Psychology: The Quest for Understanding Essay

Much of the ever-changing world of psychology had posed itself in the midst of diverse discussions based on both historical evidences and the latest discoveries, which were and are by-products of the complex minds of experts and heedful practitioners. Some elements of psychological concepts may have existed ever since, while some had been subjects of criticisms and debates for decades now. Nevertheless, this development never ceases to provide the base of perspective formulation for people studying Psychology. It enriches their ways of interpreting behavior based on empirical evidences, depending on their varying priorities and methodologies. Psychology employs the scientific methods in its efforts to discover the reasons for human behavior. There has been several different approaches developed for psychology and each perspective seems to attribute human behaviors and actions to different factors. In this paper, I shall be providing an insight of the five (5) major Psychological Issues that have come about as a result of varying positions and beliefs, giving emphasis on their basic concepts, arguments, and my personal standpoints on each. The debate over whether humans are the result of predisposed genetics or if their lives and personalities are shaped by the surrounding environment began in the 1600’s when a man named Richard Mulcaster wrote his book, â€Å"Nature Makes the Boy Toward, and Nurture Sees Him Forward. † Arguments on this issue contrasts genetic information against developmental process, instinct against learning, and history against environment. Moreover, debates over whether language is innate or learned and behaviorism are among the most popular topics of Quest for Understanding 3 discussion under this matter. It is hard to believe that something as complex as human behavior can be completely explained by either side of the argument. For instance, men are seen to be superior over women since birth. Through time, women had proven that they are just as valuable as men, in all fields for that matter. In Psychology, women’s contributions were overlooked. Who would have thought that the likes of Anna Freud, Karen Horney, Mealanie Klein, and Mary Whiton Calkins can surpass the underestimation to women during their time. It is just difficult to separate the role of genetics and environment. We should, rather, appreciate the interactions that take place between nature and nurture. Personally, I do not feel that either has any greater of an influence than the other. I believe that nature influences nurture and nurture influences nature simultaneously. We should seek a sense of equilibrium between the two. This issue tries to put a dichotomy to whether behaviors can be attributed to the unconscious or the conscious level of thinking. The word ‘conscience’ is derived from the Latin word ‘conscientia’ which means ‘knowledge within oneself. Sigmund Freud partially forged to the development of this issue with his Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality. Aside from the ego-ideal, he viewed conscience as a vital part of the superego. Within this proposition, people are hindered by the conscience to do immoral and punishable deeds, while the ego ideal motivates people to do morally acceptable acts. His theory also suggests that a child’s consci ence is shaped by what is taught to him by his or her parents. On the other hand, dreams and â€Å"slips of the tongue† usually express the unconscious. Thoughts, memories, and desires, which comprise this Quest for Understanding 4 level of the mind situated below the conscious has a considerable influence on one’s behavior. Maslow supports Freud’s claims regarding the conscience. He (Maslow) believes that it is our human nature to have a basically â€Å"good† personality and have an intrinsic conscience, which is based on the unconscious and preconscious perception of our own nature, of our own destiny, of our own capacities, of our own ‘call’ in life. † (Maslow, A. Toward a Psychology of Being. page 7). Also, Karen Horney speaks of unconditional love being valuable to a child’s well-being. She quotes: Unconditional love is an essential for the child’s normal development, and when this is refused, the environment comes to be dreaded†¦ – it is perceived as a menace to his individuality, his development, his instinctive strivings to grow, his freedom and his happiness. In an environment in which the basic anxiety develops, the child’s free use of energies is thwarted, his self-esteem and self-reliance are undermined, fear is instilled by intimidation and isolation, his expansiveness is warped through brutality or overprotective ‘love’. † It is my utmost belief that each of us has a conscience, being the source of our judgments. As a child, many of us were brought up to distinguish and practice our moral values. That is, we always strive to do good things, and avoid actions that may bring us feelings of frustrations and guilt. However, much is random that many people have â€Å"claimed consciousness,† that sometimes justifies acts offensive to others. That is why pursuing education, in addition to everyday life experiences to make it holistic, shall foster the preservation of our moral integrity. Situated at the core of our personhood, molded by our experiences form birth, it should be nourished and Quest for Understanding 5 developed. With regards to the unconscious, I honestly deem that it indeed has interplay with our conscious minds. Our