Effects Of Greek Mythology - 2052 Words

The myths of Zeus, Hera and the other Olympians are well known worldwide, as are those of the many demigod heroes, such as Hercules and Daedalus. Although their stories are familiar, the effects that they had on life in Ancient Greece and the rest of the world is unknown to most people. Although many may not know it, Greek mythology had a large effect on life in Ancient Greece through names, religious practices and places, festivals, architecture, and wars. The first way that Greek mythology affected daily life in Ancient Greece was through its effect on the names of places in Greece, many of which we still hear today. Major cities in Ancient Greece were often named after the gods so that the cities could receive special blessings†¦show more content†¦When money was made, Athena was also pictured on both sides of the coins for a time. Although not all cities renamed themselves after the patron god, this is a very well-known way that Greek mythology affected life in Ancient G reece. Another way that the names of places were affected by Greek myths is through its effect on religious practices and sacred places. One such place that was important to the Greeks was the sacred place of Delphi. Delphi was dedicated to Apollo, the god of prophecy. It is also believed by the Greeks to house its namesake, the Oracle of Delphi, which would proclaim prophecies to those that worshipped it and made sacrifices. People from all over Greece flocked to this area to give offerings to the Oracle in hopes of receiving a prophecy. Another sacred place to the Greeks was Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus was the tallest mountain in Greece, and was believed to be the home of the gods. It was chosen as such because in Greek mythology, this is the place where the gods took their stand against their parents, the Titans. In this battle, the gods climbed the mountain to attack from out of range of the Titans. After winning the battle and becoming the supreme deities of Greece, the gods h ave resided there ever since. Even more, the base of the mountain the home of the nine muses, goddesses of the arts. This affected the lives of many Greeks because it influenced what they did and where they had to travel to when they felt theyShow MoreRelatedGreek Mythology: Influences and Effect to Greek Civilization5325 Words   |  22 PagesINTRODUCTION â€Å"Mythos†- a Greek word meaning â€Å"tale† and the origin of the word mythology; according to the dictionary mythology means, a traditional story aiming to explain the meaning of things concerning deities and demigods. Greek Mythology has been known to be one of the footprints left by the civilization of ancient Greece to our history and these mythology somehow shed a light to the culture, life style, religion and history of ancient Greece since the mythology were the primary basis of theRead MoreGreek Mythology and Its Effects on Civilization803 Words   |  4 PagesGreek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs and rituals practiced in ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. Many Greeks recognized the major gods and goddesses, such as Zeus, Poseidon, Hades and many others through philosophies such as Stoicism. The religious practices of the Greeks extended beyond mainland Greece to the islands and costs of Ionia in Asia Minor to Sicily and southern Italy, and scattered Greek colonies in the Western MediterraneanRead MoreComparing Roman And Greek Mythology1354 Words   |  6 Pages Roman Vs. Greek Mythology Roman and Greek mythology are full of complexities. 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Apparently, the events, creatures, and people described in the ancient Greek myths were not real; however, their mythical nature does not undermine the importance of Greek mythology in defining theRead MoreEssay about Schwetzingen Castle and Mythology931 Words   |  4 PagesSchwetzingen Castle and Mythology: The Connection The beauty and history of the grounds at Schwetzingen Castle is unmistakable. There is a deep history part of its roots in mythology. There are over one hundred statues that decorate the property with many that depict some kind of god, hero or representation of something in mythology. There are also many examples of other cultures scattered around the grounds. The way they are portrayed, their faces and poses tell the story of how they were perceivedRead MoreI believe that mythology should still be taught in schools, although with less of an emphasis and600 Words   |  3 Pages I believe that mythology should still be taught in schools, although with less of an emphasis and across more cultures. Myths are important parts of literature, and have complexity that is different than normal novels. Also, myths teach about the culture of their time, as well as how people lived and what they believed. Along these lines, I think that other cultures’ myths should also be taught, as th ey also teach about the people of their time. Mythology is an important form of literature thatRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Ancient Greece1107 Words   |  5 Pagesand every day. Various gods ruled these different city states. Mythology was very huge in Ancient Greece. There are so many different folktales and myths from Ancient Greece. Do you ever wonder if any of those ancient Myth’s were true? Ever believe that those myths still help shape society today? 