Cognitive Distortions and Eating Disorders

Cognitive Distortions and Eating Disorders Eating Disorders Symptoms Print Cognitive Distortions and Eating Disorders By Susan Cowden, MS facebook linkedin Susan Cowden is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a member of the Academy for Eating Disorders. Learn about our editorial policy Susan Cowden, MS Updated on February 24, 2020 Olga Batishcheva/Getty Images More in Eating Disorders Symptoms Treatment Diagnosis Awareness and Prevention Cognitive distortions  are inaccurate or exaggerated thought patterns or thoughts. They are sometimes also referred to as dysfunctional, negative, or automatic thoughts. Cognitive distortions about food, weight, and body image are a core symptom of both  anorexia nervosa  and  bulimia  nervosa and  are experienced by many other people as well. Treatment for eating disorders usually prioritizes weight restoration, resumption of regular eating patterns, and other behavioral changes. Later on, treatment also commonly addresses problematic thinking patterns. 10 Common Cognitive Distortions Different Kinds of Cognitive Distortions Different patterns of problematic thoughts are commonly experienced by people with eating disorders. Recognizing, challenging, and changing negative thought patterns is one of the main components of  cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Learning the patterns of cognitive distortions through CBT or another type of therapy can help you learn to recognize them. Keep in mind that identifying the exact type of problematic thinking you are experiencing is not the critical componentâ€"you just want to become more aware of them. Here are a few of the most common cognitive distortions experienced by people with eating disorders. Shoulds Shoulds  are demands  that you place on yourself such as thinking I should have done better. or I must be perfect. Regarding eating disorders, shoulds might include thoughts about needing to exercise, what foods should/shouldnt be eaten, or what you should weigh. All or Nothing Thinking This type of thinking is sometimes known as black and white thinking. It contributes to perfectionistic tendencies because it causes you to believe that something is either completely okay/right or completely wrong. When you have an eating disorder, this can crop up when you have a plan to adhere to a specific dietary ruleâ€"you may feel as if the day is completely ruined when you eat something ‘wrong’ or the scale reads something other than what you’d like to see. How to Overcome All-Or-Nothing Thinking Overgeneralizing Overgeneralizing is like or nothing thinking. It occurs when you believe that a negative experience or situation describes your life completely. An example might be believing that a relapse means that you will never recover fully, rather than seeing it as a temporary setback. Catastrophizing Any time you believe that a situation is so bad that you simply cannot survive it, you may be catastrophizing about the situation or its outcome. For example, you might believe that if you weighed a certain amount, no one would like you or your self-worth would plummet. You might also believe that your weight will rise based on what you have eaten at one meal or snack. Labeling Labeling is a distortion that attempts to place people and things  in  specific categories. Examples of this might be “I’m such a loser, “I have no  self-control, or “These foods will make me gain weight.” Typically, these labels are overly simplistic and are unable to describe all of the complexities humans possess. Rejecting the Positive  Many cognitive distortions focus only on the negative aspects of something and reject anything positive. For someone with an eating disorder, this type of distortion may focus only on criticizing mistakes  or focus only on the caloric content of food instead of on the nutrition and energy in the food. The Power of Positive Thinking Unfavorable Comparisons Many people with eating disorders compare the way they look, what they weigh, and how much they eat to the people around them. These comparisons tend to always be negative. For instance, if you think someone weighs less than you do, the eating disorder thoughts may focus on how you ‘should’ also weigh less. However, if you believe that you weigh less, the eating disorder thoughts focus on keeping you at the lower weight. Blaming and Personalizing Blaming and personalizing are two sides of the same issue. When someone personalizes, they believe that everything is their fault, whereas when someone blames others, they believe that everything is someone else’s fault. The truth likely lies somewhere in the middleâ€"and sometimes it is no one’s fault that something has happened. How to Track and Change Your Cognitive Distortions Keep a record of thoughts that occur before binges or purges and/or times you feel upset. See if they follow any of the patterns described above. Once you are aware of your cognitive distortions you can learn some strategies for managing and modifying cognitive distortions.  A cognitive-behavioral therapist can also help you to run experiments to test the validity of these thoughts. How Cognitive Restructuring Works

A Feather Symbolize to Forrest’s Life - 917 Words

