fill the air with disturbing noiseRead MoreTaking Responsibility Versus Diffusing Responsibility1252 Words   |  6 PagesResponsibility Climate change has remained a dormant issue since the industrialization of the wealthiest nations today. New information coming to light about recent and future environmental catastrophes like Hurricane Sandy, clearly represents that the homeostasis of our environment is not to be trifled with. The chief problem in solving this issue manifests itself in the head decision-making bodies. One side of the debate believes the solution will be a spontaneously invented technology that haltsRead MoreThe Effects Of Air Pollution On The Environment Essay1198 Words   |  5 Pagesdevelopment. Environmental pollution will cause direct damage to the ecosystem and impact, such as desertification, forest destruction, water eutrophication, will also give ecological systems and human society caused by indirect harm, and sometimes this indirect environmental effects than the harm caused Of the direct harm is greater, more difficult to eliminate. For example, the greenhouse effect, acid rain, and ozone depletion are the environmental effects of air pollution. This environmental effectRead MoreEnvironmental Problem in Mongolia Essay875 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant environmental problems in Mongolia today? 2.2 What are the biggest changes in the environment in Mongolia? 2.3 How can we solve some of the environmental problems in UB? 1.1 What are the important environmental problems in Mongolia today? The environment is everything around us. It is the air, water, land, climates and so on. A clean, well balanced environment has far reaching effects over all life forms and mankind. However, Mongolians can’t keep the environmental balanceRead MoreArgumentative Essay: Plastic Bags vs Paper Bags840 Words   |  4 Pagesbags. Our world today is experiencing an environmental dilemma particularly on the numerous solid wastes around us. This is what pushed the government to implement an ordinance that would ban plastic bags and use paper bags instead. But did the government thought of the possible environmental effects that this alternative might bring? Are they positively aware that using paper bags as a replacement for plastic bags could be of much help to mankind and to our environment? The use of plastic

Critical Thinking and Perception Free Essays

Prepare a 700-1000 words essay on ‘Critical thinking and Perception. ’ Perception is Reality. Identify an instance in your life where your perception of the reality situation was different from actual reality. We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Thinking and Perception or any similar topic only for you Order Now What did you think was going on? What was actually going on? Why was there such a difference? What did you learn and how has your thinking changed because of this? Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the purposeful and reflective judgment about what to believe or what to do in response to our observations, experience, verbal or written expressions, or arguements. It involves determining the meaning and significance of what is observed or expressed, concerning a given inference or argument, determining whether there is adequate justification to accept the conclusion as true. Fisher Scriven define critical thinking as â€Å"Skilled, active, interpretation and evaluation of observations, communications, information, and argumentation. † Parker Moore define it more naturally as† the careful, deliberate determination of whether one should accept, reject, or suspend judgment about a claim and the degree of confidence with which one accepts or rejects it. In simpler terms, Critical thinking is disciplined logical thinking governed by clear intellectual standards. Critical thinkers must always seek truth and reality. It employs not only logic but broad intellectual criteria such as clarity, credibility, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, significance and fairness. While thinking critically we must give due consideration to the evidence, the context of judgment, the relevant criteria for making the judgment correctly, the applicable methods or techniques for forming the judgment, and the applicable theoretical constructs for understanding the problem and the question at hand. Critical Thinking and Perception Perception is an extremely common word used to define our own thinking and beliefs about certain situations and facts. The word â€Å"perception† comes from the Latin words perceptio, percipio, and means â€Å"receiving, collecting, action of taking possession, apprehension with the mind or senses. † It is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information. The classic question, â€Å"Is the glass half empty or half full? † serves to demonstrate the way an object can be perceived in different ways. People with different mindsets and different experiences in life will perceive it differently. Optimistic people and individuals with a positive outlook towards life will perceive it a glass half full. Whereas pessimistic people will view it as a glass half empty. Thus it can be maintained that Perception is unique to every individual and is simply one’s interpretation of reality. When we view something with a preconceived concept about it, we tend to take those concepts and see them whether or not they are there. This problem of perception stems from the fact that humans are unable to understand new information, without the inherent base of their previous knowledge. Thus we always tend to perceive things based on their past experiences, previous knowledge, point of views and our socio cultural environment. Critical Thinking does not recognize perception as the correct reasoning technique and calls for evident, logical and accurate facts. It seeks to achieve and establish reality and truth as it is without any distortions. It also maintains that perceptions are not always coincidental with reality. Life Instance and ‘My Perception’ (What did I think was going on? ) Since childhood I had been quite an opinionated girl. Most of the times I strongly maintained my own point of view but I was never rigid. As all people I also had my own perceptions based on whatever I saw, read or heard about, experienced personally and experiences of people close to me. I grew up in a cozy and protected environment where I had very limited interactions with people from a socio cultural background different than mine. As a result I had my own pre-conceived notions about people from different religion especially about Muslims and their beliefs and lifestyle. As a child studying in a Convent school, I never had Muslim friends. The only interaction or limited exposure I had about Muslims been limited to bits of information passed on by my dad about his workers and the news channels. As a result of this I was wary of making friends. Somehow I had a weird theory in my mind where I perceived all Muslims to be an absolute different type of people with a very different lifestyle. I imagined Muslim men to be huge giantly men with strange beards dressed in white kurtas with keffiyah on their shoulders. I had also thought them to be mostly uneducated, orthodox and backward people. On my brief trips to old Delhi I had always seen Muslim women clad in burqas. I thought those women would feel restricted and oppressed all their lives since their contact with outside world is so limited. No body could see their beautiful clothes and accessories. I also thought of Islam as a rigid religion with strict rules forcing people to read Namaaz five times a day. In my ignorance, I perceived it to be an unfair social system for women as polygamy is acceptable. It is quite obvious that my perceptions were far from reality and were just those – narrow-minded perceptions. Rendezvous with ‘Reality’ (What was actually going on? ) My perception about the religion changed drastically changed with my growing up years and especially when I joined college. My graduation college (a leading fashion design college in Delhi) was truly cosmopolitan in nature. It was a melting pot of various cultures and lifestyles. It had students from all walks of life and varied socio cultural backgrounds. As a class all of us were supposed to interact with maximum number of people and work