1. Burrell, Roy. The Greeks. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. This book explains how the Minoans helped influence Ancient Greek mythology in many ways. Most people believe that the Ancient Greece usedRead MoreGreek Mythology And The Mythology1154 Words   |  5 Pagesand lessons of Greek mythology have shaped art and literature for thousands of years. Later Greek writers and artists used and elaborated upon these sources in their own work. Did you know that in ancient Greece, stories about gods and goddesses and heroes and monsters were an important part of everyday life. They explained everything from rituals to the weather, and they gave meaning to the world people saw around them. Many consumer products get their names from Greek mythology. For example sportsRead MoreAthenas Impact on the Lives of Ancient Greeks Essay1027 Words   |  5 PagesAthena was the Greek Goddess of many ideas, but she was famous mostly for her superior wisdom, her cunning skills in times of war, and her implausible talent for household tasks, such as weaving and pottery. She was celebrated more than any other God in ancient mythology, was t he supposed inventor of countless innovations, and her figure gave reason for Greek woman to gain rights long before others of their time. The goddess of war, the guardian of Athens, and the defender of Heroes; Athena’s impactRead MoreEssay about Exposition of Mythology846 Words   |  4 PagesExposition of Mythology Since the beginning of time people have found great interest in the study of mythology and its origin. For the past five weeks I have been studying this deep and complex issue and have come to the conclusion that without myths history would not be the same. In this paper I will discuss what myths are and how scholars have broken them down. Scholars such as Joseph Campbell go into great detail to explain mythology and how it effects the human life. First you must determine

The Campus Environment And Campus Life - 1367 Words

Report 4: INTRODUCTION This report is about using reflexive photography to gain an understanding on how students feel about the campus environment and campus life. It is to recreate a similar study made at the University College of Fraser Valley (UCFV) which was used to provide recommendations to the university policymakers regarding the planning and development of the institutions academics and physical environment but we completed this in a much shorter period of time. It will be about how we feel about the Penrhyn Road campus. AIMS We aim to use photography to describe and explore how representing Kingston university, what we like about Kingston University, any improvements that can be made and other issues that came up. We created this research project to understand a visual research method that allows an understanding of how students behave and assign a meaning to the campus environment. We use photos as it was easy to view and most of the students had a smartphone that is capable of taking photos. Also using photos can have different interpretations depending on the viewer which may contrast against the person who took the photo. We aim to find if there is any factor that may influence how students will view the photos during the discussion and compare each other images and see why they have taken their own images. It will provide an understanding on how we as students integrate within the Penrhyn Road campus. It relates to symbolic interactionism. SymbolicShow MoreRelatedLiving on Campus During College: Po sitive Reasons1296 Words   |  6 Pagesattains when mingling with other people of the same age. Based on the two choices concerning where to live, staying on the campus is more advantageous to the students than when one is out of its surrounding. For instance, living on campus helps students to engage more with the academic surroundings. Students living on campus spend most of their time in schoolroom environment (â€Å"University at Buffalo†). This helps them to interact between themselves and their lecturers that allows for an introductionRead MoreUnderage Drinking On College Campuses1464 Words   |  6 Pagesdrinking, by creating a zero alcohol on campus policy. This policy pertains to all students whether of drinking age or not. The universities that create such policies are known to college students as a dry campus. The concept of a dry campus is to eliminate the access to alcohol to those students that are under age, drinking and driving, and binge drinking on campus. Campuses that are dry have the most restrictive alcohol policy that currently exists. A dry campus not only banned drinking for individualsRead MoreEffects Of Stray Cats And Stray Dogs Essay889 Words   |  4 PagesWe live in the campus every day , so the environment of university campus is very important to our life and study. We found a problem that there are many stray dogs and stray cats in our school before, and we found that our classmates had been bitten before. Therefore, I and my group member want to do something to help solve this problem. Since stray cats and stray dogs cause a bad