aspirations, hidden thoughts, and memories do manifest with the way we think and react to every situations. B. F. Skinner is known to have pioneered the concept of behaviorism or the learning perspective. He argued that human beings respond to their environment, but also work on that environment to create certain consequences. This framework is based on a scheme which states that all actions that living things do should be regarded as behaviors. It assumes that the material world is the absolute reality, where man exists in the absence of mind and soul; that man is a biological machine that responds to conditioning; that we, human beings, are not responsible for our actions; and that people’s behaviors can be predicted and manipulated. In brief, great are the ethical consequences of behaviorism. Man is reduced to a purely biological being, unaccountable for the consequences of his actions, exempted from his responsibility, informed freedom, and dignity. He is to be â€Å"shaped† by those who can utilize the tools of behaviorism effectively. Alternatively, the examination of Internal Mental Process such as problem solving, memory, and language comprises Cognitive Psychology. This psychological framework has its foundations in the works of Wertheimer, Kohler, Koffka, and Piaget. They were all cognitive psychologists who were very much interested in how people comprehend, diagnose, and solve problems, focusing on the processes between stimulus and people’s response. It differs from behaviorism as it accepts the use of scientific method and openly acknowledges the existence of mental states like motivation, belief, and desire. Quest for Understanding 6 Underlying issues within the presumed dichotomy between behaviorism and cognitivism could include for instance how people use information in remembering and reasoning, how our senses define the character of our perceptions, how fear is learned from particular objects or situations, and the causes of anxiety and phobic disorders. I find it unethical to say that people’s behaviors should be manipulated and shaped, even by those who can effectively use the tools of behaviorism. Is there really such a person who can â€Å"effectively† do this? Are the minds of children for instance blank slates which shall be exclusively filled with his parents’ and teachers’ inputs? In our ever-changing world, especially that human beings are above the instinctive species, the concept of behaviorism cannot be absolute if not, utilized. Humans always learn to adapt in varying situations. The concept of cognitivism, I should say, is agreeable as it is more organized, and provides for empirical evidences that acknowledge scientific processes. It paved the way for scientific tools to emerge and measure cognitive levels, consequently identifying learning methodologies most suitable for different kinds of people. Free will is the belief that our choices are, ultimately, â€Å"up to us† and that an individual has control over his or her behavior and understands the motives behind it. Determinism, as one of the major concepts of psychoanalytical assumptions (Freud, 1940), asserts that our gestures, mistakes, and slips of the tongue are meaningful and non-accidental and that these seemingly innocent errors are in fact outcomes of the unconscious area of the mind. Other determinists Quest for Understanding 7 further claim that behavior is determined by some force over which humans have no control, such as genetics, upbringing, or fate. Although there exists a discussion whether everyday occurrences are determined or not (determinism versus indeterminism), debates involving these concepts do not strictly lie at putting a line between the two. Interestingly, it is whether determinism and free will can coexist (Compatibilism) or not (Incompatibilism). Compatibilism is the view that determinism and free will can coexist, and stands in direct contrast to incompatibilism, which posits that either determinism or free will is true, but not both. Incompatibilists believe that if determinism is true, then we are not free and cannot be held responsible for our actions. Most of us would like to believe that we have free will because we would like to think that we have a mind of our own and that everything that we do is up to us and the events of our lives were caused by our own choice of actions. Religiously speaking, free will is what distinguishes us from other creatures. It makes us believe that we control our lives. With that, it liberates us from the bondage of conforming and mediocrity brought about by our difficulty of fitting ourselves in. Accepting, however, that we are free consequently requires us to have a great deal of responsibility. And that responsibility makes free will not only a psychological issue. Mean to say, we cannot speak of free will without considering relationships, because we usually base our choices on existing political structures, our socio-economic situations, and cultural practices. Take a prostituted woman in a third world country for example. No girl has dreamt of being victimized by commercial sexual exploitation. Most of us would easily throw criticisms on her situation as we righteously speak of the alternative choice she could have opted to take. Does Quest for Understanding 8 she really have a choice if she is the eldest of eight siblings, with her mother and father separated; if poverty deprived her of finishing her studies; and if her body was her last resort to earn money to support her family’s needs?

