Discuss Explanations of Forgetting Essay Example for Free

Discuss Explanations of Forgetting Essay We forget things for two reasons, firstly the memory has disappeared- it is no longer available or secondly the memory is stored in the memory system but cannot be retrieved. The first theory is more likely to be applicable to forgetting in the short term memory and the second in the long term memory. You can differentiate between availability and accessibility. Availability is whether the information has been stored in the memory or not and accessibility is the ability or inability to retrieve information if it has been stored. Forgetting information from the short term memory can be explained using the theories of trace decay and displacement. In reference to the multi store model of memory the theory states that in the STM both capacity and duration are limited. The capacity of STM is about 5-9 units of information and the duration of STM is given at only a few seconds, to a maximum of a minute or so. As information cannot stay indefinitely In STM, if it is not transferred into LTM it will be forgotten. Therefore theories of forgetting in STM are based on availability. There are two main theories about how information is lost from the STM, trace decay and displacement theories. Trace decay theory of forgetting (STM) relates to both long term and short term memory and also relates to lack of availability. The theory suggests that the STM can only hold information for between 15 and 30 seconds unless it is rehearsed. After this time the information decays (fades away). This explanation of forgetting in short term memory assumes that memories leave a trace in the brain. A trace is some sort of physical/chemical change in the nervous system. Trace decay theory states that forgetting occurs as a result of the automatic decay or fading of the memory trace. Trace decay theory focuses on time and the limited duration of short-term memory. Decay theory assumes that memories have a physical or biological basis in the brain, and that the encoding of memories involves a structural change in the brain. The physical representation of a memory is called a memory trace or an engram. This theory sees forgetting as the physical breakdown or decay of the memory trace. Assuming that rehearsal does not take place, the mere passage of time will cause the memory trace to break down. This explains why forgetfulness increases with time. According to the theory, metabolic processes happen over time which causes the structural change to break down if it is not maintained through repetition. Strengths of the decay theory are that it appeals to common sense that if we don’t use/activate the memory we will lose it. However the theory also has weaknesses and it does not explain why some older memories (especially in those who have Alzheimer’s) are not lost and can still be remembered whereas newer memories seem to decay more easily/quicker. A theory that supports decay theory is Peterson and Peterson (1959). They provide evidence for this theory. They conducted a study where they asked participants to recall a string of consonants selected so as to be difficult to pronounce. Recall delay was set to 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 during which rehearsal was prevented by participants counting backwards in threes from a target number (e. g. 397). Each subject was tested a total of 8 times at each of the 6 delay intervals. The findings of the study showed that while after a 3 second retention interval trigrams about 90% of trigrams were recalled, after 18 seconds only 10% were. The duration of STM without retention is very short. In terms of decay theory, the engram could not grow stronger and so broke down. Another theory of forgetting in the short term memory is the displacement theory. This theory suggests that new information received by the STM overwrites or displaces previous information. In a system of limited capacity, forgetting would take place through displacement in STM. According to this theory, when the system is full, the new information will push the old information out. A strength of the displacement theory would be that it provided a good account of how forgetting might take place in Atkinson and Shiffrin’s (1968) model of short term memory. However it does have its weaknesses, it did become clear that the short term memory was much more complex than Atkinson and Shiffrin proposed. Forgetting from the STM can occur due to displacement or decay but it is difficult to specify which. Forgetting information from the LTM can be explained by the decay theory; we forget things because the physical memory trace has disappeared due to the passage of time. It can also be explained by interference theory, when one set of learning interferes with another. For example, things learned in the past may interfere with things learned now or vice versa. Or cue dependant forgetting can also explain forgetting information from the LTM. This theory suggests that information is not lost from LTM, but is simply inaccessible until an appropriate cue is given which triggers the memory. The multi store model of memory states that LTM has an unlimited capacity and memories have duration of potentially forever. However, we know from our own lives that we o forget from LTM. But does that mean the memories are gone, or we just can’t reach them? Theories of forgetting in LTM therefore are a mixture of accessibility and availability. An experiment that supports decay theory in the long term memory is Lashley (1931) he investigated whether by making physical alterations to the brain, he could induce forgetting. If this was the case, then it would suggest that memory has a physical basis and that forgetting is a result of the decay of the memory trace. He trained rats to learn mazes and then removed sections of their brains. He found a relationship between the amount of brain removed, and the amount of forgetting. This study supports decay theory although there are issues of ecological validity and whether it is generalizable from rats to humans. However if decay was the only explanation for loss of memory in the LTM we would expect that all memories would decay at the same time regardless of what happened in the intervening time. Generally there is little support for decay theory, as it cannot explain how we are able to remember things from many years ago. Another theory that may be able to explain why we forget in the LTM is interference. According to this theory there are two types of interference, proactive interference and retroactive interference. Proactive interference is when previous learning interferes with later learning and retroactive interference is when later learning disrupts earlier learning. A common everyday example of proactive interference is placing household objects in a different place in a room and going back to the place where the object used to be to try and find it rather than where you have now put it. Underwood and Postman (1960) used a pair associate learning task to test the effect of interference. Participants were asked to learn a series of word pairs, so that they can be presented with the first word (the stimulus word) and recall its paired word (response word). They are then given another list of word pairs to learn which have the same stimulus word, but a different response word. Participants have their recall tested on either the first or second list of words. As expected, recall of the response words is poorer, and affected by both previous learning (proactive) and later learning (retroactive). However this effect is only present when the stimulus words are kept the same throughout the lists. Overall the proactive and retroactive effects are reliable and robust; however there are a number of problems with interference theory as an explanation of forgetting. Firstly, interference theory tells us little about the cognitive processes involved in forgetting. Secondly, the majority of research into the role of interference in forgetting has been carried out in a laboratory using lists of words, a situation which is likely to occur fairly infrequently in the real world. As a result it may not be possible to generalise the findings of the studies supporting interference theory. The final theory that may explain why we forget in the LTM memory is cue dependant forgetting. This theory states that forgetting is not due to the loss of a memory, but rather is due to the inability to access it. This is known as retrieval failure. The memory is still there but it is inaccessible. The reason that it is unavailable is because you do not have the right cue. Cues can either be external (something about the environment or context) or internal (something about your own state or mood). There is lots of evidence to support this theory of forgetting from laboratory experiments. The ecological validity of these experiments can be questioned but their findings are supported by evidence from outside the laboratory. Context dependant learning (external) was demonstrated by Abernethy (1940) who found that students who sat a test in the same room with the same teacher as their normal lessons got higher results. Therefore, the environment acted as a cue to memory in this study. Our internal mental or emotional state can also act as a cue. This is state dependant learning. Goodwin et al (1969) found that people who had forgotten things when sober could remember once they had drunk sufficient alcohol. Repression may also cause forgetting because it causes traumatic memories to be repressed into the unconscious where they cannot be retrieved. Depression is also another factor that can cause forgetting because due to either the shrinking of the hippocampus due to a rise in cortisol of depressed people or possibly due to low motivation and inattention. Out of all the theories of forgetting discussed, you can see that not one theory covers all aspects of memory. There are many different theories to suggest why we forget different types of information and the theory that applies depends on many things such as whether the information is stored in the STM or the LTM. Not one theory can explain every result that is given from these studies but they are matched to the theories they support the most. A theory that is supported by a particular study can also have studies going against it. For example, evidence for interference would be underwood and postman (1960 however the Tulving and Psotka (1971) study goes against the interference theory.