together as a team. There I met many new friends and made some for lifetime. One of them was Aslam- a lanky but a super stylish Muslim boy. He was an absolute contrast to my ill-conceived perceptions about Muslims. He did not wear ill fitted kurtas and had done his schooling from a leading school of Delhi. He belonged to a very educated family. I was surprised and I started changing my thinking. After some time when we became close friends I realized Islam is not a rigid religion and does not force people to read Namaaz five times a day. It is in fact the most misinterpreted religion, which only suggested that men could remarry to support helpless women in times of distress and war etc. I realized all the burqa-clad women I always saw in Old Delhi were not the only Islamic lifestyle. My friend’s mother is a businesswoman and his sisters lived their lives in a manner quite similar to mine. The biggest revelation was that he is a vegetarian by choice and very secular in nature. He also faced same late teenage issues as mine and held similar political and social beliefs. In short his life was very similar to anyone else’s life of our age. The only difference lied in the gods we prayed to and the way we prayed. It was an eye opener as well as a heart-warming experience for me. And today he is one of my dearest friends whose friendship I will always cherish. His friendship has enriched me as a person in many ways. A Changed Me (What did I learn and how has my thinking changed because of this instance? ) My friendship with Aslam over a period of 4 years has changed me and made me a changed person today. I now realize my perceptions about Islam and Muslims were absolutely baseless and wrong. All my childhood years I was not thinking critically or correctly and I had fallen prey to unwarranted assumptions about Muslims, which were not based on any proofs or conclusive evidence. Based on my little and incorrect knowledge, I had mistakenly perceived and stereo typed a huge group of diverse people into an uneducated, unaware and rigid community. I drew a wrong conclusion about a large group of people from an extremely small sample of very few Muslims I indirectly came across my brief Old Delhi trips and my father’s conversations. I learnt that one must not formulate their own theories and view point about people, situations and facts without confirming the logic behind it. Every individual is different and one must never stereotype a large group based on inaccurate information or perceptive theories. But since we are human beings and we are bound to perceive, it always helps to be a little flexible about our opinions and welcome rightful changes. The experience of getting to know someone from a completely different religion has changed my perspective towards people. Today I am not that narrow-minded girl anymore but a better individual with a broader thinking capacity and a deeper understanding of our Indian multi lingual religious and cultural social fabric. I am now open and mentally well prepared to make friends from different backgrounds. This experience has also helped me to cope up with social life in MBA College where students belong to varied nationalities and milieu. As a matter of fact I now look forward to interact with new and different people and make as many friends as possible irrespective of their religion, nationality, ethnical backdrops etc. (*** PS : This is just to explain how I have changed as a person and not to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments. I am very glad I came across this experience as it has changed my wrong perceptions and opened my eyes to a new world full of new and good How to cite Critical Thinking and Perception, Papers

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Today, with the help of technology, employer is now starting to be more capable of offering flexible options with great results. Time off, seems to be another area that, I think, needs major improvement across the whole country. The average of two weeks’ vacation is way below the standard offered in all other countries, even third world countries have mandated better time off benefits embedded in their labor laws. I feel that we Americans work too hard, with little time to be more involved in raising our kids or even taking care of ourselves. No time for soccer practice with my kinds, no time to go to the gym so I can lose some weight, no time to cook a good health meal for the family. Our lives are hassle and hassle and hassle. To me, when it comes to benefits, time off carries a lot of weight. I rather have an additional week of vacation that 5K more in my pay. Benefit plans Our company is into sales, entertainment, sports. I think it would be kinda hard to model a plan accordingly. Our plans are more designed to the type of family you have because we have a big mixture of people. I personally am not covered so I cant really speak in terms of how it benefits my life. Of course I do have vacation time and such, which does allow me to take some to myself. One thing I think would help in my quality of work or personal life is a flexible schedule. What I do sometimes affect payroll, so I have to map out times off or half days. However there are times when I really could use off and not really need to be in, so I wouldnt mind working an extra hour each day to have a half day later, or coming in earlier so I can leave earlier. Mainly because I prefer working in teh morning. I feel it helps me stay more attentative. Benefit discussion Providing workers with paid vacation time is extremely common, and generally considered a low-cost benefit to offer. Two weeks paid leave is fairly standard for a small business in the U. S. Many companies start workers at two weeks and reward them with additional time off as they accrue seniority. Some companies will also pro-rate vacation time, so that new hires that start on or after July 1 are only offered a weeks vacation time in their first year. . Benefit Planning Process (graded)| As part of conducting a benefit plan needs assessment, a human resource professional must consider the organization’s business strategy as well as its compensation philosophy. What do you think is the next step that should be taken? What are some of the possible outcomes of a benefit plan needs assessment? depends of what stage of the life cycle of the organization is | Mark Lema | 4/2 5/2012 7:11:46 AM| | I guess It depends of what stage of the life cycle of the organization we are, and the industry we are. I think that if we are new start-up business in the technology industry, we might need the best talent out there; therefore our strategy should be to offer very competitive benefits to attract and retain the best. Specially if they are highly skilled and in big demand. If I were to be in the decline stage or the organization, I might have to reduce cost and offer cost effective benefits to offset the costs and minimize expenses. | | RE: depends of what stage of the life cycle of the organization is | Harpreet Sandhu | 5/4/2012 7:53:32 PM| | Modified:5/4/2012 7:54 PM | I agree with my classmates that first it all depends on what stage the organization is in. Along with this in my opinion, the immediate external environment and the changing needs of the organization are the priority too. If there is lot of external competition then the organization might need to reevaluate its benefit plans to attract, retain and reward valued employees. In order to do this, human resources should cond uct a thorough review of the current plan and gain a clear understanding of short and long term strategic and financial objectives. | What do you think is the next step that should be taken? | Catherine Flynn | 4/30/2012 11:46:54 AM| | I think they need to look at the employees themselves and what their needs are. Easier for smaller companies, but even for bigger companies you can do online surveys. Finding out what the employees want is kinda imperative because you may not have similar workers. You may have some single people who dont need child care benefits, or older people who are into saving more so would really be interested in a 401k or Pension more than an FSA account necessarily. | RE: What do you think is the next step that should be taken? | Lynn Peirce | 5/1/2012 12:34:40 AM| | Hi Catherine, thanks for your post. I think, as