Tuberculosis (TB) Essays - Tuberculosis, Mantoux Test, Free Essays

Tuberculosis (TB) Essays - Tuberculosis, Mantoux Test, Free Essays Tuberculosis (TB) Tuberculosis 1. Identification-identification requires finding the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the cause of TB. Respiratory symptoms should prompt an exam of the sputum, first by an acid-fast smear, then by culture and identification of the organism. The smear results should be available in hours. If positive, a diagnosis of TB should be assumed and treatment started. Final confirmation requires isolation of the culture. Radiographs of the chest are helpful in the identification. 2. Agent-TB is caused by an infectious agent known as mycobacterium tuberculosis. 3. Occurrence-The number of TB cases had been declining by an average of 5% per year nationally since 1953. This situation changed in 1985, when the incidence began to climb. In 1990, 25,701 TB cases were reported to the CDC. This represented a 9.4% increase over 1989 and was the largest for a single year since 1953. Reported cases increased 15.89% between 1985 and 1990. Although the AIDS epidemic has caused many of the changes, immigration, homelessness, drug abuse prison overcrowding, acts in public health funding, and drug resistance have also contributed to a situation that is out of control in some parts of the country. And because TB is contagious, the risk extends beyond the groups traditionally considered high risk. TB has changed from a disease of older people to one of young adults and children. It has also evolved from a disease that struck across all racial and ethnic lines to one that is far more common among black and Latino populations than whites. The age distribution of new cases also point to a strong-but not absolute-link with AIDS. The greatest increase has been in people 24-44, the same group most seriously affected by HIV infection. 4. Reservoir-Only people were discussed but also animals. 5. Mode of Transmission-The agent infects the lungs by inhalation of infected droplets formed during coughing, singing or sneezing of an individual with the active form of the disease. 6. Incubation period-about 4-12 weeks 7. Period of communicability-As long as viable tubercle bacilli are being discharged in the sputum. 8. Susceptibility-The most hazardous period for development of clinical disease is the first 6-12 months after infection. But in the case of HIV infection, infection and development of TB symptoms is shorter than that in HIV negative patients with TB. According to some reports, HIV infected patients can develop primary progressive TB within a few weeks of exposure to M. tuberculosis. 9. Resistance-TB has changed bacteriologically. Today in New York, as many as 20% of TB patients are infected with M. tuberculosis that is resistant to isoniazid (INH) and rifampin. TB experts believe that the drug resistance problem is due in part to poor compliance, which is bad among TB patients. In addition, widespread indifference to TB during the last two decades meant that no new specific anti-TB drugs entered the pipeline, monitoring for resistance lagged, and rapid diagnostic tests were not developed. 10. Methods of control-Controlling TB is very difficult. A. Preventive measures-TB specialist overwhelmingly prefer the intradermal Mantoux test for screening. Candidates for screening include HlV-positive patients, close contacts of TB patients, people from countries with high TB rates or medical conditions that predispose to active TB, and residents of long-term-care facilities. Because of the high prevalence of anergy among HlV-infected patients, the CDC recommends administering companion tests for delayed-type hypersensitivity simultaneously with the Mantoux test. Most TB patients are treated with INH and rifampin as outpatients for 6 to 9 months. Much of the responsibility for detection, prevention and treatment lies with our increasingly impacted and understaffed public health clinics throughout the country. The private sector also shares in an increasing demand for treatment of cases. More than 35% of the reported cases reported to the county health department come from sources other than public health facilities. Preventive therapy ordinarily consist of INH 300 mgs. daily for 6 to 12 months. Where the risk of TB is very high, such as in those who are HlV- positive, 12 months is recommended. In all cases it is essential to rule out active TB before giving INH alone. The BCG (Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin) vaccine has been used in many parts of the world to prevent TB. Unless the BCG vaccine has been received within the past year, a positive TB skin test result in any person should be considered as indicating TB infection regardless of the remote history of a BCG vaccination. They should be assessed regarding TB disease. B. Control of patients, contacts and the immediate environment-Of particular concern is the documented increase of disease in children. When TB is under control in a community, children should rarely be infected and essentially

Global Climate Change and Evolution