A feather symbolize to Forrest’s life From the film ‘Forrest Gump’ which created by Winston Groom and directed by Robert Zemeckis, The film has focused on his main character ‘Forrest Gump’ played by Tom Hanks. It can state that ‘Forrest’s Life imply to a feather’, because there are factors which can make him do a great success that is hard for everyone can reach it. And these factors is his basic character, his social surroundings and his lifestyle. At the first factor, his characteristics make him imply to a feather that carried by wind, it is symbolize that a man who let himself flow by his destiny. Forrest Gump is a moronic man who has a low brain’s development or mental age as we can see in the scene that his mother is convinced by†¦show more content†¦Among people’s view see that Forrest is a one who success many thing in his life. But actually, Forrest doesn’t notice that he is being like that. H e just want to do because of his want, but he do it extremely that makes his performance going through the highest point. Forrest never expects anything from his action but he got the feedback from it. His life never going by his want but he let the destiny lead him to found a new thing in life. It is like a feather which waits for a wind to blow it away from its old place. Wind are symbolize to the destiny which appoint one’s life that it is should be. It can say that Forrest are always waiting for his destiny lead him, and he follow the appointment without resistance. It can say that being feather is performance without fixing and defining , just let many events come to life. It’s success in Forrest way because he is a extremely serious one. And his surroundings in his life are likely to support the one like him. Forrest let the destiny define his life how it is going to be and he deals with the every situation in his life. By the way, It cannot state that being lik e feather carried by wind are good or not. It’s up to each person’s view that judge how it shouldShow MoreRelatedFate Portrayed in Forrest Gump Essays794 Words   |  4 PagesA general theme in Forrest Gump is fate. We see it everywhere; in Jenny, in Lieutenant Dan, in the feather, the box of chocolates, even Forrest himself. The film tells the story of Forrest’s life. The good and the bad, the people he meets, the things he accomplishes, and the hardships he faces are all part of a plan. Fate can be pretty funny. Forrest started out with bad legs, no friends, and no education but throughout the movie he makes many friends, saves lives, becomes very wealthy, andRead MoreFilm Analysis Of Forrest Gump1924 Words   |  8 Pagesto be happy in life, but Jenny didn’t have a sweet childhood either as she was abused by her Father. Later in life Forrest decides to join the army to fight against Vietnam where he met a new friend called Bubba, who can’ t stop talking about shrimp as he wants to own a business about it. Throughout Forrest’s life he achieved many medals, inspired people, and met President Kennedy, but in his mind was always his childhood sweetheart, Jenny Curran. This is due because of Forrest’s Mom passing awayRead MoreHigh Artistic Merit Films Exude Special Effects That Take Hollywood By Storm Essay1538 Words   |  7 PagesReleased in 1994 by Paramount Pictures, Forrest Gump tells the story of a Southern, mentally challenged man named Forrest Gump who experiences many tribulations in his life, such as having a low IQ of 75 and wearing braces on his leg as a child. Throughout the plot of the film, Forrest adheres to a signature phrase coined by his mother, â€Å"Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.† His willingness allows him to participate in some of the most iconic American events in the 1960sRead MoreEssay About Forrest Gump1618 Words   |  7 PagesR. SURYA ADHYTAMA/C1310013 Hermeneutical Analysis of â€Å"Forrest Gump† â€Å"Forrest Gump† is a drama with comical aspects. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis and released in 1994. It is about a man facing the challenges in his life. The story spans from 1951-1984 and takes place in different locations of America, and Vietnam. Forrest Gump isn’t the smartest guy on earth. He is on the slow side when it comes to understanding academic things and figuring things out, and that is not very strange when he isRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Forrest Gump944 Words   |  4 Pagesdescribed as an epic romantic comedy drama. Many rhetorical appeals such as ethos, pathos, and logos are made throughout the entire movie. Pathos is used the most effecting the audiences’ emotions from beginning to end. The film is based on Forrest Gump’s life, in which he narrated as a historical story throughout the movie. Forrest Gump was born and raised in Greenbow, Alabama by his single mother. Forrest was mentally and physically handicapped. He had to wear medal braces on both of his legs. He alsoRead MoreComparsion of Forrest Gump and The Dark Knight Rises Essay example521 Words   |  3 Pagesmore. The feather symbolizing freedom, the leg braces symbolizing society, the box of chocolates symbolizing life, th e shrimp business symbolizing the working class, and the ping pong ball which symbolizes focus, just to name a few. Batman himself is a symbol to the people of Gotham city and that’s the point. Bruce even said; â€Å"As a man I can be destroyed...but as a symbol...as a symbol I can become incorruptible, everlasting...† The masks worn by Batman, Bane, and Cat Woman symbolize masks, oddlyRead MoreForrest Gump : Active Video Note Taking, Questions, And Analysis Paper1154 Words   |  5 Pages Lt. Dan Taylor -The story begins with Forrest sitting at a bus stop; he picks up a white feather and places it in his case (possible symbol?) -†Mama always said, â€Å"Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get!† -Forrest refers to his mom a lot during the opening scenes. -His IQ is low -Vacation is when you go somewhere and never come back. -Jenny was Forrest’s best friend and only -†If i was going somewhere i was running† -Was on a american football team

My Own Culture, Race, Ethnicity, And Kinship - 1374 Words

In today’s society, one’s own culture, race, ethnicity, and kinship is an important aspect to describing an individual. This relationship can be effected in terms of physical appearance and social situations within ones everyday life. Throughout my own life, family and kinship has positively influenced my own values and morals. Because of these aspects, I have experienced some stereotypes of my own race. Throughout my life, my family has impacted how I have looked upon my own morals and values. I grew up within my nuclear family around me, including my mother and father. My parents value hard work into every aspect of their own lives. Because of this, I use this as a daily moral and reminder in my own life. I’m also close with my†¦show more content†¦Although some cultures practice arranged marriages and polyandry for different purposes, it is interesting to understand and respect those values of another culture. Through my extended family on my fatherâ €™s side, the impact of