Reflection Paper: Socialization and Self-Identity

Reflection Paper: Socialization and Self-Identity Introduction I grew up in an average middle class family, whereby I attended a public primary school during early years of my life. Life was quite simple in primary school because almost all pupils were friendly and there were no social divisions both in class and outside. However, life was different when I went to high school, with the existence of a caste system that drew distinct boundaries between the middle class students who were well behaved and the lower class students associated with rudeness and truancy. Socialization in Relation to Self Identity According to Styker (1980), sociological approach to self identity is based on assumption of an existence of a relationship between oneself and the society, whereby the self influences the society through individual actions thus creating groups, networks and institutions. Likewise, the society influences self through shared meanings and language that enable someone to engage in social interactions and reflect upon himself/herself as an object. My primary school life was greatly shaped by society within a conducive environment that never encouraged social divisions among pupils but embraced a unified community, where everyone seemed to conform to norms and regulations of the school. This is further supported by social identity theory that emphasizes on identity as being embedded in a social group or category rather than role behavior (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, Wetherell 1987). Life in high school was quite different from that of primary school as I had to identify with either the middle class students who conformed to school regulations or identify with the lower class students, who were truant, rude and cared less about school rules and regulations. This called for need to reflect, evaluate and plan accordingly in order to bring out my future state and achieve consciousness with respect to my own existence in school. Initially, I was torn between the two cliques of students because much as I desired to perform well in school, I also wanted to drink, smoke and do the crazy things that teenagers do. After critical self evaluation, I found myself striking a balance between the two sets of students and had two different sets of social lives. I could occasionally identify with the middle class students who were well behaved when I needed to study and equally strike a balance in being popular with the truant group, especially when I needed to smoke, drink and m isbehave. Such decision came after some crisis (Mercia 2008). According to Marcias identity status theory, ones sense of identity is largely determined by choices and commitments made in respect to personal and social traits. Focusing on adolescent development, Mercia (2008) points out that adolescent stage consists neither of identity resolution nor identity confusion, but rather the degree to which one has explored and committed to an identity in a variety of life domains from education, religion, relational choices and gender roles among others. Marcias theory of identity achievement argues that two distinct parts form an adolescents identity, namely; crisis and commitment. He defined a crisis as a time of upheaval where old values or choices are being reexamined and further argues that the end outcome of a crisis leads to a commitment made to a certain role or value. Living comfortably with the two sets of students explains the notion that there are as many different selves as there are different positions that one holds in society as well as to different groups responding to self (James 1890). This brings out my overall self that has multiple identities, with each identity being tied to aspects of the social structure (Burke 1980). When associating with the truant group of students, the only things we did and discussed were those relevant to the group such as planning how to misbehave, where to drink, smoke and do other things that were against school rules. On the other hand, identifying with disciplined group of students restricted me to discuss and do things that were relevant to identity of the group such as class assignments and group discussions. This boosted my psychological well being as well as social skills that enabled me to fit well in school society as supported by Thoits (2001), who argues that greater psychological well- being all ows individuals to actively acquire multiple role identities over time. Furthermore research has proved that making roles and accumulating role identities equally fosters greater psychological well being. Being able to identify and associate with two sets of students in high school can be attributed to identity theory. Stryker (1980) describes identity theory as a micro- sociological theory that links self attitudes or identities to the role- related behavior of individuals. It takes into account individual role relationships and identity variability, motivation and differentiation. This implies that my behavior in any of the two groups was dependant on shared responses and behavioral expectations