The History Place Adolf Eichmann | Summary

The History Place Adolf Eichmann | Summary Adolf Eichmann In the following paper, the thesis on â€Å"The History Place Adolf Eichmann† is â€Å"Eichmann, the man who changed his mind in the treatment of Jews.† It examines the different stages of his participation in the holocaust. Adolf Eichmann was influential in the development of social, political, and economic history during Hitlers rule. The paper will end with a conclusion and some personal observations. Eichmann started out in the bottom-most ranks of the Nazi party as a clerk for the section assigned to investigate prominent Jews. His interest in Jewish culture escalated as he began to study their language, and attend Jewish sections of towns. He became known as the â€Å"Jewish specialist,† (p.2) which gave him the ability to rise in the ranks of the Nazi party. Eichmann, in the beginning, had no intentions to commit genocide of the Jews. Instead, he initially attempted to relocate the Jewish population. Upon being assigned to explore potential â€Å"solutions to the Jewish question,† in 1937, he visited Palestine. His goal was to convince the Arab leaders to allow him an exodus of Jews to the Middle East. However, he was unsuccessful and sent out of the country (p.2). Although it would be horrible to relocate a certain ethnic group, it exemplifies that he did not yet intend for murder to occur. In 1938, during the Nazi occupation of Austria, upon realizing financial gain was possible, he created a â€Å"Central Office for Jewish Emigration,† in Vienna (p.2). This had the purpose of extorting the Jewish peoples wealth for a safe way out of the country. The concept was very successful as tremendous wealth was gained and he established similar offices in Prague and Berlin. He had not yet considered murdering the Jewish people. Instead, he offered a secure way to save their lives in return for their wealth. Eichmann, despite stealing money from Jews, had no obvious intentions of committing genocide. In another attempt to relocate the Jews, in July 1940 Eichmann suggested the â€Å"Madagascar Plan,† (p.2) which involved deporting the Jewish population to Madagascar. However, it was never carried out. The Madagascar plan was his last attempt at Jewish relocation before resorting to the â€Å"Final Solution.† Eichmann did not want to treat Jews in harmful ways. In a way, he was trying protecting them from the Nazi regime. He still thought they had a right to live. However, Eichmann soon began his ascension into murdering the Jews.   In Poland, Eichmann forced the Jews into labor camps where thousands of Jews were kept in very small areas; such as the Warsaw ghetto in Poland. This resulted in overpopulation and ensuing deaths through disease and starvation (p.2). At this point Eichmanns mindset had changed as he no longer cared about relocating the Jews, instead fixated on liquidating them. More atrocities to the Jews were committed in the Soviet Union. Daily records were taken to see how many Jews had been slaughtered. Eventually, competitions arose to find out which of the four groups Eichmann controlled had the highest death rates (p.2). Eichmann became more ruthless, making genocide into a contest. He was unremorseful for his actions, turning it into a game. As the killings proceeded, he began finding more structured and advanced methods for carrying out the executions. This consisted of using mobile gas-vans (p.3). The process in which they killed had become industrialized, like a factory. Eichmann no longer thought that any Jew should belong to the world. He no longer killed them individually, rather in groups for efficiency. In January 1942, his goal had become final. At the Wannasee Conference, Eichmann, along with 15 Nazi bureaucrats, they arranged the elimination of the 11 million Jews living in Europe and the Soviet Union3 (p.3). Following the Wannasee Conference, Eichmann became the supreme authority in managing the gathering of Jews into labor camps and newly constructed gas chambers. With great enthusiasm and fanatical efficiency, Eichmann coordinated the genocide of millions of Jews (p.2-4). Eichmann considered it a project to kill millions of Jews, and was excited about it. Eichmann killed for his own amusement, thinking about how he can do it faster, and improve his killing methods. In March, 1944, Eichmann set his eye on Hungary, which, with 725,000, contained the sole remaining big population of Jews. The deportations of Jews began from Hungary to Auschwitz, a labor camp, approximately two months later. Nearly 400,000 Hungarian Jews had been killed by the end of June. Eichmann continued to expand the areas in which he killed as he became more and more determined to exterminate the Jewish populace. Not a single trace of mind in Eichmann thought about saving the Jews in any way. However, by the end of 1944, Eichmann was ordered to terminate the deportations seeing as Germanys empire was now surrounded and almost sure to be defeated. Eichmann paid no attention to the commands as he was determined to extinguish all Jews. Instead, he ordered 50,000 Hungarian Jews to begin an eight day death march to Austria. Eichmanns personal goal in life to was kill Jews. No command or person could stop his unwavering will to kill all Jews. He could not fathom the concept of saving any Jewish lives. I will now discuss Adolf Eichmanns influence in the development of social, political, and economic history during Hitlers rule. Due to Eichmanns looks and dark complexion, his schoolmates teased him by nicknaming him â€Å"the little Jew,† (p.1). He was therefore associated with Jews from an early age. This may have sparked his interest in the Jewish culture and caused him to sympathize with them which is why he, at first, was uninterested in killing them. Hitler ordered the â€Å"physical extermination of the Jews.† Eichmann rose in the ranks to be in charge of this order because he had qualifications such as his knowledge on Jews. During his trial, he insisted he was merely â€Å"following orders,† saying that he was transmitting information from his superiors. He was basically obeying the law by following orders; and in case he didnt, he would be shot (p.4). When Eichmann realized the potential fortune he could extort from the Jews by giving them a safe way out of their country, he established offices of that purpose in Vienna, Prague, and Berlin. In July, 1941, Heydrich, a close partner of Eichmanns, was told to organize â€Å"a general plan of the administrative and ‘financial measures necessary for carrying out the desired Final Solution of the Jewish question,† (p.3). Throughout their mass murdering they would have to think about ‘financial measures. Therefore, at the death camps, all possessions were taken from the Jews and channeled into secret Reichsbank accounts. Eichmann had massive financial gains from his actions, and his greed may have been the cause for his determination to continue. To conclude, Eichmann essentially was â€Å"the man who changed his mind in the treatment of Jews.† At first, his final intentions to commit genocide on the Jews seemed impossible as he aimed to relocate the Jews. However, before long he had changed his mind and began his plans to eliminate the Jewish population. He disregarded his sense of morality more and more as he built up his power and, even when told to cease the massacre, he continued. Socially, Eichmann was teased, being nicknamed â€Å"the little Jew.† Politically, he followed orders and rose in the ranks of the Nazi party. Economically, a tremendous amount of money was gained. I would be lying if I said the biography didnt interest me. The paper gave a good insight into the life of Adolf Eichmann and how the Jews were treated during World War Two. Being Jewish myself, I had never realized how big an impact Eichmann had on the holocaust until I read the paper. I was horrified by the amount of control one person could have on an entire ethnic group. It can definitely be recommended as it clearly shows a persons transition from being normal to one of the person responsible for the murder of six million Jews. However, the biography contains little detail, being only three pages long; and it does not describe his psychological change sufficiently. However, it provides a good introduction to Eichmanns life. From the paper, I learned how Eichmanns mindset changed over time. He went from trying to relocate the Jews; to killing individual Jews; to trapping and killing a section of Jews; to mass-murder of the European Jewish population. In the end, he became addicted to murdering Jews, and could not be stopped. In addition, I learned how ruthlessly the Jews were treated during World War II. By Eichmann, they became viewed as insignificant â€Å"toys,† for his enjoyment. The methods of killing them were brutal. It was like a factory process, with gas chambers killing thousands at a time. Many Jews would die of starvation or disease in concentration camps. In Russia, all Jews from a selected village would assemble; where after they would be shot kneeling, subsequent to giving up their clothes and valuables.