agriculture and landownership has been an impactful aspect of my life. In Jamestown, Ohio, my great grandparents have a farm that produces vegetables and meats that are produced for profit. When I was a child, I visited their farm frequently and learned how to raise pigs for potential meat consumption. This practice was respected and valued within the Jenkins bloodline from my great grandparents to this generation. This is similar to individuals for families in India in the reading by David McCurdy called â€Å"Family and Kinship in Village India†. These individuals valued the impact of family-centered landownership within the economic market. Such practices of family farms are like these aspects in India, much like my father’s family bloodline. Both families value the homegrown market economy for potential profit. This similarity is significant in both societies to impact the market for food consumption. When I was a little girl, I naturall y learned to be a female who performs feminine norms and jobs. For example, gender socialization was evident when I played with the stereotypical toys that girls would play with. I would play with dolls for hours, not knowing the slightest bit about cars and trucks. Because of myShow MoreRelatedGender, Religion, Race, Ethnicity And Nationality People s Self Concept850 Words   |  4 Pagessexuality, religion, race, ethnicity or nationality people’s self-concept is structured around multiple identifiers. Depending on context some identifiers are more predominant than others, however, these identities enable people the ability to understand and differentiate themselves from others. While all identities are important, a crucial dimension of identity often dismissed as a major contributor to self-individuality is national identity (Baldwin, 157). Partaking in a culture, society or communityRead MoreEssay on Racism1251 Words   |  6 Pageswhich may include superficial characte ristics often associated with race. This paper will express my opinion of how racism will effect America. I will base information from Webster’s definition of Racism, reading assigned for the course, and some of my own ideas on ways to overcome this obstacle as a nation. Racism has historically been defined as the belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities, that a certain race is inherently superior or inferior to others, and/or that individualsRead MoreDifferent Types Of Parenting Styles1495 Words   |  6 Pagesexamine the different type of parenting styles as it relates to ethnicity and various cultures. What exactly is ethnicity and culture? The Oxford Dictionary defines ethnicity as â€Å"the fact or state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition.† Ethnic groups are individually different based on their race, religion and, traditions. They can differ in terms of languages, foods, stories, customs and, values. Culture, according to the Oxford Dictionary is defined as, â€Å"the artsRead MoreIn Analyzing The Effect Of Conflict On Gender Both Peterson940 Words   |  4 Pageschildren are often the most vulnerable in conflict situations. Peterson specifically states that coping ec onomies are â€Å"most obviously feminized, it is primarily women who are assigned, and assume, responsibility for sustaining families, households, kinship networks, and even neighborhoods† P.15. (define coping economy in footnotes). Raven-Roberts also made a similar observation when she notes that community livelihoods systems are one of the most affected areas during and after conflict. (define livelihoodRead MoreDetroit s Convict Culture Has Shaped The Lives Of Many Young American Men1318 Words   |  6 Pagesargue, Detroit’s convict culture has shaped the lives of many young American men in Detroit America. Through using structural power to create systemic interaction among society. By using ideological, economic, political and military power to shape public ideas and values through institutions like Detroit’s detention facility. The detention centre has both positive and negative effects on the convicts, designed to enforced cultural beliefs often differen t from one’s own culture. The centre brings togetherRead MoreHow Bikers Are Strange?1351 Words   |  6 Pagesunusual coincidence among bikers- a characteristic that all bikers share. Something about riding a bike changes you in a way nothing else can. Bikers possess a certain maturity unlike anything else. I am not sure if it has to do with confronting your own mortality, or the feeling of freedom you get when escape the trivialities of life. I do not know if it has to do with the brotherhood you get from fellow bikers, or if the experience puts everything else into perspective, but Bikers truly are a differentRead MoreThe Past1775 Words   |  8 Pagesillustrates the surrounding of suburbia which is then juxtaposed by the poet’s discussion of her dream. Oodgeroo’s polemic argument on the fact that she will never forget the mistreatment of not only towards herself but also to the whole aboriginal race by white people is created through her use of language devices, which builds the negative tone. In line â€Å"Let no one say the past is dead† (1) the words â€Å"no one† acts as an absolute. Personification is used in the line when death, a human quality isRead MoreNotes On The Bond Bikers1705 Words   |  7 Pagesmotorcycle ownership, there is an unusual coincidence among bikers- a characteristic all bikers share. Something about riding a bike changes you. Bikers possess a certain maturity unlike anything else. I do not know if it has to do with confronting your own mortality, or the feeling of freedom you get when escaping the trivialities of life. It could have something to do with the brotherhood you get from fellow bikers, or if the experience puts everything else into perspective, but Bikers truly are a dif ferentRead MoreI m Black Not African American2627 Words   |  11 PagesI’m black not African American My research question is: Does the term African American offends heritages that are classified within that label/category? For some time now, there’s been a battle about the term African America, whether is suitable for all black races in America. I do not think it is. The term leaves out other black heritages in America that usually would go into that label/category. The term â€Å"black† dates to the 1960s and 1970s and the civil rights movement. The Black Power movementRead More English Language Learning Essay1783 Words   |  8 Pagesis important to contextualise the process of identity formation of Gujarati women with what was happening in Britain in regard to race relation at both the time of their arrival and the various stages of settlement since. The 1970s was a period when many Gujarati families arrived in the UK as refugees or economic migrants, which is marked as a period of contradictory race discrimination and immigration control legislation (Brah 1996). This period is also marked by the routine involvement of women