I have seen through my readings companies simply are not offering pension plans. I would rather have that than a 401K. I think compnies should use s urveys and interviews with kep personnale to see what employees really want after a needs assessment. I imagine the results would be surprising. Management always seems to be disconnected from the real hard working backbone employees. | | RE: What do you think is the next step that should be taken? | Aaron Jones | 5/1/2012 6:04:19 AM| | This is true but they should reconnect themselves so they can find out what is really going on with there employees, the hard backbone employees need to know that they are  notice for there hard work and when mangerment does   surveys and needs assessment this shows the employees that the organzation is concern about there hard working employees. | | Outcomes of an assessment | Catherine Flynn | 5/1/2012 11:18:52 AM| | Im not sure what the book says. However I would assume there could be many outcomes such as needs that might be too expensive to cover. Or perhaps not enough people want the same coverage or not enough people to meet the limit requirement for the insurance company. You can also find out that the benefit plan might not suit anyone at all and a serious change is needed. | | RE: Benefit Planning Process | Harpreet Sandhu | 5/6/2012 8:41:42 PM| | Most successful companies utilize business strategic planning to set priorities and goals for the organizations future; outcomes include short-term goals and long-term strategies. A clearly written, well designed strategic plan can align business units, divisions and employees so that the vision of the management team and the mission of the company can be fulfilled. As companies evolve and the environment changes it is critical for companies to maintain a disciplined execution of the strategic plan. However, if they are not aligned with the business strategy, are done independently, and are not linked to a multi-year strategy they can become a source of frustration and may create unintended outcomes. By adopting a strategic benefit planning process, companies can make decisions regarding their benefits and health care with significantly less stress. Addressing the changing environment of health care will be approached with a more thoughtful long-term perspective and will be tied to the values and philosophy of the   company. | benefit plan | Manqing Liu | 5/4/2012 10:36:41 PM| | There are several external environmental factors considered in strategic benefits planning: Industry prospects, economic conditions, and forecasts Employer costs for compensation and benefits Government regulation of employee benefits Changing demographics of the labor force| Next Step | Natasha Wylie | 5/11/2012 2:13:56 PM| | I think the next logical step would be for the company to  do an evaluation  in terms of both cost and employee need, to maintain a balance between direct wages and benefits. Wage increases and benefit changes independently can lead to excessive increases in payroll costs where the organization loses control of the situation. When benefits or one benefits costs are rising quickly, it impacts the organizations ability to raise other parts of the compensation package. | Week 2 discussion Role of Government (graded)| Other than the mandates of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and a few other ineffectual reporting and disclosure requirements, benefit programs were practically unregulated by the federal government. Before the major shift that came with the enactment of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974, which was primarily aimed at traditional defined benefit (DB) pension plans but applicable to other employer sponsored retirement and benefit programs. What is the government’s current role in regulating the administration of employee benefits? Do you think there is too little or too much government intervention? Why? Role of the government | Aaron Jones | 5/5/2012 4:23:24 AM| | 1. * Government regulates retirement plans, health benefit coverages, unemployment insurance and workers compensation benefits. Effects * Government regulation on unemployment insurance pays benefits to the unemployed. By regulating workers compensation benefits, states can control the amount an insurer pays, the kind of drug testing it requires and whether businesses with fewer employees are exempt from these laws. With the 1974 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal government establishes standards for retirement and health coverage that private businesses must offer. Liability * In states like North Carolina, the government subjects new employers to a standard tax rate at first. Once it has determined their actual rate, the states Employment Security Commission notifies the business by letter of its liability to pay unemployment taxes. Significance * Not only do federal and state regulations on benefits guarantee certain types of coverage, they also establish minimum reporting standards and disclosure requirements for businesses that must document their compliance. Size * An expansive program, ERISA regulates benefits given to a companys current and discontinued employees. It also mandates compliance with the Newborns Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, to name a few. information from: Government Regulations on Employee Benefits | eHow. om http://www. ehow. com/facts_5554578_government-regulations-employee-benefits. html#ixzz1tzOVqKAW. | RE: Role of Government | Sylvia Privette | 5/6/2012 8:53:03 AM| | Lynn and Aaron I agree with both of you. I dont think the government intervenes enough. I believe they waited to long to help with this issue as they do with all issues. They wait  until they are out of control or the govern ment is tired of paying for the people because they are short on funds, so they attack. Had this issue been dealt with before the backlash would not be so drastic. As Aaron stated it took this particular president to do something. I look back at the wheel and the economy if you dont work for the big companies, then its difficult for the smaller ones to give great benefits. The Healthcare plan is a good one, but possible at an inconvenient time for companies financially. In response to Lynn I too believe the government should provide healthcare coverage but to the needy. If you are employed then your employer should offer heathcare and the employee should be covered, contributing or not. The government is now complaining that are not only giving health care to the needy and companies can help bare some of the cost. We all know healthcare is expensive | | RE: Role of Government | Manqing Liu | 5/12/2012 9:54:07 PM| | The governments role in the retirement income area has been dictated primarily by historical factors. Beginning in the late 19th century, the economy of the United States changed fairly rapidly from predominantly agricultural to predominantly industrial and service oriented. Coinciding with this change—and probably in response to it—the large, supportive extended family of the agricultural economy was largely replaced by smaller, more fragmented family units. The shift away from agriculture reduced the amount of economically useful work available to older people, and family structural changes reduced the amount of family support for the aged. | | RE: Role of Government | Aaron Jones | 5/7/2012 6:04:07 AM| | This is the way the system likes to operate, they will let an situation like this one get so far out of hand then have meeting about the matter and really get nothing done instead they fight on issues that they know should have been address   long before Barack Obama came along. Now that he is here he just wants do do the job he was put in office for taking care the American people and use all the funds in a wisely matter so all can live a more comfortable life. Healthcare is expensive and with the right program in place the cost can be handle if they   take the right action regarding this matter. | Do you think there is too little or too much government intervention? Why? | Catherine Flynn | 5/9/2012 8:26:36 PM| | All benefits are so complex it takes a lot to work plans out, so having regulations I think is helpful. However I dont feel that the government should get more involved than they already are because I feel that they are