influence on our university campus, so how about other university? Would they also have this problem? Liu Xisheng〠LiRead MoreThe Social Experience On-Campus or The Privacy of Living Off Campus1099 Words   |  5 Pageswhere we were going to live starting in the fall next school year. We both spent this last semester on campus to fulfil Georgia Southern’s first-year requirement and both of us would be quick to agree that it definitely had its pros and cons. Before we started, we sat down and took a look at what on-campus and off-campus housing had to offer using a cost-to-benefit ratio. While living on-campus is great in the fact that you are able to walk to class faster, you are located closer to the meal hallRead MoreEnvironmental Sustainability Of The United Nations Millennium Development Goals1044 Words   |  5 Pages Due to the rising environmental issues universities have strived to become sustainable. This change has affected many aspects of campus life. Students and faculty have come across several new opportunities because of this development. One of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals include the goal to ensure environmental sustainability. In the position of universities the challenge is acquiring funds and student participation to make this initiative a priority. Developments like grass-rootsRead More Business Proposal for Library at the Exton Campus of Delaware County Community College1294 Words   |  6 PagesCONTENTS Background1 Current Environment.2 Proposed Environment...3 Diagram.4 Benefits.6 Business Requirements and Cost Analysis...8 Conclusion9 BACKGROUND I am proposing for a library to be put into the Exton campus of Delaware County Community College. There is currently not a libraryRead MoreCollege Should Live On Campus885 Words   |  4 PagesFiguring out whether a college should live on campus or live in an apartment is a big decision during their college years. The student has so many decisions to make and this is just another decision to make on the road to their future. Many aspects must be looked at when deciding to live on campus or live off campus such as expense, student life and proximity to campus and these are just some parts of the whole equation. Both living on campus and living off campus have their pros and cons, the option theRead MoreSchool Shootings Are Becoming More Common1292 Words   |  6 PagesAllowing students to carry a concealed weapon on campus would not help at all. Schools must be a safe environment and not a war zone. Many states prohibited concealed weapons on campus which is the right choice. Most colleges who allow their students to carry concealed weapons increase the chances of violence on campus. College students must be unable to carry concealed weapons on campus. Allowing students to carry guns on campus won’t make it a safe environment. A school shooting took place at Umpqua CommunityRead MoreCollege : Dorm Or Apartment1122 Words   |  5 Pagesfreshmen to live on campus. Adding room and board to the equation, the cost jumps to a staggering $20,182.(Undergraduate Admissions) That practically doubles the cost of a college education. Is it worth the extra expense to live on campus? College is a monumental transition. Typical incoming freshmen have lived with their parents their entire life, so they have not had all the responsibility that comes with living away from home. To ease the transition college freshmen should live on campus. A dorm providesRead MoreBusiness Proposal1330 Words   |  6 PagesBusiness Proposal: Library at the Exton Campus of Delaware County Community College Erin Murphy April 29, 2002 BUS 100-95 TABLE OF CONTENTS BackgroundÂ…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…1 Current EnvironmentÂ…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â….2 Proposed EnvironmentÂ…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…...3 DiagramÂ…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â….4 BenefitsÂ…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â….6 Business Requirements and Cost AnalysisÂ…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…...8 ConclusionÂ…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…Â…9 BACKGROUND

Communication Skills Cultural Diversity in Business

Question: Discuss about the Communication Skills for Cultural Diversity in Business. Answer: Introduction: Cultural diversity is an increasing phenomenon that has affected the social and the political harmony as well as the efficiency of the organisation. Managing the diversity in the organisational culture is one of the major importances as it includes different values, beliefs, and customs, essence and human identity. The paper states that the culture of respect goes away from the complements, tolerance and legitimizes the perspective of the business that supports cultural diversity management in the organisation. The legitimate process to establish a culture of intercultural respect is considered as an effective way for the principles of respect as it is founded on Kantian tradition and discursive approach. The article identifies that the connection between the organisation and the community racial or the ethnic proportion influences the performance of organisational diversity. The information and the decision