Social Phobia and Perfectionism: Theories, Types and Models

Social Phobia and Perfectionism: Theories, Types and Models Contents (Jump to) Abstract Chapter 2 – Epidemiology of Generalized and Specific Social Phobia Chapter 3 Etiological Hypotheses and Findings Chapter 4 The Behavioral Models of Social Phobia Abstract Derived from the Greek word for ‘fear’, a phobia represents a ‘fight or flight’ response that is described by the American Psychiatric Association as â€Å"†¦ an uncontrollable, irrational and persistent fear of a specific object †¦ situation †¦activity† (Phobia King, 2006). Social phobia, which is known as ‘phobia des situations socials’, was first termed by Pierre Janet (1903) whereby he described patients that demonstrated and or had a fear of being observed as they were either speaking, writing or performing other functions. Hurka (1993, p. 3) tells us that perfectionism is a â€Å"†¦ moral theory (that) starts from an account of the good life † Hurka (1993, p. 3) goes on to add that the ‘good life’ develops humanity properties to a high degree and or thus realizes what is important as well as central to human nature. The history of perfectionism can be traced back to Aristotle’s conception of eudaimonia, the good life, and his belief that political structures and politics should thus promote this in its individuals (Aristotle and Irwin, translator, 1999, pp. 1-4). Other notable individuals throughout history noted for their devotion to perfectionism in varied forms are Thomas Aquinas, Francis of Assisi, Clement of Alexandria as well as Jesus who stated in his Sermon on the Mount said â€Å"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect† (MainBelieve.com, 2006). The dictionary defines ‘perfectionism’ as â€Å"a tendency to set rigid high standards of personal performance† (free dictionary.com, 2006). In psychology, perfectionism represents the belief that this is something which should be strived for and in its pathological sense it represents the unhealthy belief anything that is not perfect is unacceptable (coping.org, 2006). It also represents not making mistakes and striving to be the best, as well as the attitude that what one attempts needs to be done perfectly and a habit that is developed in one’s youth keeping one consistently alert to imperfections as well as weaknesses and failings in one’s self as well as others (coping.org., 2006). This paper shall examine these two areas, delving into their individual specificities as well as linkages and commonalities, revealing opposing views concerning the diagnosis and causes of these afflictions and the views which seemingly share many similar aspects. The term, phobia, is generally classified by psychiatrists and psychologists into three basic categories (Bourne, 2005, pp. 33-42) (Kessler et al, 2005, pp. 629-640): Social Phobias Specific Phobias Agoraphobia Isaac Marks (1969, p. 362) advises that the syndromes representing shyness, social anxiety along with social avoidance had been described as early as Hippocrates. Marks (1969, p. 362) reported that individuals with this affliction â€Å"†¦ through bashfulness, suspicion, and timorousness, will not be seen abroad, †¦ he dare not come in company, for fear he should be misused, disgraced, overshoot himself in gestures of speeches †¦ he thinks every man observed him †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Mark’s (1969) views and analysis is amplified by Heimberg et al (1995, p. 96) who state that individuals having this affliction â€Å"†¦ experience excessive fear of being humiliated or judged negatively in social or performance situations.† Juster et al (1996, pp. 403-410) state that perfectionism is linked to social phobia and is also related to anxiety as well as depression. Frost et al (1990, pp. 449-468) ‘Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale assesses perfectionism in terms of it being a phenomenon that consists of three segments: Self oriented, is described as the tendency for a person to seek as well as set high self standards concerning performance, Other oriented, is the tendency for a person to expect others to be perfect in their performance(s), Socially prescribed represents the tendency that a person expects others to think and or believe others expects them to be perfect in their performance. Frost et al (1990, pp. 449-468) define perfectionism as a malady that entails excessive self criticism that is associated with the setting or belief in higher personal standards and the allied concern of meeting expectations on a social level. The preceding also includes the tendency for excessive self criticism that is associated with their higher personal standards as well as their concerns for meeting what is, in their internal view, social expectations, along with the excessive focus concerning organization as well as neatness and doubts with regard to their effectiveness in their actions (Frost et al, 1990, pp. 449-468). The preceding describes the inter relatedness between social phobia and perfectionism that will be explored herein which shall examine each aspect and their links. Perfectionism has roots in aspects of social phobia, as well as the reverse being true. These two afflictions sometimes are present in individuals having social anxiety and are generally conditions that have their roots in early childhood. In examining these two areas, attention shall be paid to their individual diagnosis areas, signs, conditions and foundations, as well as the linkages between the varied forms of social phobia and perfectionism. This examination has been organized to set forth the preceding via segmenting the foregoing into areas that identify and explain the aspects of social phobia as well as perfectionism revealing the foregoing linkages and commonalities. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2000, pp. 154-156) defines social phobia as a persistent and marked fear of one or more performance and or social situations whereby an individual is exposed to people that are unfamiliar and thus subject to scrutiny by others whereby the person in question thus feels (fears) that they might or will act in such a manner, and or exhibit anxiety, which will either be embarrassing and or humiliating. The preceding concurs with Heimberg et al (1995, p. 96) who stated that individuals having this affliction â€Å"†¦ experience excessive fear of being humiliated or judged negatively in social or performance situations.† Social Anxiety Disorder represents the third highest mental health care problem globally and afflicts an estimated seven percent of the world’s population at any given point in time, with a thirteen percent chance that it will affect any one of us during our lives (Social Phobia / Social Anxiety A ssociation, 2005). