Psychology is commonly defined as ’scientific’ study of human behavior and cognitive processes. Broadly speaking the discussion focuses on the different branches of psychology, and if they are indeed scientific. However, it is integral in this to debate to understand exactly the major features of a science, in order to judge if psychology is in fact one. There must be a definable subject matter - this changed from conscious human thought to human and non-human behavior, then to cognitive processes within psychology’s first eighty years as a separate discipline. Also, a theory construction is important. This represents an attempt to explain observed phenomena, such as Watson’s attempt to account for human and non-human behavior in terms of classical conditioning, and Skinner’s subsequent attempt to do the same with operant conditioning. Any science must have hypotheses, and indeed test them. This involves making specific predictions about behavior under certain specified conditions.

Science is meant to be objective and unbiased. It should be free of values and discover the truths about what it is studying. Positivism is the view that science is objective and a study of what is real. For example, schizophrenia, when diagnosed as being caused due to excess dopamine, is being studied in a scientific manner. The explanation does not take into account any cultural customs or individual differences that might lead to ’schizophrenic’ behavior. However, even in scientific research like this the person is doing the diagnosing has his or her own views, and may misinterpret behavior because of his or her own subjective biases. For example, if someone talks about hearing voices, they may be referring to a spiritual experience, but a medical practitioner might well diagnose schizophrenia. So objective, value-free study is not easy, because the scientist has views and biases, and cultural or other issues are perhaps important factors. Some say that a truly objective study is not possible, and that a scientific approach to the study of people is not desirable.

continue reading »

Many people would love to get a better job. And most of these same people have the proper training and skills to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, so many job hunters have very poor communication skills. They are unable to clearly tell potential employers about their job qualifications. In short, they do not have good job seeking skills. In many cases, this prevents them from getting a high paying job that they could easily do. Often, the job will go to someone who is less skilled but who has written a eye-catching resume.

Often, job seekers have a few mistaken opinions about potential employers. They believe that employers are able to easily separate the qualified job applicants from the less qualified applicants. But this is likely not true. Sometimes there are from 30 to 300 resumes for the same job. So the interviewer first does a fast screening of all the resumes to eliminate as many as possible. The “good” resumes usually make it through the screening process. Many times the best job candidate is screened out due to a poor resume.

continue reading »

Have you even been in a car accident? If so, you probably did not leave the house planning to have an automobile accident that day. That is how violence erupts into our lives. It is spontaneous, unexpected and quick. No crime victim ever thought they would become a victim on the dreadful day they became one.

We don’t like to think about it. But crime and violence rears its ugly head daily through our media outlets. When we consider the most horrific of these cases, who, at one time or another, has not asked themselves;

continue reading »

While Hollywood has started to show interest in films covering environmental issues such as An Inconvenient Truth and The 11th Hour, many small budget, independent green films are having a much more difficult time reaching their potential audiences. Until now, unless you were lucky enough to catch these films at a festival screening you are left with very few remaining options. This has all changed thanks to Earth Cinema Circle.

Earth Cinema Circle

continue reading »

Feng Shui. Is it a buzz-word, or is there something in
this ancient body of knowledge that can inform and enhance
modern living? A definition of feng shui is a helpful place
to begin answering that question.

Feng shui is a philosophy and a practice that originated
in China, but all societies have the knowledge feng shui
contains. It is basically an environmental science that
when applied contributes to the well-being of an individual
or community.

continue reading »

Sierra Nevada College is positioned in Incline Village, Nevada. Nevada is situated in Western Region of United States of America. The capital of Nevada is Carson City but the biggest city of USA is Las Vegas. This state is also known as “The Silver State” because of the huge amount of silver deposits, which were mined and discovered there. Nevada was the thirty-sixth state that entered in the union, in 1864. Phrase “battle Born” shows the states entry in the Union in the American Civil War, on its state flag. Nevada is said to be the 7th largest state. The population of Nevada was 2.6 million in 2006, with near about 85% people residing in metropolitan places around Reno and Las Vegas. This state is famous for its divorce and easy marriage. Nevada is a Spanish word, means “snow covered”.

Sierra Nevada College was established as liberal arts, private university, in 1969. It is situated in Incline Village, Nevada. Sierra Nevada College is famous for its courses in Environmental Science, Entrepreneurship, Teacher Education, and Ski Resort Management. It is 4-year and above Baccalaureate Colleges including Arts and Sciences with more than 644 learners in Incline Village, Nevada. This institute is a non-profit as well as a private institute. The bachelor’s degree for Visual and Performing Arts prepare students in the performing disciplines and Visual media. Students of the college are entitled for federal aid like Direct Loans and Pell Grants from US Department of Education.

continue reading »

Science affects healthy lifestyles in many ways, such as whether where we live has us living under a palm tree, or a pine tree, or a cactus bush. And what we have seen happening in the past half century is affecting us all. My good fortune as a teen was that our family moved from the Pacific Northwest climate of Vancouver Canada to the sub tropical climate of Los Angeles California in 1956. I loved the experience and made many friends. But for my father it was too much of everything; the traffic, commute, demands and within the year we were back in Vancouver.

By age 19 I had moved to the largest island off the west coast of the America’s, Vancouver Island and have lived at the southern tip, Victoria since. It seemed to me we should be able to grow some hardy version, as we now do, of the majestic tall palm trees that line fine old boulevards of Beverly Hills, and I read all I could, sent for and studied weather patterns. In particular, since Victoria had the same coldest month January average temperature as Seattle and Portland at 39.5 farenheit. The areas west of the Mississippi had mildest climates for their latitude at the outer tips of the west coast right up to Alaska. But the Washington Windmill Fan Palm now is growing tall up to and including Vancouver Island and the surrounding Gulf Islands in Canada and San Juan Islands in America.

continue reading »

Recently, there have been a lot of environmental buzzwords floating around. It can be difficult to find a clear definition. I’ll explain what the term “carbon neutral” means, and why it’s important.

You might think that carbon neutral simply means that something does not release any carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is true to an extent, however it is too simple a definition. It is possible to release CO2 into the atmosphere and still be carbon neutral, so long it is balanced by a CO2 reduction elsewhere.

continue reading »