almost trying to control what I can and cannot have, and that is what I dont agree with. I mentioned before about the Individual Mandate Clause in the new healthcare plan that is being voted on and I personally do not appreciate being told what I can and cannot buy. It should be my choice to purchase health insurance if I want it or not, and this clause is taking that choice away from me. | | Do you think there is too little or too much government intervention? Why? Norma Vega | 5/9/2012 11:32:52 PM| | I think there are too little. While there are some penalties and sanctions imposed by ERISA, through the Department of Labor, these are for violations on the administration of the employee benefits programs of those who voluntarily designed employee benefits plans. How about for those who opted not to voluntarily design employee benefits plans and programs? REFERENCES:Pnd yck, Robert S. (2005). Microeconomics. Pearson Education, Inc. http://www. dol. gov/compliance/guide/erisa. htm#who | | To ensure there is fair environment for competition | Mark Lema | 5/10/2012 7:15:33 AM| In my opinion, the government’s role is to primarily set a minimum standard. As they do for the minimum wage. Then to enforce de law, and to ensure there is fair environment for competition and no monopolies are developed. Competition will drive the quality of benefits. | Government Mandates | Professor Blanco | 5/10/2012 1:12:34 PM| | Class-  Ã‚   intereesting that many of you feel that government should provide benefits. Lets take a look at that. Benefits are very expensive, we know. But why? What is driving the cost of these benefits? How do you propose the government provided benefits will be paid? | RE: Government Mandates | Crystal Johnson | 5/10/2012 4:30:08 PM| | One thing that is raising the cost of benefits is specialty drug prescriptions. Specialty drugs for   multiple sclerosis can cost $2,500 to $3,800 a month. The cost of staying alive on drugs is sky rocketing. Prescription drug companies are making a killing with their patents and over charge the public to fix erectile dysfunction or having long lashes. However, drugs that actually extend your life and true quality of life should be augmented so everyone can benefit or at least let people have reasonable access to them. I know that sex and long eye lashes are meaningful to quality of life, but not as much as asma medication or kidney cleansing  drugs for dialys patients. http://www. shrm. org/hrdisciplines/benefits/Articles/Pages/SpecialtyDrugs. aspx | | | RE: Government Mandates | Manqing Liu | 5/11/2012 11:15:52 PM| | I found something interesting about government provided benefits: A 2008 poll of 1,400 Americans by the Cornell Survey Research Institute found that when people were asked whether they had â€Å"ever used a government social program,† 57 percent said they had not. Respondents were then asked whether they had availed themselves of any of 21 different federal policies, including Social Security, unemployment insurance, the home-mortgage-interest deduction and student loans. It turned out that 94 percent of those who had denied using programs had benefited from at least one; the average respondent had used four. http://www. nytimes. com/2011/09/20/opinion/our-hidden-government-benefits. html| | | What is the government’s current role in regulating the administration of employee benefits | Natasha Wylie | 5/13/2012 5:43:14 PM| The  basis of ERISA is to provide protection of employee benefit rights. ERISA has a few major objectives, they are: To ensure that workers and beneficiaries receive adequate information about their plans To set standards od conduct for those managing employee benefits plans   and plan funds To determine that adequate funds are being set aside to pay promised pension benefits To ensure that workers receive pension benefits after they satisfied minimum requirements To safeguard pension benefits for workers whose pension plans are terminated | | | Do you think there is too little or too much government intervention? Why? | Natasha Wylie | 5/13/2012 6:05:23 PM| | Im on the fence about whether there is too much government intervention in the administering of employee benefits. Im sure  that both sides could argue where oversight is needed and where there is too much involvement. Whether the oversight is handled by the government or another agency, I do believe that someone should look out for the best interest of employees, and ensure things related to benefits are handled in a proper manner. | Government Mandated Benefits (graded)| There are certain benefits that are legislatively mandated and cannot be altered or dropped by an organization for any reason other than the organization is closing its doors for good! Social Security and Medicare, unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation, COBRA and FMLA are all federal and state mandated programs. What do you think determines the types of programs that the  government chooses to make mandatory? Do you feel these programs are efficient and effective? Why or why not? | Government Mandated Benefits | Lynn Peirce | 5/6/2012 2:55:19 AM| | My feeling is that the U. S. economy plays a large part in determining the types of programs the government makes mandatory, in order to help and protect U. S. citizens in times of need, for example, COBRA. Some of these programs go back many years in their enactment, such as the Social Security Act of 1935, when the U. S. had the foresight to help aid in retirement of older workers (and that was post-Depression and pre-WWII). Some of these programs are efficient, such unemployment insurance (even though it should last longer), and some are not, such as Medicare (seniors still have to purchase supplemental insurance or pay out-of-pocket costs). Social Security may not even be around in another 25 years. I think these programs started out well, and the intentions are good, but they became financially strapped. See http://www. socialsecurityreform. org/problem/index. cfm. | | RE: Government Mandated Benefits | Sylvia Privette | 5/6/2012 8:06:52 PM| | I agree with both of you. The government does what it feels is necessary when monies are tight for them and for companies. The state of the economy determines in which way the wheel should turn. If it too expensive for the government then they want more from employers, however they also know that employers will want something in return i. e. , tax incentives. The government should have stepped in long ago before these problems became bigger problems. Aaron you make a good point. The government should make sure that the employees they have working in these positions are educated nough to do so. The proper training and supervision is most important. Mishandling of funds is a big issue for the government and it seems as if they need the corporations help in bailing them out financially. I am grateful for the programs that the government has mandated, however, I think the government could regulate more benefits programs. | RE: Social Security amp; Government Benefits | Lynn Peirce | 5/10/2012 11:03:05 PM| | Jill, as we discussed in class, Social Security was implemented in 1935, after the Depression, and was only meant to be temporary. Since the system is already broken, and the government is trying to fix it, healthcare will be regulated by the federal government but as we discussed in class, Obamacare will have to be tweaked in order to satisfy those who are opposed to it, as well as make it more feasible to implement and operate. I imagine this will be  a nightmare. I found this great article about Social Security, written from the viewpoint of a sociologist, on the origins of Social Security and how it is being reformed: http://www2. ucsc. edu/whorulesamerica/power/social_security. tml If the current social security dliemma, is not fixed, I feel that the consequences will be dire. | Do you feel these programs are efficient and effective? Why or why not? | Natasha Wylie | 5/13/2012 7:35:53 PM| | Personally speaking I think that these programs are effective. I have used FMLA, after giving birth to my daughter. T he Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives eligible employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for the mselves or a relative suffering from a serious health condition, a newborn baby, recently adopted