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Social Anxiety Institute, 2006) defines social phobia as: A persistent fear of either one or more performance and or social situations whereby an individual is exposed to potential scrutiny by unfamiliar people and that they, the person in question, will act in a manner, and or show anxiety symptoms, which will be either humiliating and or embarrassing. That the exposure to the situation in almost all situations results in anxiety that can and usually does take the form of what is termed as being based upon situations and thus pre-disposed or bound Panic Attack. The individual experiencing the symptoms of social anxiety recognizes that they have a fear that is excessive and or unreasonable. The feared situations are thus avoided by this type of individual or are endured under intense distress and anxiety. The individual’s avoidance, distress and or anticipation of the feared situation thus significantly interferes with this person’s normal routine, functioning and an occupational and or academic manner, their social activities /relationships, and or they experience a marked distress concerning having the phobia. In those persons 18 years of age or less the general period of the duration of such an experience is generally six months. That the fear and or avoidance of the aforementioned is not due to the direct physiological effects of either drugs or medications, and or a general medical condition which could be accounted for by virtue of another mental disorder. The preceding diagnostic criteria provide a guideline, however they do not substitute an analysis and or visit to a mental health practitioner (Ohio State University, 2005). Examples of diagnostic criteria historical facets are described as (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2000) : patients having a hypersensivity to criticism, along with a difficulty in being assertive, and or low self esteem as well as potentially inadequate social skills. They avoid speaking in front of groups of people, with the preceding potentially leading to difficulties in either work or education. In order to reach a diagnosis concerning social phobia in children the situation calls for observing their interactions with peers as opposed to observing them with adults, which represents a different context. In reaching and or considering a diagnosis, clinicians should seek to consider what is termed the co-morbid diagnosis represented by avoidant personality disorder when an individual exhibits generalized social phobia. It has been determined that a high percentage of individuals with social phobia have or have developed alcohol and or sedative abuse that aids them in tolerating social situations, however the preceding is not universally true. Symptoms and characteristics of social phobia consist of one, some or all of the following (Helpguide.org, 2006): Avoidance, Whereby an individual will go to great lengths to avoid the prospect of socializing based upon the fear that they will by either perceived in an adverse manner or be humiliated. If left untreated this condition can accelerate or develop into the condition known as agoraphobia. Low Self Esteem, Represents a condition which most individuals who are afflicted with social phobia experience and it is marked by the fact that the longer one remains in this condition the more it affects one’s sense of self worth. Depression, A common outgrowth of having a social anxiety disorder is that the feelings of extreme anxiety as well as the sense of the lack of control over one’s life can very well lead to depression. Alcohol and or Drug Abuse, It has been estimated that one fourth of the individuals with this condition abuse either alcohol and or drugs usually starting to alleviate the pain and then accelerating into wholesale abuse. Academic and Occupational Difficulties, The condition has been known to interfere with one’s ability to function at work as well as academically and can as well as has presented obstacles in these regards. Interpersonal Difficulties, Statistics and studies have determined that as a result of this condition, individuals are prone to be less likely to marry and also have fewer friends as well as social support. The symptoms represented by social phobia defer in respect to children and adults as generally represented by the fact that in the earlier stages children tend to fail to achieve their levels, and adults show declines from prior functioning levels (Biederman et al, 2001, pp. 49-57) (Stein, 2001, pp. 28-39). The symptoms as manifested by children frequently are observed as temper tantrums, clinging to parents, crying and interactive aspects such as the refusal to talk to others (Biederman et al, 2001, pp. 49-57). In adults, the symptoms include a number of physical anxiety signs along with behavior and attitude manifestations (Bruce and Saeed, 1999, pp. 2311-2322): blushing, nausea, dry mouth, sweating, tremors and other similar types of anxiety indicators, difficulty as represented with self assertion, an extreme sensitivity concerning criticism, negative evaluations and or rejection, an intense preoccupation and concern regarding the responses as well as reactions of other individuals, increased fears regarding the prospect of being either humiliated and or embarrassed, and the avoidance of situations that cause or create fear and or anxiety Olfson et al (2001, pp. 521-527) advise that the diagnosis of social phobia is generally based upon the history of the patient, along with reported symptoms. In keeping with an accurate diagnosis the physician may also utilize what is termed a diagnostic questionnaire which aids in ruling our other possible phobias, anxiety orders as well as major depression (Olfson et al, 2001, pp. 521-527). Screening and testing procedures for adults suspected of suffering from social phobia represents a problematic assessment as some general screeners, for example the Structured Clinical Interview does not include questions that are related to social phobia and such a test can take upwards of twenty-five minutes (Bruce and Saeed, 1999, pp. 2311-2322). In addition to the foregoing there are instruments such as the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale as well as the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale which are long and in general are useful more in the measurement of therapy progress (Bruce and Saeed, 1999, pp. 2311-2322). Interestingly, physicians have found that the utilization of a selected group of questions added to a general screening questionnaire has proved helpful in their detection of this condition; examples of the preceding are as follows (Olfson et al, 2001, pp. 521-527): Are feeling embarrassed or feeling as if you look stupid among your worst fears? Does the fear of embarrassment cause you to avoid doing certain things and or speaking to people? Do you avoid situations where you could be or are the center of attention? The diagnosis of children takes into account additional factors as a result of their age. Such includes the fact that they do not have the options of avoiding most situations which frighten them (Bogels and Zigterman, 2000). The preceding provides an explanation as to why children are less likely to be able to provide why they are thus anxious. Bogels and Zigterman (2000) advise that thus it is important for physicians to therefore evaluate their capacity concerning social relationships with individuals the child knows, as well as assess their interactions with those in their peer group for signs of social phobia indications in addition to their behavior with and around adults. Examples of the procedural aspects for the preceding entail the utilization of what are termed the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents and Children, the parent completed Child Behavior Checklist and the Teacher’s Report Form (Bogels and Z igterman, 2000). Social phobia differs from shyness in that the former condition causes individuals to avoid the anxiety producing situations by all means, whereas shyness can be attributed to a number of broad classifications as it represents different things to differing individuals. Crozier (1990, p. 2) states that â€Å"†¦ shyness is not a precise term. It refers to feeling awkward or uncertain in social situations.