making perspective on the diversity of the organisation infers that the organisational diversity is based on variety and not on the demographic proportion. The study indicates that the matching of the racial/ethnic proportion and the diversity fit affects the financial performance of the organisation. The diversity is a valuable human resource that enhances the overall performance of the company. The cultural democratic shifts transform the organisation and thus the managers consider taking a closer look at the diversity and the inclusion (DI) efforts. The article mentions that the DI is not just a game or a politically appropriate workplace initiative. The DI help to cover up the opportunity gaps in the organisation. The diversity and inclusion efforts strategies thus allow the organisation to achieve higher growth that supports sustainability in the competitive market. The steps in the DI include authentic engagement, strategic implications, embracing diversity of thought, sustainable growth, creating distinction and change management. Diversity is a good tool in the organisation as the diversity in the staffs allows amazing new perspectives to the organisation and provides effective solution for the issues faced by the organisation. The five tips that provide better workplace diversity are redefining and recognising the different types of diversity in an organisation, redefining the discrimination present in the workplace, celebrating all the possible diversity, keep trying to learn about the staffs of the organisation. Moreover, the managers of the organisation need to consider that the staffs do not understand the perspective always. After the high profile lawsuits, the business had started caring a lot about the diversity of the organisation. However, a number of diversity program, used by the organisation fails to increase the diversity in the workplace. The managers of the organisation have relied on the diversity training to minimise the bias on the job, hiring test, and the performance rating. the diversity program fails due to inappropriate strategies and the ineffective implementation of those strategies. References Forbes.com. (2016). Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2016/04/23/is-diversity-good-for business/#7f6b79a12e80 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2016]. Gonzalez, J.A., 2013. Matchmaking: community and business unit racial/ethnic diversity and business unit performance.The International Journal of Human Resource Management,24(21), pp.4063-4081. Harvard Business Review. (2016). Why Diversity Programs Fail. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2016/07/why-diversity-programs-fail [Accessed 9 Dec. 2016]. Lozano, J.F. and Escrich, T., 2016. Cultural Diversity in Business: A Critical Reflection on the Ideology of Tolerance. Journal of Business Ethics, pp.1-18. Samuelson, C. and more, R. (2016). 5 Tips for Dealing Better with Workplace Diversity. [online] Entrepreneur. Available at: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/281480 [Accessed 9 Dec. 2016].

Who Provides the Better Approach to Human Behaviour, Freud or Skinner Essay Example

Who Provides the Better Approach to Human Behaviour, Freud or Skinner Paper Why do we behave the way we do? Is our environment responsible for shaping our personalities? Does childhood influence who we are? These are all questions that have intrigued philosophers and society in general for centuries. ‘There are many experts that share and dispute the answers to these questions, but there are two in particular that have contributed greatly in finding explanations’ (Crux, 2006); Sigmund Freud and Burrhus Frederick Skinner. This essay will compare Freud’s and Skinner’s approach towards human behaviour, highlighting the main ideas and focus of their theories and subsequently coming to an informative decision as to who provides the better approach. This is achieved by pinpointing criticisms that hinder their reasoning, practicality and efficiency. ‘Psychodynamic theories embrace all the diverse theories descended from the work of Sigmund Freud, which focuses on unconscious mental forces and asserts the idea that behaviour is caused by internal, mental mechanisms’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 488). Freud’s (1901, 1924, 1940) psychoanalytic theory grew out of his decades of interactions with his clients in psychoanalysis. Freud’s psychoanalytic approach seeks to explain behaviour, motivation and mental disorders by focusing on the influence of early childhood experiences, on unconscious motives and conflicts, and on the methods people use to cope with their sexual and aggressive urges (Weiten, 2001). Freud identified three components of personality structure: the id, the ego and the superego. He saw a person’s behaviour as the result of interactions between these three components. The id is the primitive, instinctive component of personality that operates according to the pleasure principle’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 488). The id is entirely centered on your needs and wants, and it drives you to fulfill those desires at whatever cost. The ego is the ‘decision making component of personality that operates according to the reality