Global Climate Change and Evolution It seems like every time a new story is created by the media about science, there needs to be some sort of controversial subject or debate included. The Theory of Evolution is no stranger to controversy, especially the idea that humans evolved over time from other species. Many religious groups and others do not believe in evolution because of this conflict with their creation stories. Another controversial science topic often talked about by the news media is global climate change, or global warming. Most people do not dispute that the average temperature of the Earth is increasing every year. However, the controversy comes in when there is an assertion that human actions are causing the process to speed up. The majority of scientists believe both evolution and global climate change to be true. So how does one affect the other? Global Climate Change Before connecting the two controversial scientific subjects, it is first important to understand what both are individually. Global climate change, once called global warming, is based on the annual increase in the average global temperature. In short, the average temperature of all places on Earth increases every year. This increase in temperature seems to be causing many potential environmental issues including the melting of the polar ice caps, more extreme natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes, and larger areas are becoming affected by droughts. Scientists have linked the increase in temperature to an overall increase in the number of greenhouse gases in the air. Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, are necessary to keep some heat trapped in our atmosphere. Without some greenhouse gases, it would be too cold for life to survive on Earth. However, too many greenhouse gases can have extreme effects on the life that is present. Controversy It would be pretty hard to dispute that the average global temperature for Earth is increasing. There are numbers that prove that. However, it is still a controversial subject because many people do not believe that humans are causing global climate change to speed up as some scientists are suggesting. Many opponents of the idea claim the Earth cyclically becomes hotter and colder over long periods of time, which is true. The Earth moves in and out of ice ages over somewhat regular intervals and has since before life and long before humans came into existence. On the other hand, there is no doubt that current human lifestyles do add greenhouse gases into the air at a very high rate. Some greenhouse gases are expelled from factories into the atmosphere. Modern automobiles release many types of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, that get trapped in our atmosphere. Also, many forests are disappearing because humans are cutting them down to create more living and agriculture space. This makes a large impact on the amount of carbon dioxide in the air because trees and other plants can use carbon dioxide and produce more oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. Unfortunately, if these large, mature trees are cut down, the carbon dioxide builds up and traps more heat. The Effect on Evolution Since evolution is most simply defined as the change in species over time, how can global warming change a species? Evolution is driven through the process of natural selection. As Charles Darwin first explained, natural selection is when favorable adaptations for a given environment are chosen over the less favorable adaptations. In other words, individuals within a population that have traits that are better suited to whatever their immediate environment is will live long enough to reproduce and pass down those favorable traits and adaptations to their offspring. Eventually, the individuals that have less favorable traits for that environment will either have to move to a new, more suitable environment, or they will die out and those traits will no longer be available in the gene pool for new generations of offspring. Ideally, this would create the strongest species possible to live long and prosperous lives in any environment. Going by this definition, natural selection is dependent upon the environment. As the environment changes, the ideal traits and favorable adaptations for that area will also change. This could mean that adaptations in a population of a species that were once the best are now becoming much less favorable. This means the species will have to adapt and perhaps even undergo speciation to create a stronger set of individuals to survive. If the species cannot adapt quickly enough, they will become extinct. Polar Bears and Other Endangered Species For example, polar bears are currently on the endangered species list due to global climate change. Polar bears live in areas where there is very thick ice in the northern polar regions of Earth. They have very thick coats of fur and layers upon  layers of fat to keep warm. They rely on fish that live under the ice as a primary food source and have become skilled ice fishermen in order to survive. Unfortunately, with the melting polar ice caps, the polar bears are finding their once favorable adaptations to be obsolete and they are not adapting quickly enough. The temperatures are increasing in those areas which make the extra fur and fat on the polar bears more of a problem than a favorable adaptation. Also, the thick ice that was once there to walk on is too thin to hold the weight of the polar bears any longer. Therefore, swimming has become a very necessary skill for polar bears to have. If the current increase in temperature keeps up or accelerates, there will be no more polar bears. Those who have the genes to be great swimmers will live a bit longer than those who do not possess that gene, but, eventually, all will most likely disappear since evolution takes many generations and there just is not enough time. There are many other species all over the Earth that are in the same sort of predicaments as the polar bears. Plants are having to adapt to differing amounts of rainfall than what is usual in their areas, other animals need to adjust to changing temperatures, and still, others have to deal with their habitats disappearing or changing due to human interference. There is no doubt that global climate change is causing problems and increasing the need for a quicker pace of evolution in order to avoid mass extinctions all over the world.