† Crozier (1990, p. 2) continues that shyness is associated with being and or feeling self conscious, the â€Å"†¦ excessive monitoring of one’s behaviors and over rehearsal of potential utterances† â€Å"The shy person feels anxious and often †¦ appears anxious to others† (Crozier, 1990, p. 2). Berent and Lemley (1994, p. 9) state that the word itself is â€Å"†¦ too general to be of much help in identifying a problem and solving it† and that shyness has varied degrees of complexity and intensity from extremely mild and applicable in a few situations, to more perverse whereby it can thus be termed as a social phobia. Berent and Lemley (1994, p. 10-11) advise us that shyness and social anxiety are closely related and in both instances as they represent a â€Å"†¦ learned response to social interaction†. They go on to explain that shy and or socially anxious individuals â€Å"†¦ may hesitate to pursue the things he or she is interested in, or even begin to avoid situations that cause nervousness or anxiety†. Thus, the spectrum entailing shyness ranges from relatively few instances to actual social phobia. Shyness is not necessarily a criterion for social phobia in that individuals having a social anxiety disorder can be comfortable with certain types and or many differing people; however, they feel intense regarding certain specific situations (CNN.com, 2006). Social anxiety disorder is termed as a social phobia, and or as a psychiatric anxiety disorder which entails overwhelming anxiety as well as excessive self consciousness concerning everyday situations (Crozier and Lynn, 2001, pp. 18-24). Individuals with this affliction often exhibit an intense, chronic as well as persistent fear that they are being watched along with being judged by others, thinking that they might be either humiliated and or embarrassed as a result of their own actions (Crozier and Lynn, 2001, pp. 18-24). The distinction between generalized and specific social anxiety is indicated as those having the generalized type have significant distress with most, if not all social type situations, whereas specific, as the word implies, refers to such situations with specific connotations. Examples of the preceding are evidenced by glossophobia, which is the fear of speaking or performing in public, scriptophobia, which is the fear of writing in public, or paruresis, the fear of utilizing public restrooms (Bruch, 1989, pp. 37-47). Sometimes referred to as anxious personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder is recognizable as a result of a pattern of social inhibition that is pervasive (Mental Health Matters.com, (2006). The foregoing description includes feelings of inadequacy as well as an extreme sensitivity regarding negative evaluation, and people with this affliction very often consider that they are socially inept and or unappealing on a personal level, thus they avoid situations entailing social interaction due to a fear of either being humiliated and or ridiculed. In general, avoidant personality disorder is usually first noticed in one’s early childhood and is usually associated with either a real or perceived rejection by one’s parents and or peers in that period (Dayhoff, 2000. pp. 29-38). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2000) is widely utilized in diagnosing avoidant personality disorder and is identifiable by four or more of the following (Rettew, 2 006): Avoidance of occupational activities which involve degrees of significant interpersonal contact as a result of fears regarding criticism, rejection and or disapproval. Being unwilling to get or be involved with someone unless being certain that one will be liked. Through showing restraint in intimate relationships as a result of fearing shame or ridicule. Being preoccupied in social situations with being criticized and or rejected. By being inhibited in new situations entailing interpersonal relationships due to feelings of being inadequate. Viewing one’s self as inept socially, being unappealing and or inferior to other people. Being reluctant to take on personal risks and or to engage in new activities as such could or might thus prove embarrassing. Comorbidity is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary (2006) as â€Å"A concomitant but unrelated pathological or disease process† with in the context of social phobia means the presence of either one or more such disorders as well as the primary disorder. Schuckit et al (1990, pp. 34-41) state that it represents the disorder that occurred first or the one representing the symptoms that are most dominant, which Klerman (1990, pp. 13-17) refers to as the primary disorder. The critical issues in dealing with comorbidity represents the proper and correct analysis of the varied disorders and understanding which one is the prevalent or primary one as well as the order, and impact of the associated disorders in which there are combination and their influences on the patient. Biederman et al (1991, pp. 565-577) indicates that there are several hypotheses which may be utilized to account for the true patterns of comorbidity and critical issues: that comorbid disorders are not distinct entities, they represent expressions termed phenotypic variability in the same disorder, that each comorbid disorder is a distinct as well as separate entity, that these disorders share vulnerabilities that are common, represented by genetic and or psychosocial, that these disorders have a distinct subtype, or genetic variant, and a heterogeneous disorder, that one syndrome represents what is termed an early manifestation, and that the development as represented by one syndrome can increase the risk of comorbid disorder. Caron and Rutter (1991, pp. 1063-1080) advise that the failure in understanding and attending to comorbidity patterns can thus cause researchers and physicians to come to misleading conclusions thereby creating negative intervention results. Achenbach (1990. pp. 271-278) warns us that the appearance of comorbidity might develop as a result of varied conceptual and or diagnostic models which can result in boundaries between disorders that are inappropriate and can potentially lead to the tendency for comparison of one diagnosis against normal individuals as opposed to other diagnosis. He warns that there is a need for well defined diagnosis in the instance of this occurrence, comorbidity (Achenbach, 1990. pp. 271-278). Chapter 2 – Epidemiology of Generalized and Specific Social Phobia Termed the study of the scientific factors which affect the illness and health of populations, epidemiology serves as the logic and foundational basis for interventions that are made in the interests serving public health, along with preventive medicine (Rothman and Greenland, 1998, p. 29). The field is regarded as a cornerstone in the methodology of health research for the public sector and has the reputation of being highly regarded in the field of what is termed evidenced based medicine for the identification of disease risk factors and the determination of optimal treatment in the approaches representing clinical practice (Rothman and Greenland, 1998, p. 29). Morabia (2006, p. 3) explains that epidemiology, in terms of the public, represents a medical discipline dealing with the â€Å"†¦ large scale outbreaks of infectious diseases†. Chronicled in â€Å"Epidemiologia Espanola† spanning a period of thirteen centuries, Villalba, a Spanish physician, complied a li sting of epidemics as well as outbreaks which helped to define the term (Morabia, 2006, p. 3). Even though the practice extends back to the 16th century, as a scientific discipline it is relatively recent. The mission of epidemiology