The Road by Cormac Mccarthy Free Essays

The Road by Corm McCarthy is a novel set in a post-apocalyptic world following the path of a Father and Son. McCarthy is a highly celebrated award-winning author. He is 78 years old and has an 8-year-old son – an uncommon circumstance – underlining that for him, death is imminent and prompting him to consider the ideas discussed in his novel. We will write a custom essay sample on The Road by Cormac Mccarthy or any similar topic only for you Order Now In The Road, the father is undergoing a crisis of faith and so adopts an Existentialist view and creates meaning through his son – who therefore influences many of his actions. I found McCarthy use of techniques such as Juxtaposition and antithesis that counter the macabre images throughout the book with those of love between the father and Son both repulsive and fascinating at the same time. The earth is in a state of despair – there is no electricity, transport or access to food/ water. Much of humanity has turned feral, losing all sense of the moral code that makes us human. McCarthy uses the Mother and Father to show conflicting choices made in this environment. The Fathers choice was to live because of the belief he has in his child, which he formed in his despair. If he is not the word of God than God never spoke. Because of the nightmarish situation the world has been placed in, he finds it hard to hold onto his religious beliefs concerning God and so instead looks to find another meaning in life to give him reason to continue – his son. If the son is not worth keeping alive then everything that he once believed in must be false. On the other hand, the mother takes a nihilistic view. â€Å"Why don’t we talk about death anymore? Because it is here. There is nothing left to talk about. † She chooses to kill herself, as she believes that there is no point prolonging the inevitable. They will ape us, kill us and eat us. † This represents a grotesque corruption of parenthood. For the mother to take such drastic measures we realize the true gravity and hopelessness of the situation. However, even though the mother can see this clearly, the Father, who cannot give up hope while his son lives, cannot bear to let this hope die even though it may be in the child’s best intentions. We can clearly see the effect the son has on his father because he has chosen to follow his belief system and fight to keep his son and therefore hope alive. The mother and father are both in the same tuition but choose to follow different paths. However, as McCarthy further explores in the novel, both of these choices will ultimately end in death. Through the son’s actions, McCarthy suggests a different path to choose in this environment, while continuing to demonstrate the sons influence over the father. When they come across a shuffling, limping man who looks close to death the father insists that nothing can be done. â€Å"Can’t we help him Papa? † The son shows a compassion and humanity that the father, in his quest for survival, lacks this. He chooses to treat everything, hostile or otherwise as a threat. This is an understandable mentality but as the son demonstrates to us certainly not the only one. Later in the novel, the pair come across a little boy and a dog on the road. â€Å"We should go get him, Papa. We could get him and take him with us. We could take him and we could take the dog. The dog could catch something to eat†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. What about the little boy? He sobbed. What about the little boy? † In this case, the boys kindness seems to go beyond Just compassion. He seems to see himself in the little boy (if not purely for any reason ether insists that they cannot trust a little boy Just like him might make him consider if they really are the ‘good guys’ and ‘carrying the flame’ -the only comfort he draws from their situation. McCarthy clearly shows us the son struggling to accept his father’s mentality and starting to form his own based on compassion and his own innate goodness. The fathers crisis of faith develops throughout the novel. Towards the beginning of the novel, we see how he had mixed feelings over God, as he felt abandoned in this hell on earth. How does the never to be differ from what never was? Even with the son to place his hope in, the father’s crisis of faith is enough to make him question if god ever existed. To cope with the world he lives in he adopts the mentality of ‘shoot or be shot’ and treats everything with suspicion and little compassion. However, we see excepti ons to this rule where the sons influence is concerned like when they meet the old man Eli on the road and the father gives him food due to the sons pleading. But the real change occurs in the father towards the end of the novel when he knows he will die soon and accepts the son’s mentality. Whatever form you spoke of, you were right. The father is beginning to understand the boys mind set. But immediately after this comes the death of the father and although showing the son truly alone, it also represents the death of his mentality and his religion which acts as an external body of rules used as a moral code. This organized religion has broken down in this environment. However, the son demonstrates a different path based on an innate goodness inside us. God was meaningless to the boy, he came from a world he did not understand