child or a new foster child. Also covered are emergencies that occur when a relative who is a member of the National Guard or Reserves is called to active duty. To qualify, employees must work for a covered employer for a minimum of 1,250 hours during the designated 12-month qualifying period. Its a relief to not worry about securing your position while out on FMLA. There were times when if an employee needed to be out of work for and extended period of time, there positions werent held. | Week 3 discussion Healthcare Cost Management (graded)| Many Americans benefit from the investments in healthcare; however, the recent cost growth, coupled with the economic downturn and rising national deficit, has placed a great strain on the financial systems used to finance healthcare, including private employer-sponsored health insurance coverage and public insurance programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. What is the responsibility of individuals for the cost of their care? Are health savings accounts and high-deductible insurance policies an approach that should be expanded? What are the concerns for low-income individuals? Healthcare cost management | Aaron Jones | 5/12/2012 7:12:54 AM| | The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes a provision similar to AMA policy on individual responsibility, which is scheduled to take effect in 2014. The Congressional Budget Office predicts the ACA will expand coverage to 32 million more Americans by 2016. Several of the new benefits included in the health reform law, such as an end to coverage denials based on pre-existing conditions, are only made possible by increasing the number of Americans participating in the health insurance market. Individual responsibility for health insurance allows patients to take ownership of their health care needs, decreases the number of uninsured — now estimated at 50 million nationwide — and helps make popular insurance market reforms possible. By promoting individual responsibility and increasing the number of insured individuals, we improve the health of Americans and keep hidden costs from being passed along to all of us * HSA/HDHPs are a highly tax-advantaged savings vehicle appealing to people who have high incomes and to those who are expected to have low use of health care services. For the uninsured, these approaches are less attractive since they often have low income and neither benefit significantly from the tax advantages now have the financial assets necessary to cover the large deductibles associated with the plans. * Their ability to reduce system-wide spending is very limited. * The plans have the potential to increase segmentation of health care risk in private insurance markets unless employers set premiums to offset the healthier selection into the plans or government subsidizes the higher costs associated with the remaining non-HSA market. The plans have thus far been less attractive that prononents envisioned, the authors add, so their potentially negative ramifications on populations with high medical needs have been limited. However, they say, efforts to expand enrollment in these plans through further tax incentives, for example, could place growing financial burdens on those least able to absorb them, leading to more barriers to medical care for the low-income and the sick and fewer insurance options. www. rwjf. org/pr/product. | Healthcare Cost Management | Lynn Peirce | 5/12/2012 10:39:30 PM| I think that individuals should be responsible for their own healthcare, whenever possible and affordable, but since the economy has been so bad for so long, a lot of people go without, which places a strain on the financial systems used to finance government-managed programs. I, myself, am fortunate enough to receive Medicaid, but it was not handed to me, as one must be medically-needy (an individual can make $47,500 per y ear and receive Medicaid). There are two programs within Medicaid in New Jesey, one is the Workability Program, which I am in; the other is for people who are unable to work. Health insurance is very expensive for employers ot provide, as we have been discusssing in class the past few weeks. I feel that high-deductible policies are not the way to go, but health savings accounts may be a great option to explore. The concerns for low-income individuals are that they simply do not have the means to invest in a health-savings account, and if they dont qualify for Medicaid, they are stuck in clinic care, which doesnt really do the job. More than 60 percent of nonelderly Americans receive health-insurance (HI) coverage through employers, either as policyholders or as dependents. However, rising health-care costs are leading many to question the long-term viability of the employer-based insurance system. Concerns about the economic burden of providing HI are particularly acute for small businesses, which are both less likely than larger firms to offer HI and more sensitive to price when deciding to offer insurance. Small firms may have difficulty containing costs due to their limited bargaining power and their inability to hire experts skilled in negotiating with insurance companies. Further, while few recent studies have systematically explored differences in the quality of HI plans that small and large firms offer, small firms may offer health plans of lower quality (http://www. rand. org/pubs/technical_reports/TR559. html). | Healthcare Cost Management | Norma Vega | 5/13/2012 11:20:31 PM| | I would say it depends on the institution. There are great medical facilities all over the US but many are closing down because of different law violations. I think it is a mix of both money and helping patients though. The good facilities I think concentrate on the genuinely helping people part from top down. As they hire staff, I would hope that is one requirement they look for while in the interview process. I think with a good staff and employees that truly care and provide excellent service are the ones that are successful and make more money. | The importance of becoming a smart consumer | Mark Lema | 5/15/2012 1:30:07 PM| | Becoming a smart consumer is a must when it comes to utilizing your healthcare benefits. The high cost of benefits is not under the control of employers, therefore, employer have no option but to offer all other   possible options to reduce the cost of healthcare and minimize the passing of that cost to their employees. Unfortunately, there is very little employers can do. As they cost for healthcare increases, employer have to become more creative in developing a healthcare pla that will not upset employees and   that will not place the company on bankruptcy. HSA and FSA type of accounts are some of those alternatives that employer use to help employees better manage their healthcare costs. Unfortunately, the lack of understanding how these plans work, and the fact that it requires a lot of time andn preparation to comply with the processes  and submit receipts, has pushed back many current and potential participants. In my case these option do help. My wife, who is the smart one, fully understands the procedures and requirements of HASs and FSAs and has save us   in the last years 100’s of dollars in healthcare costs, this dedication and full understanding of my family healthcare needs, has by far offset the time-burden it requires to manage them. | | What are the concerns for low-income individuals? | Catherine Flynn | 5/16/2012 5:17:20 PM| | For low income families its a big struggle to be able to afford insurance. Sometimes it can even be something that they just dont think about cause it may not be the firs thing on their mind. When youre worrying about other bills, that could take precedent over insurance. Until someone gets sick, then you realize that on top of all the bills, you need money for when you or your child is sick or needs hospital care. For my family when I was growing up, we knew insurance was important because I was a pretty sick kid, so I was always needing doctor visits and medicines, and of course ER visits since I was also clumsy. Then my mothers health started to decline as I got older. So having some sort of insurance was extremely important and I always knew that its beneficial to have some type of funds available should emergencies occur. When I was in college there were