emerging from social interactions. Exchange theory further supports my interaction with two sets of students as it views commitment as being influenced by repeated exchange agreement, which generate emotional connection among group members in the form of satisfaction (Lawler Yoon 1996). Socialization in Relation to Academic Performance Ability to identify with the disciplined set of students gave me satisfaction, both academically and psychologically as learning requires diligence and obedience, qualities that are widely associated with feminists. On the other hand, associating with truant group of students gave me the excitement and drive to enjoy my teenage life as well as performance of masculinity, which is associated with the highest social status in state schooling environment, a status that I could only achieve through identifying with truant group of students (Fine 2003 Renold 2006). I was an extrovert, popular with my peers and a high academic achiever. Friends were my most enjoyable aspect of school and I accentuated communication and relationships with friends, while maintaining good heterosexual relationships that invested more in emotional instead of physical aspects of the relationships within the two sets of friends. Research has shown that high achievement in class does not necessarily constitute classroom isolation and unpopularity, thus students identified as high achieving are equally popular. Based on this observation, it can be argued that high academic achievement is not impending the popularity of a student and the sociability of a student may indicate that strong social skills contribute to high academic achievement as was my case (Jackson, 2006). Francis, Skelton Read (2010) indicate in their research that sociability of students results to increased levels of confidence for boys and girls regardless of their social class, pointing out that high performing students are often highly aware of their high academic achievement and this achievement awareness preoccupation delineates the notion of giftedness. I was able to excel academically because I was comfortable with my perceived high academic ability and I never underestimated my achievement in relation to my peers, unlike what most girls do. Being vividly aware of my own authenticity, I managed to construct my popularity based on my intrinsic merit factors such as friendliness, sociability and kindness. I was actively engaged in class work and worked hard, completing all assignments even in challenging conditions. Furthermore, I was an enthusiastic participant in class and was always ready to execute given tasks during classes. I was in good terms with teachers and this added value to my performance of attitude. My talks and actions frequently dominated during my days in high school as I was loud, assertive and at the center of events, unlike my low achieving and less popular peers, who were more extrinsic and obsessed with factors such as good looks. I however considered myself good looking and fashionable in appearance during those days. My physical attractiveness and stylish clothing enhanced my classroom relationships and contributed greatly in bringing a balance between my popularity and academic achievement. This i s in agreement with Butler (1993) and Kehily (2006) who indicate that physical appearance facilitates and contributes to sociability, confidence and sometimes academic excellence. My performance enhancing qualities are in agreement with self categorization theory that describes how people define themselves at group level as well as at an individual level, considering group and individual identities to be different levels of self categorization and more distinct from each other as opposed to social identity theory (Hogg and Terry 2000). Employing this theory gave me an opportunity to have unlimited range of identities based on context and convenience to achieve desired objectives based on targeted achievement with any particular kind of behavior. In their contribution to social identity theories, Lucey and Reay (2002) observe that academic success and excellence cannot exist without failure, supporting the fact that some students must be marked as failures for others to be identified as successful. This explains my academic excellence and equally explains poor performance for some of my peers. Conclusion Human beings are social beings and need each other to coexist, a fact supported by the existence of social theories of identity, which explain personal, interpersonal as well as group relationships. As a teenager and a student, social theories of identity worked to my advantage as I managed to strike a balance between different categories of social groups in favor of my performance and social life. I lived well in high school because I could use social theories to manipulate situations for the sake of a peaceful and harmonious existence, while at the same time quenching my curiosity for exciting teenage experience. If well used, social theories can bring success to ones academic performance and fruitful relationships that support peaceful coexistence within a given society.