or belong to. The boy never needed the father for meaning – His innate goodness is meaning in itself. This mentality that the son can now carry on lends to the possibility of a future in this world that would be based on the assumption of an innate goodness in all of us that must be found in order to remain human. McCarthy is discussing the value of faith – something worth living for, a reason to try to survive in the harshest of Corm McCarthy discusses the relationship between father and son situations. In his novel The Road. The father choice to make the son his Warrant’ to live shows the influence he has on him. ‘Glowing like a tabernacle. ‘ He literally sees his son as a odd like figure. However, McCarthy makes clear throughout the novel that the fathers choices he makes in an attempt to protect his son are, while understandable, far from admirable. The father constantly treats everything as a threat. The small boy they encountered was left behind because the father suspected a trap. He nearly killed the already half-dead man who stole their shopping trolley of supplies. The path offered by the son is the more morally correct and therefore human choice to make. It seems as if the author is counting on the existence of the innate goodness inside all of us. Although he discusses the worst of what we are capable of, he sets up the expectation that humanity will find the best of itself. It is clear that the sons influence over his father went as far as to start to break down the walls of his religious mentality but in order to see the true demise of his organized religion the father must die. As a 16-year-old living a pampered life, this novel is a bit of a slap in the face. McCarthy forces us to ask the hard questions. At your core, are you good? Does your compassion outweigh your selfishness and greed? I would love to say yes but I’m not sure that I can. How to cite The Road by Cormac Mccarthy, Papers The Road by Cormac Mccarthy Free Essays The award winning novel of the Pulitzer Price, â€Å"The Road† is a dark-post apocalyptic tale that tells of the journey south taken by a young boy and his father after an unknown catastrophe has struck the Earth. The man and the boy who remain unnamed throughout the entire novel are among the survivors left in the world who have not been driven to murder, rape and cannibalism. Despite their hardships, the man and the boy choose to remain optimistic by â€Å"carrying the fire†. We will write a custom essay sample on The Road by Cormac Mccarthy or any similar topic only for you Order Now McCarthy successfully conveys paternal love between the man and the boy, which is the major theme of this novel by recreating real experiences of fathering a child at an advanced age as well as his struggles with outright poverty during his career, which combine to allow us to share the love and pain felt by the characters. From the very first page of this novel, we are introduced to the man’s warmth and affection for his son. â€Å"When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he’d reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him†. The effect of this on us is greatly heart-warming. This is because despite such difficult circumstances, the man’s first priority is still his son. By illustrating the closeness of the relationship between the man and his son, McCarthy is able to give us insight to our own society, by allowing love to persevere in perverse times. McCarthy is able to convey the love between a father and his son by using events such as natural disasters. An example of this is when the man comforts his son after an earthquake, â€Å"It’s gone now. We’re alright. Shh†. The man attempts to be the pillar of emotional support for his son who has yet to be independent. Also, by reassuring the boy and offering him some comfort, the boy is able to feel his father’s care and concern, and so, the boy will feel loved and in return, reciprocate his father’s love. In less dramatic situations, the man gives his son as many â€Å"treats† as he can in such a world like an old can of Coca-Cola and a grape powdered drink mix. By doing this, we see the man’s sincerity in wanting his son to have a taste of normality. The next issue in the theme of paternal love is, love as the driving force to ensure survival. This can be clearly portrayed by the man’s outburst of violence towards anyone who threatens his son’s life, most obviously in the scene where he shot the road rat who held a knife to the boy’s throat. â€Å"I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand? † said the man. The man however, does not kill out of malice or for food. His wariness towards others seems primarily for the protection of his son. The man’s ferocity can again be linked back to his love for his son as it is parental instinct to protect one’s children. This is proven as the man’s wife points out before her suicide that â€Å"the boy was all that stood between him and death†. In other words, the man’s unquenched thirst for survival is fuelled by the love for his son. Finally, McCarthy is able to highlight and explore the theme of parental love by emphasising the unending love between a parent and a child towards the end of the novel. At the man’s deathbed, he reveals to his son that â€Å"You have my whole heart. You always did. If I’m not here you can still talk to me. You can talk to me and I’ll talk to you†. The man’s final words show us that he wholeheartedly loved his son and will continue to love him even after death. The boy on the other hand is filled with grief and begs to follow his father in death. â€Å"Just take me with you please†, he says to the man. This shows us that the relationship between the man and the boy has grown to the extent where the boy thinks that he would not let anything separate them, specifically death in this context. However, even though the man cannot physically be beside the boy anymore, the man is right about them being able to speak again because all his knowledge, teachings and most importantly spirit, has been passed down to the boy so that he can keep ‘carrying the fire†. In conclusion, separation between family members, in this case, a father and his son may be painful and difficult to bear at first, but as long as the torch of love remains enkindled in one’s heart, they are never truly separated as the legacy of the one who has passed on now lives on in the one that still breathes. Overall, â€Å"The Road† is a hopeful love-story between a father and his son. Even during the bleakest moments, the man’s love for his son, his unwavering efforts to protect his son and his hope for his son’s future makes the novel bearable and sometimes uncomfortably familiar. Although McCarthy has shown us a world where the living exist with â€Å"Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it,† he also shows that beauty and happiness can exist in borrowed time, in a borrowed world, through eyes filled with love. How to cite The Road by Cormac Mccarthy, Papers