a few years I had to go without benefits. Today and even then I felt extremely lucky I didnt get sick because if I had I would have had a lot of bills. Not only because of that but because My mother and I had assistance, Im very grateful for it. However not everyone has that, and not everyone is eligible for it because they work. But their salaries may not be enough to get them health care, so they have the option of finding a job that might offer benefits, or get a second job to try and get a plan on their own. It can be very difficult, and its something you need to ask yourself. Are you going to try your hardest to protect yourself with insurance, or are you going to risk it? I think it depends alot on each persons circumstances. | What are the concerns for low-income individuals? | Michael McArdle | 5/18/2012 10:43:39 AM| | Personally I just feel that low-income people are in trouble of never being able to afford healthcare. There are people that can go to Health Clinics but there is still a fee of $5, $10 or $20, based on income level, and many people cannot even afford to pay the amounts that are listed. Sometimes when I visit to see the Dentist because I dont a dental plan, I pay $20, I hear the stories of the people talking to each other makes me almost want to melt in my seat hearing about their life stories and the struggles they have. It is just so sad that all of these people I see in the waiting room are unable to afford to see a Family Doctor, it makes me feel sad. | RE: What are the concerns for low-income individuals? | Aly Traore | 5/18/2012 4:34:25 AM| | what you said is very true and sad, but unfortunately it is the reality. n my opinion, to better live in USA in these days, you have to be at least in middle class that is the level where you can benefit from the system of economy in particular healthcare system. low- income is just a beautiful word to cover the word poor in the government vocabulary. | | Consumer Driven Healthcare (graded)| Consumer driven healthcare has become popular over the past few years as employees seek tax advantages and cost savings on healthcar e. What are some of the key features of a consumer driven healthcare plan? Does your company currently offer any of these plans? If so, are you taking advantage of them? Why or why not? | RE: Consumer Driven Healthcare | Sylvia Privette | 5/15/2012 10:02:36 PM| | Lynn  I agree, with healthcare becoming more and more expensive, for the little things people are starting to self heal as much as possible. Those over the counter medicines are on the rise for purchases because its cheaper. Individuals wait until self healing is no longer working to go to the doctor. I am starting to see more people looking for the cheaper health plans. The plans offered by the government based on income determines your contribution. Some of these plans depending on pay scale are cheaper the what employers are asking. Also free clinics are on the rise for health care, the medical buses we see sometimes like to get your blood pressure checked, or free screenings, free flu shots, mammograms and the use of the department of health especially for children. These are some of the cheaper ways people are staring to use. | | | RE: Consumer Driven Healthcare | Manqing Liu | 5/20/2012 10:49:22 PM| | Many large employers are offering consumer-driven plans, also known as high-deductible plans. These plans require employees and beneficiaries to be more involved, not less, in health care issues. Employee health and well-being affect not only absenteeism, but also bottom-line issues such as disability, workers compensation, and productivity. | | RE: Consumer Driven Healthcare | Aaron Jones | 5/16/2012 4:23:00 AM| | With the high cost that comes with healthcare people are becoming smart consumers when looking for the right healthcare package, it may not have all the benefits people are looking for but as long is the price is right people will just get what they can afford these days. Free clinics, over the counter medicines, whatever will work for that person helps the consumer deal better with healthcare issues. | | consumer-driven plans | Mark Lema | 5/16/2012 1:17:52 PM| | The term consumer-driven evolved out of a concept of a defined contribution in contrast to a defined benefit. Many large employers are offering consumer-driven plans, also known as high-deductible plans. These plans require employees and beneficiaries to be more involved, not less, in health care issues. Employee health and well-being affect not only absenteeism, but also bottom-line issues such as disability, workers compensation, and productivity. | Does your company currently offer any of these plans? If so, are you taking advantage of them? Why o | Catherine Flynn | 5/16/2012 5:22:55 PM| | Our company offers two separate plans, and one of them does fall under this category. Alot of our employees actually do take advantage of this particular plan versus our personal choice plan. I however do not, so unfortunately I lack alot of the specifics about it. I think our biggest question right now is whats going to happen in June, because that will affect our negotiation meetings with our brokers that are coming up soon. It could not change at all, or it could change completely. I will say that because Im not to familiar with both plans yet I cant say that I know which one is best for me. I do know however that I am very prone to getting sick, and often, so I suppose that would play a big factor in my choice of benefits. | | RE: Does your company currently offer any of these plans? If so, are you taking advantage of them? W | Aaron Jones | 5/17/2012 4:48:37 AM| | This is a tough situation to be in but like most companies we all have to sit back and look over the choices we have when it comes to making the right choice for health care and I am sure you will sit down and make the best choice for you and your family. Just pray that the company does not make to many changes to the healthcare and if they do it works out for all that is involved in this situation. Good Luck! consumer driven healthcare | Aly Traore | 5/17/2012 10:14:56 PM| | consumer-driven health care is a good idea, and even better a good system, but with a deregulated health care system environment, it will be very hard for employee to stick to it for long, because the cost of health care is increasing every day. in my opinion, to be better enjoy all the health care benefits, the system has to be regulated. | | Does your company currently offer any of these plans? | Michael McArdle | 5/18/2012 10:5 1:13 AM| Our company does offer a lower cost plan if a person has a primary doctor, and it does cost less than a PPO, however the cost of seeing a doctor is still very high, close to $50, and if someone gets a prescription, they pay close to the full price that the prescription would have been to someone without insurance, so overall it is worth paying more for a PPO because the cost to see a doctor or get a prescription is much lower, and if you have a major accident and need surgery, a person is more likely to get the treatment they need over not getting help if their insurance was low cost and does not cover surgeries for emergencies. FSAs | Natasha Wylie | 5/20/2012 1:25:27 PM| | My company offers flexible spending accounts. Flexible Spending Accounts permit employees to pay for specified health care cost that are not covered by an employees insurance plan. For the upcoming benefit year I did elect a pre=tax contribution to FSA. This year I expect to have dental work done   an d having access to the money upfront and pre-tax is an added and much needed benefit. | | RE: FSAs | Norma Vega | 5/21/2012 6:39:29 PM| | Hello Natasha,Same here. I am going to be getting some dental work as well as some minor nasal corrective surgery done and being able to pay the $500 out of pocket cost with a pre tax card is such a luxury. I really have no idea how anyone could not like these benefits. I think it comes down to people being scared of having money taken out, not realizing they’re going to spend it anyway post tax. I also think that some people can’t comprehend exactly how much they are saving from taxes. | What are some of the key features of a consumer driven healthcare plan? | Natasha Wylie | 5/20/2012 1:38:03 PM| The key features of consumer driven health care plans are: It