International business economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International business economics - Essay Example In this pursuit, an M&A team also had been setup to seek out prospective targets (Dutta and Chaturvedi, 2005). The main target of globalizing the company was in terms of boosting up exports substantially. Entering the Chinese market through joint ventures or transfers of technology was also on the cards. But these aspirations failed to materialize and instead when the opportunity to acquire Daewoo, a concern that had a market share of 22 percent even with large idle capacities, arrived, Tata Motors grabbed it (Dutta and Chaturvedi, 2005). The objective of the present endeavor is to look at the acquisition in detail to the extent allowed by the scope. In what follows we look at the strategic and economic rationale of Tata Motors that motivated acquisition, seek to explore aspects like the strengths of Daewoo Motors that made it potentially valuable for Tata Motors, the major challenges faced by Tata Motors in the process of acquiring Daewoo and the major potential synergies and their materialization. To perceive the rationale of the acquisition, it is first necessary to understand where Tata Motors stood just before this breakthrough phenomenon in the history of the Indian Automobile industry. Although Tata entered the sphere of manufacturing automotive vehicles way back in 1954 when it collaborated with Daimler-Benz, it spent the following two decades or so in enhancing its R&D base of operations through a multitude of collaborations and manufacturing mainly construction equipment (Dutta and Chaturvedi, 2005). The first commercial vehicle was manufactured in 1977 and by 1983, Telco, as Tata Motors was known until 2003, initiated its production of heavy commercial vehicles. ‘TATA 407’, the company’s first light commercial vehicle that was completely indigenous in design was launched in 1986. In 1991, the first passenger cars that were designed indigenously, the Tata sierra and the Tata estate,

Criminology Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Criminology Theory - Research Paper Example Theories allow scholars to make hypotheses, which are tested through empirical research in order to come up with assumptions that make us understand the world better. Theories, which depict the causation of crime, are complex but studies from the past and present helps the researcher in understanding the behaviors among criminals. These theories are used to determine the best causes of action that can be used in order to ensure that crime is prevented from happening in our society. Traditionally, punishment was very harsh and the police used brutality when recording statements from suspects without having to understand why certain people committed certain crimes. In addition, the punishments meted out on convicts were harsh and as a result, scholars begun to study criminology in order to ensure that punishments were fair (DeMelo, 2001). Classical School Before 1789, the law system, punishment, and access to justice were barbaric. The classical school’s interest was not the stu dy criminals but it focused on understanding the legal processes and law making. According to this school of thought, criminals knew the consequences of their actions and they even weighed the options before they engaged in any criminal activity. In addition, punishment was designed for the purposes of deterring crime and it was painful than the pleasure one got from engaging in any criminal activity. ... The human behavior is motivated by attainment of pleasure and the ability to avoid pain. Natural law reveals actions that people should not be engaged in, but the punishments that criminals received were not deterrent in nature, but brutal. No forms of punishments that criminals receive should be used to take way a person’s happiness while in the society. This is because according to Beccaria, a person is ready to relieve a minute amount of happiness in order to live in a secure and humble environment. Men do not want to be under scrutiny at all times and they feel more independent when the scrutiny is at the minimum (Beccaria 2009). Pleasures in human beings can be described as that of skill, wealth, sense, amity, piety, and benevolence. In addition, a good name, malevolence, memory, power, relief, and