Introduction to Criminal Justice free essay sample

This definition of a crime comes from (Merriam-Webster On-line Dictionary) and reads; â€Å"Crime: an act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law; especially: a gross violation of the law†. There are several definitions of crime, but there all consistent for the most part. People who commit crimes are held to answer for the crimes they are accused of.For this, we must have a judicial system in place that is fair and balanced. Although the person accused of committing the crime is sometimes judged before he’s even gone to court, he must be allowed certain rights and due process. Those rights must not be violated prior to a trial. It’s this system that makes American what we are. Sometimes there are cases that make us feel that the person being tried should just be executed or sent to jail, because the media has basically tried and convicted the person prior to trial. We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction to Criminal Justice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This was evident in the â€Å"Casey Anthony† murder trial. Most Americans and the media had convicted her prior to trial. She was found not guilty earlier today by twelve jurors. Is the system fair? Who knows, but this is the reason, lots of people believe there should be professional jurors for high profile cases like this. On the other hand our judicial system has been around for a long time and delivers in most cases a fair system of government that protects the innocent, the victims and the accused. Of course all parties involved don’t feel this way based on where you’re at during the judicial process, but it’s a system that’s fair to all parties. The system is overseen by federal systems that try to keep order and balance throughout the country. Without any of this we would be a country with no law and order. Vigilantes’ would run the streets creating their own laws and chaos would prevail. The three components of the criminal justice system are The Police, The Criminal Courts and The Correctional Institutions.Each one of these components has a very specific function and go hand in hand with one another. For example; if a person is arrested by a police officer for a residential burglary, there is a series of events that happen on the law enforcement side, before the suspect goes to court and before he becomes a part of the correctional institutions. . Once an officer confirms a crime has been committed, he must place the person under arrest and show there was probable cause to arrest the person.This information goes into a â€Å"Probable Cause statement that’s submitted during the booking process. If the suspect is questioned he must be advised of his Miranda rights by the law enforcement officer. Evidence must be collected to prove the crime was committed and the person being charged committed the crime. The suspect is then transported to the county jail for booking. The officer must then document the incident in a police report and be able to articulate the elements of the crime have been fulfilled. The evidence must be booked and the police report must then be submitted to the District Attorney’s office within a 48 hour time frame before the suspect is arraigned in court. If any of this fails’ to happen the courts could release the suspect under Penal Code 825. The case can still be submitted to the District Attorney’s office, but it will be filled out of custody. If this process has been completed correctly the criminal courts takes over their function. Once the suspect goes to court for his first appearance he is advised of his charges and the probable cause is confirmed by the courts.During this phase the report and evidence collected are examined by the defense counsel to see if the suspect has a chance of winning the case. If the defense attorney feels that his client may lose the case based off of the evidence presented he may be allowed to plea bargain in which the suspect could plead to a lesser crime or admit guilt to the crime he is accused of. There are several things that determine if this allowed to happen, to include the suspects past criminal history and the seriousness of the crime.If the courts feel there is enough probable cause and the suspect’s rights have not been violated, the suspect will be held to answer to the charges brought against him. Otherwise the suspect could be let free based on the lack of probable cause, lack of physical evidence or the suspect’s rights being violated during the arrest or questioning process. If the suspect is held to answer he will then go to an arraignment. Once there he will plead either not guilty, guilty, or no contest. If a person pleads â€Å"not guilty† he is set for pre-trial at which time his case is handled by the person’s lawyer.If need be the case goes to trial where he is judged by twelve of his peers or the person pleads to a lesser charge and the case is closed prior to the trial. If a trial takes place and the person is found guilty he will be sentenced by the judge based on the crimes committed. This can be immediately or shortly after the trial. If the suspect is sentenced to prison he then becomes a part of the correctional institution. After sentencing he is usually turned over immediately to the custody of the sheriff’s department while awaiting transportation to prison.