principle’ (Weite n, 2001, p. 488). It causes you to meet your needs and wants in a socially acceptable manner. In the long run, the ego wants to maximise pleasure, just as the id does. We will write a custom essay sample on Who Provides the Better Approach to Human Behaviour, Freud or Skinner specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Who Provides the Better Approach to Human Behaviour, Freud or Skinner specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Who Provides the Better Approach to Human Behaviour, Freud or Skinner specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer However, ‘the id engages in secondary process thinking, which is relatively rational, realistic and orientated towards problem solving’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 489). In addition, the ego establishes the division between yourself and others, and it identifies the need to negotiate within the world in order to satisfy your desires. The ego also acts as a link between the id and superego. ‘The superego is the moral component of personality that incorporates social standards about what represents right and wrong’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 489). Furthermore, according to Freud, unconscious conflicts between the id, ego and superego sometimes lead to anxiety. When this happens the ‘ego uses several defense mechanisms including: denial, repression, intellectualization, displacement, projection, reaction formation, identification, regression, rationalization and sublimation’ (Miller Shelly, 2001, p. 34). According to Freud, the id, ego and superego are distributed differently across three levels of awareness: the conscious, the preconscious and the unconscious. ‘Perhaps Freud’s most enduring insight was his recognition of how unconscious forces can influence behaviour. He inferred the existence of the unconscious from an array of observations that he made with his patients’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 89). For example, he recognized that ‘slips of the tongue’, or now more commonly known as the Freudian slip, often revealed a person’s true feelings. He also noticed that his patients’ dreams often expressed secret desires. ‘Most important, through psychoanalysis he often helped patients to discover feelings and conflicts of which they had previously been unaware’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 489). Therefore, put simply the unconscious mind contains thoughts, memories and desires that are not easily accessible but greatly influence our behaviour. The preconscious mind contains material just beneath the surface of awareness that can be easily retrieved’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 489). For example, what we ate for lunch yesterday, your telephone number, or the name of our first true love. Finally the conscious mind is that part of the mind that contains all the things we are aware of. For example, your conscious might be that you’re tired and hungry. According to Freud’s theory, ‘people must successfully pass through five stages of development in order to become healthy, well adjusted adults’ (Miller Shelly, 2001, p. 35). Each phase has an objective that must be accomplished successfully. If the goal is not reached, the person becomes ‘fixated at the uncompleted stage, which results in problems later in life’ (Miller Shelly, 2001, p. 34). The five stages are: oral, anal, phallic, latent, and genital. The oral stage lasts from birth to eighteen months of age and is primarily based on eating, drinking and sucking. In Freud’s view, the ‘handling of the child’s feeding experiences is crucial to subsequent development’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 495). He attributed considerable importance to the manner in which the child is weaned from the breast or the bottle. In fact, according to Freud, fixation at the oral stage could form the basis for obsessive eating or smoking later in life (Benson, 1998). In the anal stage, the two year olds focus of pleasure shifts to the anus, helping the child become aware of its bowels and how to control them. The crucial event at this time is toilet training, which represents ‘society’s first systematic effort to regulate the child’s biological urges’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 495). However, over strictness about forcing the child to go to the toilet or about timing and cleanliness can cause personality problems, depending on how the child reacts. For example; over concern about going regularly may cause either obsessive time keeping. The phallic stage starts from about four years of age and is where the ‘genitals become the focus for the child’s erotic energy, largely through self stimulation’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 495). During this fundamental stage the Oedipus Complex emerges. That is little boys develop an erotically tinged preference for their mother. They also feel resentment towards their father, whom they view as a challenger for their mum’s affection. Similarly, little girls develop a special connection to their father. At the same time they learn that little boys have very different genitals, and supposedly they develop penis envy. The latency and genital stages