expectation constitute to feelings of pleasure in a person. Pleasures can be complex or simple. People will do everything to ensure that they have pleasure as opposed to pain. Pleasures and pains are caused by certain actions, however, the amount of the pleasure or pain felt is not proportional to the causing effect. Since majority in the society look for pleasure at all times, Bentham notes that people should be given a free will to enjoy their lives as long as they do not inflict pain on others (DeMelo, 2001). On the other hand, Bentham focused on utilitarianism because he believed greatest happiness for the majority. This could not be achieved without changing the justice system because the leadership of that time was corrupt and barbaric. The people, according to Bentham measure the probabilities between future and present pleasures against future

The Effectiveness of Ability Grouping Kindergarten Students In Reading Research Proposal

The Effectiveness of Ability Grouping Kindergarten Students In Reading Groups On Improving Reading Scores - Research Proposal Example study, these researchers drew on the ECLS-K database, from where they included only the first-time kindergarten students, who learnt in the same school the whole year. They also excluded students with learning disabilities, and those with limited proficiency in the English language. A multilevel analysis was then used to assess the influence of within-class grouping and other school and instructional factors on the reading achievement of kindergarteners. Nonetheless, the results from this study showed that when teachers use within-class grouping more frequently, this had a positive influence on the mean school gain in reading. This study therefore, suggests that the use of ability groupings in kindergartens might lead to an improvement in the early literacy and reading (O’Connell & Levitt, 2006). In another study, Tach and Farkas (2005) used the ECLS-K data to explore the influence of within-class reading on kindergarten and first grade students. These hypothesized that the ef fectiveness of within-class ability grouping is influenced by the incoming level of reading of the students, their proficiency in mathematics, as well as their preschool behavior problems, which are more common among boys and those students from families of low socioeconomic status. The researchers used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) on the ECLS-K data, and included only those students and classrooms that had complete data, beginning from kindergarten, end of kindergarten, and first grade. Nonetheless, results of this study showed that prior reading test scores of students and the judgment of teachers on the learning ability of students influenced the effectiveness of within-class ability groupings in kindergartens. Overall, the ability groupings in kindergartens, according to this study,... This study exhibits considerable limitations. First, there will be bias in the selection process of participants. The selection criterion involved requires that only students who have never changed schools between fall and spring of their kindergarten year be included in the study sample. For this reason therefore, the results might not reflect the effect of ability grouping among all kindergarten students. In addition, the use of self-report questionnaires to establish the frequency of using ability groupings among teachers cannot generate the accuracy of teachers' self-ratings. Moreover, this data cannot determine the quality of instruction in the ability groupings and cannot establish whether the teacher modified the instruction to suit student’s needs. More so, the timing of the study might lead to misplaced levels of reading proficiency, thus leading to wrong results of the measure of academic process testing. This paper makes a conclusion that the role and effectiveness of ability groupings has not been given the attention it deserves. Therefore, as most kindergarten teachers attempt to improve the reading scores of their students, some have paid lee attention to ability groupings strategy. This study therefore, seeks to investigate the effectiveness of ability groupings on the reading scores of kindergarteners in Russell Primary School. Depending on the results of the study, ability groupings might or might not be recommended to kindergarten teachers.