Writing problems Essays

Writing problems Essays Writing problems Essay Writing problems Essay My Problem in Writing And solutions Every time I am asked to write about any topic, I find myself facing a major problem asking myself what I am going to write, and how I am going to present, express my ideas and support my personal opinions in a clear organized way that the reader would understand me. Learning how to write an essay was a frustrating process for me until , I came to understand some steps that made it easy and sometimes fun. I learnt to start by researching the topic using all different resources available like interest and libraries. I write Down questions, notes, quotations, facts, interesting passages and it sources. Its always good to have a variety of Sources; Quoting from a few sources only, will sound inexperienced; while quoting from numerous sources Will sound knowable and supportive to the topic. As I am researching the topic I start analyzing the arguments of different writes and authors. The argument consists of two main things a claim and reasons for that claim, neither a claim without reasons; nor reasons without a claim is an argument. When I am creating my own argument, first I identify my main claim then locate all its reasons. The reasons should show explanations of the claim and whether it s rue or not. I also map out if there is enough evidence supporting my claim, and if there is any other After spending decent amount of time researching, comparing arguments. I begin to think critically to discover the insights of the topic trying to find something original to say about it. I look to define the Problem if There is any! Why its a problem?. A problem for who? When did it become a problem? And what is the roots of that problem ?. I go back to do more research about the problem I outlined, Answers for the questions I wrote down and educate myself more about this problem . I look or evidence supporting it, it s sources how strong or weak they are, and if I believe it or not. Now I think I can start writing my own opinions and ideas whether I agree or not, I can also present my arguments it s claims and it s reason s. My main claim will be my thesis for example I wrote my thesis for this topic at the end of the introduction which is Learning how to write an essay fun. . Many people may not believe that thesis which makes it arguable and that what I try to make all my thesis. Then I think about how I am going to organize and outline my writing, I free write the whole ratings to omit mistakes, remove paragraphs or add evidence . I try to choose appropriate arrangement for my writings. The introduction of any topic is what grabs the readers attention I can present my introduction by An interesting fact, or a personal experience, or a surprising information, or even exciting quotations. The entire introduction should lead toward the presentation of my claim or thesis. I begin my paragraph by focusing on one idea only, and the first sentence of the paragraph will be my topic sentence of the paragraph . It describes the point of the paragraph then I evolve more ideas in the paragraph. I provide examples to illustrate my ideas, use quotations, show more evidence , offer another perspective to my idea, elaborate on causes/effects, definitions, comparison/contrast. The conclusion will be my closing paragraph where I recap my main idea in a clear , summarizing Manner, I also learned to try to make a graceful exit from the essay by leaving memorable impression by the Reader, that it wont be boring like describing a powerful image, or using quotations, or personal Experiences, or actions need to be done, or explaining why the topic is important, or lea conclusion and I keep it short. I am going to end my essay with this closing paragraph that I found online as an example on ending a topic with an image and it s for a famous writer George Orwell describing Charles Dickens as he sees him When one reads any strongly individual piece of writing, one has the impression of seeing a face somewhere behind the page. It is not necessarily the actual face of the writer. I feel this very strongly with Swift, with Defoe, with Fielding, Stendhal, Thacker, Flatter, though in several case I do not know what writer ought to have. Well, in the case of Dickens I see a face that is not quite the face of Dickenss photographs, though it resembles it. It is the face off man of about forty, with a small beard and a high color. He is laughing, with a touch of anger in his laughter, but no triumph, no malignity. It is the face of a man who is always fighting against something, but who fights in the open and is not frightened, the face of a man who is generously angry-in other words, of a nineteenth-century liberal, a free intelligence, a type hated with equal hatred by all the smelly little orthodoxies which are now contending for our souls.