last from around age six through puberty, where the child’s sexuality is greatly suppressed (Weiten, 2001, p. 495). The latency stage focuses on expanding social contacts beyond the immediate family. Subsequently, with puberty the child advances into the genital stage. Sexual drives re-emerge and the focus moves to the genitals once again. At this point, sexual energy is normally channeled towards peers of the other sex, rather than towards ourselves as in the phallic stage. Freud argued that future developments are rooted n early, formative experiences and that significant conflicts in later years are replays from crises from childhood. In fact, Freud believed that unconscious sexual conflicts rooted in childhood experiences cause most personality disturbances’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 495). ‘Behaviourism is a theoretical orie ntation based on the premise that scientific psychology should study only observable behaviour’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 499). Skinner made no provision for internal personality structures similar to Freud’s id, ego and superego because such structures can’t be bserved. Following in the tradition of Watson’s radical behaviourism, Skinner showed little interest in what goes on ‘inside’ people. He argued that it’s useless to speculate about private , unobservable cognitive processes. Instead, he believed that reinforcement is the primary factor that shapes behaviour, and that behaviour is based exclusively on external consequences. This means he focused on how the external environment moulds overt behaviour. ‘Skinner’s theory accounts for personality development by explaining how various response tendencies are acquired through learning’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 00). He built a ‘box’ in which he was able to teach anima ls to receive food by pecking or tapping a bar or light. He referred to this as operant conditioning. ‘Operant conditions are simply environmental stimuli that have reinforcing or adverse effects on the individual’s future behaviour in the presence of those stimuli’ (Stokes, pg 263). He believed that most human responses are shaped by this type of conditioning. Skinner’s theory asserts that ‘different types of reinforcement affect whether or not a particular behaviour will be repeated’ (Miller Shelly, 2001, p. 0). These different kinds include: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, extinction and punishment. Firstly, positive reinforcement is a ‘reward given for a particular response’ (Miller Shelly, 2001, p. 50), such as giving a chocolate to a child who completes their homework on time. By rewarding the desirable behaviour you increase the likelihood that the behaviour will be repeated. Secondly, negative reinforceme nt is an increase in behaviour by taking away a reinforcer (Miller Shelly, 2001). For example; if it’s cold, you would close the window. Thirdly, extinction is the theory that you stop providing reinforcement, and consequently the response will eventually disappear (Miller Shelly, 2001). For example; if you stop giving a child a chocolate when they complete their homework, the likelihood that they will continue to complete their homework will decrease. Lastly punishment is ‘inducing pain with the expectation that it will suppress a behaviour’ (Miller Shelly, 2001, p. 51). For example; if your impulsive decisions always backfire, your tendency to be impulsive will decline. Furthermore, Skinner found that the optimum period between response and reinforcement is about half a second. This discovery is very crucial, for example, if a parent wants to reward or punish a child, then to be effective it should be done straight away. According to Benson (1998, pg 79), ‘this also explains one reason why the penal system often doesn’t work. For instance, a burglar steals from a house, and three months later the police arrest him, and one year later he is convicted in court. ’ However, according to Skinner, this isn’t the only reason why punishment doesn’t always work. Skinner argues that punishment: ‘often causes the individual to avoid being punished, rather than stop the undesired behaviour; can cause the individual to associate the punishment with the punisher, rather than the behaviour; and trains an individual about what not to do, but it doesn’t train what to do’ (Benson, 1998, pg 80-81). Given that response tendencies are continuously being strengthened or weakened by new experiences, Skinner’s theory views ‘personality development as a continuous, lifelong journey’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 500). Unlike Freud, Skinner saw no reason to break down the developmental process into stages. Nor did he attribute special importance to early childhood experiences. In fact, Skinner believed that conditioning in humans works much the same as in rats and pigeons that he studied in his laboratory. Hence, he believed that conditioning strengthens and weakens response tendencies without the person’s conscious participation. Therefore, Skinner was able to explain consistencies in behaviour without being concerned about individual’s cognitive processes. Although it is generally argued that Skinner’s and Freud’s views were worlds