Impact Of Immigration On Australian In Socioeconomic Context Economics Essay

Impact Of Immigration On Australian In Socioeconomic Context Economics Essay This essay will explain the economic, environmental and social impact of immigration on Australia and its role in the future prospects of the country. Studying the country for the group report and presentation we came across how important are the skilled immigrants as an addition to the labour force of Australia. Immigration is an interesting issue as it touches many areas of public life: economics, demographics and even religion. According to OECD around 3% of the people in the globe are migrants. Each country and even regions in a specific country experience migration differently. Therefore this essay with the use of PESTLE analysis to scan the political-legal, economic and environmental impact and Hofstede Cultural dimensions to explain social attributes, will be a focused research on immigration and its effect on the people and the country. The first part gives an inside of the history of migration and the early policies adopted by the country. Part 2 goes on to illustrate the trends over time concerning the migration policies and laws. Part 3 and 4 deal with the environmental and economic impact of immigration respectively. Finally, the social attitude and how are immigrants treated in todays society will be considered. Background Australia being a British colony and closely connected with the Empire, concentrated its early migration policies before World War II in keeping the country white accepting into the country only British and Europeans. However, after World War II migration was high in the agenda of politicians with policies being set in accordance with the needs of the country: allow more non-European skilled immigrants to cover the shortage of labour and expand the manufacturing industry. Their slogan was populate or perish and a large wave of immigrants was accepted in the country. The White Australia Policy was abolished in 1973 and regardless of origin; anyone could become a citizen of Australia being a permanent resident for three years or more. The years to follow will see the policies and laws towards migrants becoming more structured and focused. Significant changes took place aided by globalisation and the easier movement of people. Indeed globalisation and the fact that national events have international effects is one of the drivers of migration. Immigration policies We will analyse the Political and Legal parts (political support and initiative, legislation changes) of PESTLE to evaluate the immigration policies adopted by the governments. The permanent entry and conditions are established by the Australian Government whereas the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is responsible to issue visas under various programs. The size of permanent migration program increased substantially and this is mainly the aftermath of the growing focus on skilled workers. The Skill Stream accounts for 64% of the total Migration Program followed by the Family Stream which accounts for 35.7% and finally the Special Eligibility with 0.3%. In 2008 it was announced by the government that the skilled migration will be more demand driven and therefore more responsive to changes in the demand for labour and the needs of the economy. This was to assist industries facing skill shortages mostly in health and engineering sector. As with demand-driven operating models and especially pull models that support the use of resources as soon as the need arises, the Migration Program adapts policies to respond to the countrys needs. Australia had a brain drain problem for many years with highly skilled workers and professional leaving the country. It can be argued that that is one of the reasons why the Migration Program is so keen in accepting in the country skilled labour. Actually, legislation changes are made to accommodate the new immigrants, for example the removal of fees for English courses. However, concentrating more on the skilled immigrants might be seen as unfair by other categories of migrants as the recent riots have showed at Villawood a detention camp in Sydney. Detainees complained of lengthy waits to have their asylum claims heard. It is argued that those of a genuine need of government protection are not treated as it should. As a matter of fact, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen proposed a new law where any asylum seeker found guilty of an offence would fail to receive a permanent visa. In terms of return to the country, though, and especially the economy, skilled labour contributes more. The number of refugees arriving by boat increased substantially and even though the government tries to accommodate them all this is impossible. Impact of immigration on the environment Moving on to the Environment from PESTLE we will consider the level of pollution and attitudes from the government. Most of Australias geographical area is uninhabited with people concentrated in a small number of specific parts of the country and cities. Australia has one of the lowest population densities of all countries with only 2.92 people per square kilometre. Even though it may seem that Australia land area of 7.7 million square kilometres could support a larger population, this is impossible due to the fact that deserts occupy almost 38% of the country mainly in the centre and western part. The situation worsened with the recent severe floods in the many states. In Queensland alone 200,000 were affected and a mass evacuation took place. Therefore it is obvious that population increases are important to Australia since 75% of the population lives in urban areas with cities like the Australian Capital Territory having the highest population density at 152.5 people per square kilometre. A research of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2010) showed that 54% of the population increase is due to immigrants. The Optimum Population Trust argues that to sustain the current standard of leaving the optimum population of Australia is 10 million people and 21 million at the lowest possible living standard. The current figure of population 22.5 million people