has â€Å"†¦ historically been to identify determinants of human diseases †¦ mostly at the population level† (Morabia, 2006, p. 3), and this holds true today. Epidemiology is prevalent in today’s communities under the term ‘Community-oriented primary care’, or COPC) and represents a systematic health care approach that is based upon principles of epidemiology (Rhyne et al, 1998). Usage has demonstrated that COPC, representing primary care, health promotion and preventive medicine has positive community benefits on a global basis (Rhyne et al, 1998). The methodology, ‘Community-oriented primary care’, entails the process of seeking to improve the health of a community utilizing the aforementioned principles, public health, primary care and epidemiology, which traditionally has been used to describe the health care system whereby a community and or targeted population is thus the focus (Wright, 1993). The American Public Health Association description of Community-oriented primary care states that it represents a â€Å"†¦ systematic process †¦ identifying and addressing †¦ health problems of a defined population† and that it thus can be implemented via the resources which are already available within most communities (Rhyne et al, 1998). It, COPC, represents a team comprised of health professionals, along with community members, who work in partnership over a long duration in treating and diagnosing patients in a community in a similar manner as does a primary care doctor, and while primary care physicians are not needed for or in every project, they nevertheless need to be involved in the process (Rhyne et al, 1998). The availability of epidemiologic studies from Europe, Asia and the United States over the past twenty years has permitted a clearer and sharper picture of social phobia with respect to its incidence, severity, prevalence and other correlations (Zucchi et al, 2000, pp. 17-24). The preceding historical base of epidemiologic information helps to provide a comprehensive reference point concerning the age of onset and incidence of social phobia from a broad population cross section. Studies conducted indicate that social phobia is the most prevalent of anxiety disorder (Carta et al, 2004), as shown by the following: Table 1- Lifetime Prevalence of Social Phobia in the General Populations of Europe and the United States (Carta et al, 2004) The preceding show the lifetime prevalence of Social Phobia of 2.2% across the board, representing 1.5% for males and 2.8% for females. Table 2 – Lifetime Prevalence of Social Phobia According to Age and Sex (Carta et al, 2004) The preceding Table represents studies conducted in Europe and the United States for the countries indicated with OR representing the degree of associated disorders that were observed regarding frequency in the populations that were not affected by social phobia. Table 3 – Lifetime Comorbidity of Social Phobia (Carta et al, 2004) * Where p is less than 0.001 The preceding Table represents the rate of comorbidity concerning major psychiatric disorders which were observed in the overall general populations of Europe and the United States, along with the degree of associated disorders (OR) in the reported populations which were not affected by social phobia. The mean age representing the onset of comorbid DE represented 6.5 plus or minus 6.6 years, whereas GAD represented a mean of 4.3 plus or minus 7.8 years later (Carta et al, 2004). In a study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, they found six regions in the human genome that very well could play a role with regard to the susceptibility of obsessive compulsive disorder (Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, 2006). The study added to the growing evidence of a genetic basis for obsessive compulsive disorder and thus its inheritability through the finding of genetic markers, or what are termed similarities, in the genomes of individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder as represented by six significance regions within the genome that are on five differing chromosomes which appeared to be linked to obsessive compulsive disorder (Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, 2006). Dorak (2006) advises us that genetic epidemiology is related to and overlaps molecular epidemiology and that the epidemiological evaluation aims to seek the detection of the inheritance pattern regarding a disease, localize it and find the marker that is associated with its susceptibility. D orak (2006) states that the steps in genetic epidemiologic research are: the establishment of the fact that there is a genetic component concerning the diso

External Forces Shaping The Future Of The Airline Industry Essay

External Forces Shaping The Future Of The Airline Industry INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of this report is to inform airline executives about the external forces affecting their industry and what they can do to keep up with the changing business atmosphere. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 had a grueling effect on the economy, and while most industries are almost back to their pre-9/11 financial status, the airline industry is lucky to break-even. This report will explain three leading trends that are forcing the airline industry to re-think their stance on strategic planning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first trend discussed will illustrate the effect that online booking has had on the way airlines do business. The second trend will describe how obesity has caused new standards to be set within the industry. The final trend will explain how the demand for business-related travel has been decreased from the use of new technologies. This paper will close with a brief synopsis of the most relevant trend to the industry—the decrease in business travel due to new technologies. DESCRIPTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The following portion of this report will describe each of the three trends and contain information to support the claim. Continue reading for further explanation of the trends. Online Booking Online booking is becoming more popular, especially in a country where over 50% of its households are connected to the internet (U.S. Department of Commerce 2001). (See Appendix; Graph 1) Americans want things â€Å"NOW!† not ten minutes from now. The quicker the service, the more satisfied the customer will become. Various online travel agencies, such as Orbit and Travelocity, give consumers the ability to compare different travel options, all without leaving the comfort of their home. In 2003, 35 million Americans went online to book travel reservations, a 17% increase since 2002 (U.S. News 2004). Currently one-third of all internet-related transactions involve making travel arrangements (The Times 2004). Obesity   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Americans today are heavier than ever, and despite increased health awareness, the obesity epidemic is not slowing down. (See Appendix; Graph 2) Currently two-thirds of Americans are considered to be overweight (New Zealand Management 2004). According to the last U.S. Census, the current population of the U.S. is 281 million. When mixing those details together you can acquire ... ...on Week & Space   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technology v138 n6 (Feb. 8, 1993): 31,33. Lollis, Barbara De. â€Å"Virtual meeting companies get boost as travel wanes. USA Today   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (March 18, 2003): 10. Lollis, Barbara De and Chris Woodyard. â€Å"Larger Passengers pay more on Southwest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Air.† USA Today (2002) . McKee, Bradford. â€Å"Sprawl and America’s Sprawling Middle.† Architecture v92 n8   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (Aug. 2003). â€Å"Obesity Research.† American Obesity Association (2002) http://www.obesity.org/ subs/fastfacts/Obesity_Research.shtml>. â€Å"Percent of U.S. Households with Internet Access.† U.S. Dept of Commerce (Feb.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2001) . Stellin, Susan. â€Å"Online Booking Cuts Costs and Simplifies Corporate Trips.† New York   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Times (Sept. 2, 2003): C7. â€Å"Web World.† The Times (United Kingdom) (Sept. 4, 2004): 4. APPENDIX Graph 1: Percent of U.S. Households with Online Access Data Source: Newburger, Eric C. â€Å"Home Computers and Internet Use in the United States.† US Census Bureau (Sept. 2001) . Graph 2: Obesity Prevalence in America Data Source: â€Å"Obesity Research.† American Obesity Association (2002) http://www.obesity.org/ subs/fastfacts/Obesity_Research.shtml>.