“Oh the places you’ll go” Dr Seuss and The Road Not Taken Robert Frost Essay

Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away.† These opening lines mark the commencement of the imaginative journey through the world created by Dr. Seuss in his picture book, â€Å"†Oh the Places You’ll go!† ,an allegory of Life and its possibilities. Robert Frost also explores the same concept in his poem The Road not Taken. It is clear from both texts a journey of the imagination influences and shapes one’s perspective of the world and often results in transformation. â€Å"Oh the Places you’ll Go† motivates personal growth through gaining an understanding of the complexities of life, inspiring optimism and perseverance. The Road Not Taken however emphasizes the significance of decisions one makes in their life and how such decisions are the catalysts to the person they become. In the characteristic style of Dr. Seuss, ‘oh the places you’ll go’; is written in rhyme with a light tone. The language is simple, utilizing many metaphors, both visually and written. The imaginative journey alludes to all aspects of life; the positives through grinning purple elephants while the negatives are personified into â€Å"Hakken Kraks†. The author rejoices in everyone’s potential to fulfill their dreams: â€Å"You’ll be on your way up! / You’ll be seeing great sights!† While at the same time, he is realistic about the pitfalls of life: â€Å"grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place† This distinctive style with the balance of absurdity and the relative indifference to the philosophical message being unveiled is what heightens the books appeal to a wide audience. Hence the imaginative journey is not subject to age constraints and as a result, both young and old are able to experience growth or a change in their perspectives. â€Å"Oh The Places You’ll Go† has no distinct characters, except for the direct address ‘you’, supported by a young figure, the indicative of ‘you’ who visually carries out the imaginative journey, over colorful checkerboard landscapes, through mazelike streets. A direct personal link is established and the responder is able to literally perceive the imaginative journey. The Road Not Taken also achieves a personal connection through its style of first person, creating intimacy and the imagery of the road. From this we see the imaginative journey assists the reader in becoming personally involved with the text, the reader is able to engage with the story and hence draw insights and a greater understanding of the issues. Despite â€Å"Oh The Places you’ll Go† portraying both the positive and negative aspects of life, the imaginative journey ends with a return to reality and the optimistic message, ‘And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed!’ Although labeled with the warning â€Å"to be dexterous and deft. And NEVER mix up your right foot with your left.† In contrast to the enthusiastic tone of Dr. Seuss, â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, is contemplative and its message more cautious, to think hard about any forks in the road, for it could â€Å"make all the difference.† He suggests that perhaps journeys have no ending as â€Å"way leads on to way,† one choice is followed by another and it is simply impossible to recreate the past. Hence we can see how one can change as a result of an imaginative journey, even if there is not a destination.

What is Medical Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology?

Radiology diagnostic imaging is an important tool for appropriate therapy planning and for clinical diagnosis of diseases. However, in recent years, there has been an increase of requests require diagnosis by radiation (Siciliano, 2017). So, as the use of radiation increase and become very important in evaluate and diagnose pathology, it become essentially importance to focus on its risks, especially in pediatric. In young person's, exposure to ionizing radiation must kept low as can as possible, because their tissues are highly radiosensitive. In this age radiation induce risks is relatively high as tissues mitosis rates are high. As a result, it is fundamentally more vulnerable to damage than inactive tissues, it cause DNA metabolism damaged by radiation. The radiation risk is therefore highest in infancy and early childhood. Children, who have many years left to live (life expectancy), are more likely than adults to develop radiation-induced cancer; also, as future parents, they are at risk for passing on radiation-induced genetic defects to the next generation. (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011). For these reasons, whenever possible, radiological studies on children should replace by other imaging modality that does not involve radiation such as, magnetic resonance or ultrasound imaging. Pediatric conventional X-rays and computerized tomography (CT) require special examining protocols and techniques sets by the radiology department that are suitable to the patient's age and to the indication for the study in order to prevent the patient from unnecessary dose (Siciliano, 2017). This article is to discuss the principles of radiation protection for pediatric in general radiography, components of equipment using in the plain radiograph and it's function in lowering radiation dose in pediatric patient, the role of radiographer, technical and radiation exposure consideration in this issue with clinical