and the projected figure of 36 million in 2050 are high above the optimum set by the organisation. However, it can be argued that natural resources like oil could sustain population pressures if the people, the government and major companies invest in substitutes and new technologies. As far as global warming and greenhouse gas emission are concern Australia is one of the largest polluter of the world with the CO2 emission reaching the outstanding figure of per capita. This and other environmental externalities like congestion may have a deteriorating effect on the living standards of Australians. Environmental deterioration due to increased migration must be weighed against economic impacts when considering the future of the country. Impact of immigration on the economy The Economy from PESTLE analysis seems to be the strongest card of the country. The economic performance of Australia has been remarkable since the economic crisis. This part will concentrate particularly on the impact the skilled immigrants have on the economy of Australia. Overall, larger population means more labour translating in higher gross domestic product and income. However, how this increase is spread across the population and the impact on living standards are not clear given the aggregate measures of GDP and GNI. If we consider GDP and GNI per capita then these are affected by the productivity of the workers and the participation rate. Skilled immigrants affect the supply composition of labour. It is projected in the Commission paper of 2006 that by 2024-2025 and with a modelled 50% increase in the skilled migrants working age share will fall by 0.17% and participation rates will increase by 0.73% due to the cumulative effect of migration. The unemployment rate will increase with the years of residency with the cumulative effect of decreasing unemployment rates of new arrivals early in the period begins to outweigh the higher unemployment rates of new arrivals late in the period, and overall the unemployment rate decreases by 0.03% and hours per worker will rise by 0.05 per week. As expected real gross domestic product was projected to be around 4 per cent higher than otherwise. The annual average income per capita was projected to be $383 higher but not equally distributed. Migrants are expected to benefit more from the increase in average income since the incumbent populations average real wages declined by $334, but income from other sources raised, especially from government transfers due to higher indirect tax revenue, $103 per annum respectively. A higher income per capita means that people will spend more leading to increased tax revenue for the government. The impact of increased skilled labour must by also be considered in the context of different industries and regions. For example in the Western Australia the most important sectors are mining and agriculture which are capital intensive affected mostly by changes in capital stocks rather than labour composition. The immigration increases can address the costs and time associated with the training of domestic labour. However, it may substitute domestic income and discourage the human capital investment of the country. The answer is to make the skilled migrants a compliment to domestic labour rather than a substitute. Peoples attitude towards immigration In order to analyse the social attributes towards immigration the Hofstede Cultural Dimensions will be used in this section. Overall, globalisation made people of Australia today more acceptable of foreigners settling in their country and they are open to the idea of a multicultural society. However, it is evident from the early migration policies discussed on previous section that the government had a discriminating approach towards non-British migrants especially those settlers coming from Asia, in an attempt to perceive the national identity. Many have argued that this attitude was a product of fear that as the British had colonised and decimated the aborigines so will a stronger nation do to them. With globalisation, people began to realise that foreigners settling in their country will be a reality for their everyday life. Ethnic communities were formed and foreigners took part in elections as government officials and academics. In the year 2010 the foreign-born population in Australia was 26.4% of the total population compared to the 3.1% of the world average. In a recent survey carried out by the University of Western Sidney 86.6% of the people asked agreed that It is a good thing for a society to be made up of people from different cultures. Nevertheless 80.1% answer for themselves that they are no prejudiced against other cultures but in the question Is there a racial prejudice in Australia 84.4% agreed. According to Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions Australia has the second highest level of individuality of 90 coming behind the United States ranking of 91. Individualism describes the relationships of people and the way the live together. People therefore are expected to take care of only themselves and immediate family maybe that is why Australians may still be suspicious of foreigners. In addition earnings are very important therefore they might feel a threat from the skilled migrants. Critical reflection This essay tried to tackle a very complex and significant issue of Australia. Maybe the analysis would have been more concise if it was concentrated in fewer areas that are affected by immigration. Most of the sources used are from the governments websites but in some parts critics were also evaluated. In addition the presence of International Business Models is not sufficient and more examples of models could have been used. Difficulties were faced in the research when trying to find the most recent statistical data. More independent sources could have been use and more coherent arguments. The results are inconclusive and a more detailed research must be carried out to better assess the question of what is the impact of immigration on Australia. The issue of migration must be set in a wider context taking under consideration a greater number of factors and drivers for example consider also the role of emigration.