Understanding the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

Understanding the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle Heisenbergs uncertainty principle is one of the cornerstones of quantum physics, but it is often not deeply understood by those who have not carefully studied it. While it does, as the name suggests, define a certain level of uncertainty at the most fundamental levels of nature itself, that uncertainty manifests in a very constrained way, so it doesnt affect us in our daily lives. Only carefully constructed experiments can reveal this principle at work.   In 1927, the German physicist Werner Heisenberg put forth what has become known as the Heisenberg uncertainty principle (or just uncertainty principle or, sometimes, Heisenberg principle). While attempting to build an intuitive model of quantum physics, Heisenberg had uncovered that there were certain fundamental relationships which put limitations on how well we could know certain quantities. Specifically, in the most straightforward application of the principle: The more precisely you know the position of a particle, the less precisely you can simultaneously know the momentum of that same particle. Heisenberg Uncertainty Relationships Heisenbergs uncertainty principle is a very precise mathematical statement about the nature of a quantum system. In physical and mathematical terms, it constrains the degree of precision we can ever talk about having about a system. The following two equations (also shown, in prettier form, in the graphic at the top of this article), called the Heisenberg uncertainty relationships, are the most common equations related to the uncertainty principle: Equation 1: delta- x * delta- p is proportional to h-barEquation 2: delta- E * delta- t is proportional to h-bar The symbols in the above equations have the following meaning: h-bar: Called the reduced Planck constant, this has the value of the Plancks constant divided by 2*pi.delta-x: This is the uncertainty in position of an object (say of a given particle).delta-p: This is the uncertainty in momentum of an object.delta-E: This is the uncertainty in energy of an object.delta-t: This is the uncertainty in time measurement of an object. From these equations, we can tell some physical properties of the systems measurement uncertainty based upon our corresponding level of precision with our measurement. If the uncertainty in any of these measurements gets very small, which corresponds to having an extremely precise measurement, then these relationships tell us that the corresponding uncertainty would have to increase, to maintain the proportionality. In other words, we cannot simultaneously measure both properties within each equation to an unlimited level of precision. The more precisely we measure position, the less precisely we are able to simultaneously measure momentum (and vice versa). The more precisely we measure time, the less precisely we are able to simultaneously measure energy (and vice versa). A Common Though the above may seem very strange, theres actually a decent correspondence to the way we can function in the real (that is, classical) world. Lets say that we were watching a race car on a track and we were supposed to record when it crossed a finish line. We are supposed to measure not only the time that it crosses the finish line but also the exact speed at which it does so. We measure the speed by pushing a button on a stopwatch at the moment we see it cross the finish line and we measure the speed by looking at a digital read-out (which is not in line with watching the car, so you have to turn your head once it crosses the finish line). In this classical case, there is clearly some degree of uncertainty about this, because these actions take some physical time. Well see the car touch the finish line, push the stopwatch button, and look at the digital display. The physical nature of the system imposes a definite limit upon how precise this can all be. If youre focusing on try ing to watch the speed, then you may be off a bit when measuring the exact time across the finish line, and vice versa. As with most attempts to use classical examples to demonstrate quantum physical behavior, there are flaws with this analogy, but its somewhat related to the physical reality at work in the quantum realm. The uncertainty relationships come out of the wave-like behavior of objects at the quantum scale, and the fact that its very difficult to precisely measure the physical position of a wave, even in classical cases. Confusion about the Uncertainty Principle Its very common for the uncertainty principle to get confused with the phenomenon of the observer effect in quantum physics, such as that which manifests during the Schroedingers cat thought experiment. These are actually two completely different issues within quantum physics, though both tax our classical thinking. The uncertainty principle is actually a fundamental constraint on the ability make precise statements about the behavior of a quantum system, regardless of our actual act of making the observation or not. The observer effect, on the other hand, implies that if we make a certain type of observation, the system itself will behave differently than it would without that observation in place. Books on Quantum Physics and the Uncertainty Principle: Because of its central role in the foundations of quantum physics, most books that explore the quantum realm will provide an explanation of the uncertainty principle, with varying levels of success. Here are some of the books which do it the best, in this humble authors opinion. Two are general books on quantum physics as a whole, while the other two are as much biographical as scientific, giving real insights into the life and work of Werner Heisenberg: The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics by James KakaliosThe Quantum Universe by Brian Cox and Jeff ForshawBeyond Uncertainty: Heisenberg, Quantum Physics, and the Bomb by David C. CassidyUncertainty: Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, and the Struggle for the Soul of Science by David Lindley