helps employers maintain control over cost Enables employees to lower the cost of insurance premiums through high deductibles Puts a restriction on employees ability to make choices about who they want to receive treatment though via in amp; out of network providers | | key features of a consumer driven healthcare plan | Manqing Liu | 5/20 /2012 10:42:17 PM| | Transforming the third-party reimbursement system into one that puts economic purchasing power — and decision-making — in the hands of the consumer. Supplying the information and decision support tools needed, along with financial incentives, rewards and other benefits that encourage personal involvement in altering health and health care purchasing behaviors. Letting consumers, rather than health plans, control health care decisions. | Week 4 discussion Life Insurance Plans (graded)| A major concern for most employees is caring for their families in the event of the employee’s death. Many employers provide life insurance for employees. Does your organization offer a group insurance policy? If so, what is the basic plan design of your organization’s life insurance policy, and for  how much are you covered? RE: Group life insurance plans | Manqing Liu | 5/27/2012 10:52:00 PM| | Group life insurance is term insurance covering a group of people, usually employees of a company or members of a union or association. Individual proof of insurability is not normally a consideration in the underwriting. Rather, the underwriter considers the size, turnover and financial strength of the group. Contract provisions will attempt to exclude the possibility of adverse selection. Group life insurance often includes a provision for a member exiting the group to buy individual coverage. | Group life insurance plans | Aaron Jones | 5/19/2012 7:08:48 AM| | There are three different types of group insurance and this company uses number one for there employees from what I was reading out of the company policy. 1) Basic group term life—This is the most typical coverage, providing basic coverage and often paid for by the employer. The premiums (up to $50,000) paid for by the employer are considered to be an employee income tax-free benefit. ) Supplemental group term life—Often offered by employers in conjunction with a basic group term life policy, this type of coverage provides the flexibility for the employee to purchase additional amounts of coverage. The employee chooses the type and amount of coverage to suit personal needs and circumstances and pays the cost for the premiums. 3) Portable term life—Employees who lose the employer’s gr oup eligibility (they either leave the group or retire) can take this coverage with them to continue their insurance protection generally until they reach age 70. They make their payments directly to the insurer, many times through electronic funds transfers. From what I saw when I was reading the company policy when it comes to life insurance they use the typical coverage for there employees, they have there reasons why they do things the way they do it because everybody have different reasons for life insurance mostly this company uses number  1 for there employees. | Life Insurance Plans | Catherine Flynn | 5/20/2012 2:46:40 PM| | We offer voluntary life insurance plans for employee, their spouse, and dependents. Each are available in increments of $10,000. Each plan has a maximum benefit of $500,000 except for dependents, this insurance is only available in $2,500, $5,000, $7,000 or $10,000. This is only available for 30 days after you acquire the dependent (birth, marriage, adoption). I personally feel as though its important for me to make sure my family, even though small, should be protected if I can afford it. Accidents happen, and if I have the available funds why not put money away for that purpose? Ive always been a squirrel when it comes to money so saving plans like these are a good fit for me. | Commonwealth life insurance plan | Crystal Johnson | 5/20/2012 7:22:50 PM| From what I understand, my life insurance plan matches my base pay. Base pay is $20,000 to $25, 000 less than my actually income because of the amount of over time that I do. If I get killed on state property  it suppose to be three times my base pay. Rumored has it that the hostage situation that happened in 1998 where a staff was killed by another staff me mber the grieving family had to go to court to get the triple pay out. The insurance company said that the death was not caused by a patient so they did not want to pay. Even though the killer staffer was upset about upper management decision to fire him. Group Life InsuranceThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provides life insurance coverage for permanent employees through The Prudential Insurance Company of America. The amount of life insurance is equal to your annual salary (rounded to the nearest $1,000) as of the date of hire, up to a maximum of $40,000. The amount of insurance is adjusted on January 1 of each year to account for pay changes. There is a 90-day waiting period from your date of hire before coverage takes effect. Eligible employees will receive a Welcome Kit from Prudential within three months of hire. The kit will include the Booklet/Certificate that confirms coverage and outlines the contract provisions that apply, as well as a Group Insurance Beneficiary Designation/Change form. | | RE: Commonwealth life insurance plan | Natasha Wylie | 5/28/2012 11:34:36 AM| | Life insurance should really be called death insurance. Like other types of insurance, life insurance is protection against the unknown. When you buy life insurance, youre paying for the peace of mind that your family will be taken care of in the event of your sudden demise. Life insurance is the life jacket in the fishing boat.. You hope to never have to use it, but its nice to know its there. Some people call life insurance gambling. They think that youre throwing away a bunch of money on the off chance that youll die young. But when life insurance is handled correctly, it isnt gambling at all. Its simply part of a larger economic plan whose goal is the financial security of your family. Its a shame that often times its not handled correctly. | Imputed Income | Crystal Johnson | 5/24/2012 5:55:52 PM| | Income that may not be seen as cash, but instead comes in the form of a benefit ometimes by having another pay an expense sometimes by having a benefit provided. Examples: The value of a car provided by your employer that you may use for personal use. That value is imputed income. Likewise, the value of having some other benefits over $50,000 a year of life insurance provided by your employer (the value of the insurance is imputed income). An employer sponsored (even if what it does just work to make the cos ts lower) of an on site cafeteria imputed benefit. Having a below market rate loan that some employers provide certain employees he lower interest that they forgoe is a benefit to you and hence imputed income. Read more: http://wiki. answers. com/Q/What_is_imputed_income#ixzz1vpnMNB4x| Definition of Imputed Income | Lynn Peirce | 5/24/2012 9:33:06 PM| | As per our discussion in class tonight, imputed income is defined, as follows: Imputed income is the addition of the value of cash/non-cash compensation to an employees’ taxable wages in order to properly withhold income and employment taxes from the wages. Imputed income is taxable to the assignee (unless specifically exempt). Because it is delivered for the performance of services (related to employment) it must be included in the assignees Form W-2 to accurately reflect the assignees taxable wage-related income (see http://definitions. uslegal. com/i/imputed-income/). I didnt want to add too much because Crystal also defined it in her post. | | Life Insurance | Natasha Wylie | 5/28/2012 11:28:45 AM| | Employee sponsored life insurance gives employees a peace of mind in the event of death. Having life insurance relieves some of the financial burden left on grieving loved ones. Employee-sponsored life insurance   protects family members by paying a specified amount to n employees beneficiary upon the employees death. | Disability Plans (graded)| In addition to replacing household income when an employee either retires or is no longer working, he or she may also carry some type of income-replacement