about, Overskied’s article presents an alternative view. In fact, according to Overskeid (2007), Skinner’s ideas were evidently influenced by Freud, and they actually held many common views. Therefore, taking into account both Freud’s and Skinner’s approach to human behaviour, it can be argued that Skinner’s theory is more practical and efficient. Freud’s theory is criticized on several grounds including: poor testability, inadequate base of empirical evidence, and male centered views (Eysenck, 1990). Freud’s approach to human behaviour revolves around internal processes that are unobservable. Therefore people argue that they are unscientific, and consequently are only assumptions that cannot be taken seriously. Freud is also criticized because his ‘theories are made by generalizing from a small number of patients to the whole human population. Relying only on case studies can lead to faulty conclusions’ (SparkNotes, 2006). In addition, ‘others argue that most psychodynamic theories are not based on studies that follow people from childhood to adulthood. Instead, psychodynamic theorists listen to descriptions of an adult patient’s past and draw conclusions about the relevance of childhood experiences’ (SparkNotes, 2006). Furthermore, according to Van Wagner (2008), other criticisms of Freud’s theories consist of ‘overemphasis on: the unconscious mind, sex, aggression, and childhood experiences’. However, there is no denying that Freud’s ideas have been very influential on today’s society, fundamentally changing the way people think about themselves and others. Freud cured many patients or at least helped them understand and cope with their problems, and is methods are still used in Psychiatry today. In contrast, similarly to Freud, Skinner’s theory is relevant and widely employed today. It’s important in terms of how children are assimilated into society and how they deal with everyday life. His ideas have played an integral role in our schools, society’s standards of discipline and punishment and how we learn to fear certain things. Although he provides convincing evidence that biological factors exert considerable influence over personality, Skinner’s theory isn’t perfect and he also attracted criticisms. Firstly, because of ‘methodological problems with heritability ratios’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 13), and secondly because it offers ‘no systematic model of how physiology shapes personality’ (Weiten, 2001, p. 513). In addition, the theory is limited just by the fact that it is focused on behaviour, with little regard for what goes on in the mind. In conclusion, the different schools of psychology express various ideas on the reasons and drives for human behaviour. Freud argues that unconscious processes is central to human behaviour, whilst Skinner debates that the mind doesn’t exist, alternatively behaviour revolves around the environment. Although, Freudian psychology is composed of considerably different reasoning than Skinner’s behaviourism approach, they both provide interesting and engaging theories that have influenced psychology and philosophers in today’s society immensely. However, evidence is a crucial component when it comes down to evaluating the validity of a particular theory, especially in today’s society. Without proof, it is very hard to justify any sort of reasoning. Consequently, although Skinner attracts criticisms, he also provides significant evidence to support his ideas, and therefore presents a more convincing and credible approach to human ehaviour that that of Freud, who adopts very minimal evidence to support his theories. Reference list Benson, C. N. (1998). Introducing psychology. United Kingdom: Icon Books Limited. Crux, E. (2006). Behavioural development theories of Freud and Skinner. Retrieved 20th April 2008 from: http://www. echeat. com/essay. php? t=31292 Eysenck , H. J. (1990). Decline and fall of the Freudian Empire. Washington, DC: Scott-Townsend. Freud, S. (1901/1960). The psychopathology of everyday life. In J. Strachey (Ed. ), The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud Vol (4 5). London: Hogarth. Freud, S. (1924). A general introduction to psychoanalysis. New York: Boni Liveright. Freud, S. (1940). An outline of psychoanalysis. International Journal of Psychoanalysis. Vol (22) London: Hogarth. Miller, R. A. , Shelly, S. (2000). The complete idiot’s guide to personality profiles. America: Alpha Books. Overskeid, G. (2007). Looking for Skinner and finding Freud. American Psychologist, Vol 62(6), p. 590-595. Retrieved April 14th 2008 from: http://web. ebscohost. com. ezproxy. uws. edu. au/ehost/pdf? vid=8hid=17sid=86bc6283-432a-4c62-98ea-6ba090dc69a3%40SRCSM2 SparkNotes. (2006). Personality. Retrieved 20th April 2008 from: http://www. sparknotes. com/psychology/psych101/personality/section2. rhtml Stokes, P. (2007). Philosophy: The great thinkers. London: Arcturus Publishing Limited. Thompson, M. (2001). Philosophy of Science. United Kingdom: Hodder Headline Limited. Van Wagner, K. (2005). Psychoanalysis: The psychodynamic approach. Retrieved 20th April 2008 from: http://psychology. about. com/od/historyofpsychology/a/psychodynamic. htm Weiten, W. (2001). Psychology: Themes and Variations. New York: Wadsworth.