The Day of Infamy :: Imagery Terror Terrorism 9/11 Essays

The Day of Infamy Erupting on a crisp September morning, terrorist attacks bring America to a standstill. As the day began, it was an average Tuesday morning and New Yorkers as well as the rest of United States Citizens had no idea that in a matter of moments their city and their lives would be changed forever. People were doing what they had done thousands of times before. Some were on their way to work; while others were sitting at their desks, checking e-mail, sipping coffee or reading the morning paper. Out of the clear blue sky an airplane was hijacked and was heading for the twin tower. People heard an approaching noise and then all of a sudden a loud explosion! The twin towers of the World Trade Center were the symbols of Americas prosperity. Dr. Stefan Pasternack, a clinical professor of Georgetown University who specializes in the impact of terrorism and murder says: Its one thing to think of a truck blowing up in front of a building. This involved the use of civilian aircraft-the imagery is much more frightening. What we see here is what terrorism is all about. The idea is to make people feel that they cannot feel protected by their government (Black Tuesday 20). With World War II being a fight for national survival, terrorism is the struggle to preserve national values and stand for what we, as Americans, believe. As president Bush stated, Terrorists attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America (Black Tuesday 12). The attacks on our nation nearly brought America to a halt. Around the world security was tightened. Air travel stopped, businesses closed and government facilities were evacuated Tuesday morning of September eleventh. For the first time in United States history, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shut down air traffic nationwide. There were many incoming flights from around the world, carrying anywhere from four thousand to six thousand passengers, that were diverted to Canada. Authoriti es shut down all the tunnels and bridges in and out of New York City. All train services were shut down and many shipping ports were also closed down. The most memorable image of September eleventh was the Twin Towers that were engulfed in smoke and flames. Over and over the Towers flashed across Television screens and on the front pages of newspapers.

Industrial Education

Anything made of metal, no matter how big or small, can be welded. Examples are everywhere, from vehicles like cars, trucks and motorcycles to rail cars, ships, aircraft, rockets and space stations. Construction is a huge market, and skyscrapers, bridges and highways would be impossible to build without welding, as would oil and natural-gas pipelines, offshore oil platforms, giant wind turbines and solar panels. Welders help install and maintain boilers, antipollution systems and other large structures, as well as piping for industrial, commercial and residential facilities. Welding is even used by artists to create sculptures and decorative items. There is almost no limit to what welding can do, especially since developments in the technology continually improve its accuracy, quality and versatility. Welding is, in fact, an increasingly high-tech skill. Welders are being trained to operate robots and other automated systems that use powerful lasers, electron beams and sometimes explosives to bond metals. The ability to work with computers and program software is consequently vital to the successful operation of these systems. Don Howard, a welding specialist at Concurrent Technologies Corp., an engineering firm in Johns town, Pa., estimates that 20%-25% of U.S. welding is automated and predicts this trend will grow by about 20% in the next few years. â€Å"A lot of very intelligent people are coming into the welding community,† says Howard. There is money to be made, he notes, but the industry also offers career paths. â€Å"Welding is not just about working on a manufacturing line anymore. Once in the industry, people know they can find a niche.† â€Å"These are good times to be in welding,† says Patricio Mendez, director of the Canadian Center for Welding and Joining at the University of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. Mendez notes that students who like designing and building with metal and are interested in fields such as materials engineering, robotics, lasers, computer programming and systems integration will find plenty of career opportunities in welding. Many students are introduced to the process by virtual welding. This simulation program is being developed by the Edison Welding Institute of Columbus, Ohio, to teach the basics of welding in classrooms. â€Å"The objective is to give students a virtual experience that is very much like the real thing,† says John Coffey, engineering manager at. The system uses sensors that duplicate the look and feel of welding. There are more than 80 welding processes. Most involve a skilled worker using a high-heat torch (2,800-plus degrees Fahrenheit), filler material that is usually in wire or stick form (though some welds don’t use fillers) and pressure to permanently bond metal pieces. Welding can also be used to cut and dismantle objects of all sizes as well as for repairs. The most common process is Gas Metal Arc Welding, or GMAW. In GMAW, an electrode, which is also the filler, is continuously fed through the nozzle of an arc torch. When the welder activates the torch, several operations take place: The electrode begins feeding through the nozzle, a direct current is generated that creates an arc when it comes in contact with the electrode and shielding gases are released around the nozzle to protect the weld from atmospheric gases that could degrade its quality. The arc, whose movement the welder controls, consumes the electrode, fills in the weld joint and creates the weld. Other widely used techniques like Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) and Shielded Metal Arc Welding are variations of the process. GTAW, for example, is a relatively low-heat method that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode. Its low-heat characteristic reduces distortion in thin metals, such as those used in aerospace, also called â€Å"stick welding,† uses a flux-coated consumable electrode (â€Å"flux† is a chemical cleaning agent that removes oxidation from the metals to be joined) and is primarily used for repair and steel welding. As the electrode burns, the flux disintegrates, which releases a shielding gas that protects the weld from degradation. In more advanced welding technologies, lasers are combined with in a hybrid process to make what one expert calls â€Å"scalpel-like cuts† that are up to  ½-inch deep, narrow and extremely precise. The part of the process then deposits the filler and melts it with a secondary heat source. The influence of welding is so broad that many of the product designs and building techniques people take for granted would not be possible without it. With demand for skilled welders rising and the technology of welding becoming more advanced, especially where automation is concerned, students have a unique opportunity to learn a career that can be shaped around their interests.