plan in the event they become disabled. Does your current (or former) employer offer disability coverage for employees? What are the specifics of your coverage? Do you feel the need to purchase supplemental disability insurance? Why or why not? | RE: Disability coverage | Crystal Johnson | 5/22/2012 2:08:29 AM| Jobs that offer short term disability insurance as part of a benefits package creates more loyalty in employees than jobs that do not offer it. Human beings are going to acquire bumps and bruises as part of the age and wisdom baggage. Short term disability insurance gives you the luxury to fully heal while keeping a roof over your head and raman noodles on your plate. When employees know  that they  will be able to recuperate without financial stresses  from standing-on-the-stool-to-change -a-light-but-crashed-landed-into-the-wall, they are more willing to go stay where they are appreciated and valued. Disability Coverage | Lynn Peirce | 5/20/2012 1:51:31 AM| | Of course, the firm I currently work for does not offer disability insurance; since I am a Medicaid recipient, I currently would not need it. As far as purchasing supplemental disability insurance, I found an example of coverage from Combined Insurance Company, as follows: Disability income insurance is paid directly to you for covered disability for up to two years* when you are totally disabled and cant work due to accident or sickness. You are protected, on or off the job, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You are considered totally disabled when you are under the regular care of a physician and are unable to perform the substantial and material duties of your own occupation. Income Protector works in conjunction with Social Security and Workers Compensation to help you maximize your benefits. When no social benefit** is paid, Combined Insurance pays you the full benefit amount of your selected plan. When a social benefit is paid, our disability income protection makes up any shortfall between your target replacement paycheck and your social benefit payment. ** However, Combined Insurance will never pay less than 40% of the benefit amount purchased (http://www. combinedinsurance. com/insurance-types/disability-insurance. html). I think it is probably a good idea, if you have a family and can afford it, but on the other hand, we are already paying into Disability, and it seems like another money-maker for insurance companies. I mean, there is insurance for just about everything anymore (like pet insurance). How far does it go, and how much should an employer provide when the cost of health insurance is already so high? | | Aflac | Crystal Johnson | 5/20/2012 7:38:08 PM| | I am not a saver. I know I should be more responsible and put money away  for rainy days. I know that I should put away 10% of my income for  lifes  financial thunderstorms. I dont have a financial  umbrella. I like dancing in the rain so I got Aflac. Aflac  gave our union a group rate for  disability insurance and secondary life insurance. My coworkers  allowed Aflac to  take out money out of their check because the wanted a stronger piece of mind and  plan  B to their savings plan. I choose to have Aflac take out money out of my  check because I cant be trusted to do it myself. | | RE: Disability Plans | Lynn Peirce | 5/23/2012 5:08:32 PM| | They have to pay people/employees to do this, so they have to make it worth everyones while. The cost to the employer has to be validated in order for it to continue. | | RE: supplemental disability insurance | Aaron Jones | 5/24/2012 6:21:07 AM| | I am sure that a whole lot of people will need this type of insurance when they get to a point in their life and hopefully the insurance will cover the things they will need cover once it kicks in. The rules always change when the person really needs this type of coverage this is why the person must make sure evrything is still good before the insurance is needed. | Disbility plans | Harpreet Sandhu | 5/23/2012 10:20:53 PM| | Short term disability insurance can replace a portion of income during the initial weeks of a disabling illness or accident whereas, long term disability can replace a portion of income after those initial weeks, for an extended period. Some people have one or both of these through their employer. Many people also choose to purchase individual disability insurance on their own. Individual Disability Income Insurance can provide protection for people who do not have disability insurance available through their workplace or may be used to supplement group coverage through their workplace. Some of the benefits of MetLife’s Individual Disability Income Insurance include: Monthly Benefit Payments—after an initial waiting period, benefits are paid for each month you can’t work through the policy’s maximum benefit period. Noncancelable and Guaranteed Renewable Coverage Available Provided premiums are paid on time, MetLife cannot cancel or change your coverage or premium rates until the first premium due date on or after your 67th birthday. www. metlife. com/individual/insurance/disability-insurance/index. html | | Do you feel the need to purchase supplemental disability insurance? | Manqing Liu | 5/25/2012 8:13:45 PM| | Most people dont realize the risk of becoming disabled, permanently or temporarily, at some point in their lives. But the reality is that at age 40, your chances of becoming disabled for 90 days or more prior to age 65 is 43%. Source: 2004 Field Guide, National Underwriter). I think it is necessary to purchase a disability insurance. | | RE: Do you feel the need to purchase supplemental disability insurance? | Aly Traore | 5/25/2012 8:49:59 PM| | why would you want to buy an additional insurance, if you can invest your money somewhere else to make profit over the time period. in my op inion,   I think if your goal is to buy that supplemental insurance just to have more money in a case where you get disable or retired,   this is not a good option. | RE: Mental Health Paridy Act | Sylvia Privette | 5/25/2012 8:46:06 PM| | Modified:5/25/2012 8:47 PM | The Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA) provides for parity in the application of aggregate lifetime and annual dollar limits on mental health benefits with dollar limits on medical/surgical benefits. A plan that does not impose an annual or lifetime dollar limit on medical and surgical benefits may not impose such a dollar limit on mental health benefits offered under the plan. MHPA does not apply to benefits for substance abuse or chemical dependency. Health plans are not required to include mental health benefits in their benefits package. MHPA only applies to those plans that do offer mental health benefits. ttp://www. dol. gov/dol/topic/health-plans/mental. htm | | disability benefit | Manqing Liu | 5/26/2012 9:44 :15 PM| | Monthly disability benefit depends on your average lifetime earnings. The amount also may be affected by your receipt of other government benefits. If you are getting workers compensation, civil service, military, state temporary disability or state and local retirement benefits based on disability, the total amount combined with your Social Security disability benefits may not exceed 80 percent of your average earnings at the time of your disability. Should your total government benefit go over that amount, your Social Security benefit will be reduced. Disability payments from private sources do not affect your SSDI benefits. | Does your current (or former) employer offer disability coverage for employees? | Natasha Wylie | 5/28/2012 12:35:42 PM| | My organization offers short and long term disability. Short-term disability provides income if employees are not able to work due to a non-work related illness or injury. Long-term disability coverage allows employees to continue receiving a portion of their salary for a period of time if they are disabled and cannot perform the duties of your regular job or injured. This employer-provided benefit provides 60 percent of base pay up to $10,000 per month maximum. | Disability Plans | Natasha Wylie | 5/28/2012 1:43:49 PM| | There are  four laws that influence the design and implementation of company sponsered disability plans: ERISA ADEA The americans with disabilities Act State   Workers compensation and Social Secuity Disability Regulations |