Acer Weaknesses

Acer closes in on Dell's No. 2 PC ranking By Bruce Einhorn, BusinessWeek Tuesday, January 20, 2009 11:33 AM Just a few years ago there was a clear pecking order in the PC industry, with Dell at the front and Acer way back in the queue. Dell and its U. S. rival Hewlett-Packard were the clear champions, selling far more desktops and laptops than anyone else. Meanwhile, little Acer, a Taiwanese company that had tried and failed in the 1990s to crack the U. S. market, was an also-ran, with worldwide market share in the single digits. As recently as 2003, Acer ranked just seventh in sales around the world. Lately, though, the Taiwanese have been pushing their way ever closer to the front of the line. Market-share numbers published on Jan. 14 by research firm International Data show HP is still on top, with 19. 6 percent of all PC shipments, and Dell is No. 2. But Michael Dell has reason to worry. While Dell shipments fell 6. 3 percent in the fourth quarter, Acer's jumped 25. 3 percent. That not only puts the Taiwanese company solidly in the No. 3 position worldwide, it puts Acer less than two percentage points away from Dell, with 11. 8 percent share to Dell's 13. 7 percent. And Acer is likely to keep on closing the gap, say analysts. In the next two or three quarters, you will probably see Acer surpass Dell,† predicts Daniel Chang, an analyst in Taipei with Macquarie. Gateway Was an Opening What accounts for Acer's rise? The company is benefiting from its US$710 million purchase of Gateway, announced in August 2007. At the time of the deal, Gateway was the third-biggest PC brand in the United States, and the purchase has helped Acer gain ground in a market that had long stymied the Taiwanese company. Shortly after that deal, Acer followed up with the acquisition of the Packard-Bell brand, popular in parts of Europe. According to the latest IDC numbers, Acer now ranks third in the United States, with shipments of 2 million computers in the fourth quarter. That puts Acer ahead of Apple and behind only Dell and HP. Acer declined to make any executives available for comment. Even more important for Acer's market-share rise has been its focus on the hottest new segment in the computer industry, so-called netbooks. These pint-size laptops are light, simple computers that typically cost no more than US$500 and are based on a design that Intel first developed for schoolchildren in emerging markets. The first to realize that the netbook could become a crossover hit in wealthier countries was Acer's Taiwanese rival Asustek Computer, which launched its Eee PC in late 2007. Acer quickly followed, and it soon grabbed the lead. Meanwhile, Dell, HP, and Lenovo hesitated before launching netbooks of their own. â€Å"They didn't start producing the mini-notebooks until late in the game,† says Robert Murtagh, worldwide PC tracker research analyst with IDC in San Mateo, Calif. â€Å"That has given Acer a strategic advantage. † Low-Price Trend With recession-weary consumers hunting for bargains, Acer's focus on inexpensive netbooks—and its longtime role as a lower-cost alternative to the likes of Dell and HP–have helped the company boost shipments. And while the competition in the mini-notebook business is bound to get tougher in 2009, Acer's head start should give it an important edge. â€Å"We believe Acer will continue to be the winner in the low-price trend and the netbook market,† wrote Credit Suisse analysts Robert Cheng and Jill Su in a Jan. 13 report. Moreover, one of Acer's weaknesses, its relatively poor position among corporate customers in the United States, has meant the company has suffered less than Dell and Lenovo, both of which have relied more on sales to businesses. According to IDC, Lenovo shipments fell 4. 8 percent in the fourth quarter; the company on Jan. 8 announced plans to lay off 2,500 employees, 11 percent of its workforce. Tracy Tsai, an analyst in Taipei with market research firm Gartner, says Acer won't need to make the sort of layoffs that others have. â€Å"Acer has real tight management on its costs,† she says, and it has just 6,000 workers. â€Å"The smaller size f Acer puts it in a better position. † Still, Acer faces some headwinds. Credit Suisse estimates 2008 earnings rose 7 percent, to US$353 million, on sales of US$16. 5 billion. But this year profits are likely to fall 7. 5 percent, on a 6 percent drop in sales, the bank says. Macqaurie's Chang expects a slowdown, too, and he warns that Acer's focus on building market share distracts the company from a more important statistic: earnings. As competition heats up further in netbooks, he says, Acer will face pressure to cut prices even more, drawing would-be customers away from its laptops and hurting Acer's bottom line. Everybody's netbook looks very similar now,† says Chang, so companies selling them â€Å"can compete only on price. † For its part, Dell argues against paying too much attention to market-share rankings. â€Å"When we reported our Q3 financial results, we said our focus in this challenging environment was–and continues to be–on positioning Dell for long-term profitable growth by improving our competitiveness and enhancing our leading product and services portfolio,† Dell spokesman David Frink says via email. â€Å"We're in the midst of that now. â€Å"