example to evaluate the radiation dose for some common pediatric x-ray examination performed by digital radiography system. Body The attention of the medical communities and scientific has greatly focused on the biological effects of ionizing radiations and, in general, on the radiation protection. The purpose of these studies is to provide protection and health for persons who are subjected to radiation exposure especially for pediatric patient (Siciliano, 2017. â€Å"searches estimated that exposure to radiation in the first ten years of life induces a risk two to three times higher than exposures incurred between thirty and forty years of age†( Siciliano, 2017 pp.134) . In particular, the pediatric patient in this age they are still growing so ,they are more radiosensitive than an adult (and having a longer life expectancy), therefore, â€Å"the probability of health effects by IR in a child is three times greater than that of an adult†(Siciliano,2017) . A child's body differ in some respects from adult's body. Actually, pediatric body is short and wide in contrary, to the adult body which is long and less broad. If the trunk of small child's body is X-rayed, the shape of the body make it difficult to avoid non-require part from irradiate that's because the larger areas of the body lie within the radiation field and are consequently, more affected by scattered radiation. (Alzen and Benz-Bohm ,2011) . That is mean for example if trunk is x-rayed, other parts like extremities will be affected by scatter radiation. Tissue, which is at high risk of damage by radiation such as hematopoietic bone marrow, differ in location between adults and infants. â€Å"In adults, 74% (spine, ribs, and pelvis) is located in the trunk, and only 9% in the extremities. In infants, 29% is located in the trunk and 35% in the extremities†(Alzen and Benz-Bohm ,2011.pp.408). This indicates that child hematopoietic bone marrow distributes widely in all parts of the body. That is why we must to reduce the dose to the pediatric patient. The use of radiation in pediatric radiology must be minimize as can as possible in order to protect child patient form radiation induce risk or try to lower the radiation dose by following certain criteria in pediatric imaging particularly in examinations that require more radiation and more than one projection such as skeletal survey. Equipment use in general radiography: Equipment that carry general examinations have an essential role in reducing the dose to the young patients. Most digital radiography (DR) now are sufficient in lowering patient radiation dose compared to screen-film radiography and previous used equipment but reverse is also possible (uffmann, 2009). Because the modern DR system have detectors with higher detective quantum efficiency (CsI:TI/a-Si DR detectors )it become able to improve image quality with less radiation dose(Knight,2014). This system use technique of raising the KVP and lowering the mAs which responsible to the radiation dose (Knight,2014) . This fact make it perfect to use in pediatric radiography. However, in digital system blackening of film at higher dose not exist in the radiograph as this will lead to unnoticed increase in dose over time when using digital system with manual tube sitting(uffmann, 2009). To overcome this problem, the radiographer can manipulate exposure factor and select it carefully without affecting the image quality (Knight,2014). The radiographer have an important role in lowering radiation dose and provide radiation safety to the pediatric patients using several methods and techniques for maximum protection while obtaining optimum diagnostic image.Wearing colorful uniforms to gain child trust and make them cooperative (Sulieman,2015) .Obtain good position by positioning the patient correctly in close contact with the cassata to prevent scatter radiation and repetition (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011).Use the infant holder rather than let someone to hold and give unnecessary radiation to that person (AlzenandBenz-Bohm,2011).Adjust optimum exposure factor.Using of immobilization device will avoid movement and repetition of image.Apply gonad protection will lead to reduce the dose absorbed by testicular by up to 95%. Protecting ovaries will lower the dose up to 50% (Sulieman,2015)Preparing the patient perfectly to avoid any appearance of artifact in the image which will cause to repeat the image and consequently increa sing the dose.There is a lot of consideration and techniques must be follow to lower the radiation dose to young patient. ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable) is an important techniques to achieve the optimum dose for an X-ray examination in pediatric radiography while obtaining good image quality. Firstly, should to consider in tube voltage use for each examination. As the result of smaller and thinner body of children than adult then the dose deliver to the child must be lower (Alzen and Benz-Bohm,2011). The American Society of Radiologic Technologists(ASRT)white paper says â€Å"using the highest kVp with the lowest amount of mAs is needed to provide an adequate exposure to the image receptor and therefore decrease amount of attenuation and dose to the patient is the best technique for pediatric in digital imaging† (Stephen,2014) . In addition, the authors' research has shown that using an additional tube filter of 1mm aluminum (Al) and 0.1 to 0.2 mm copper (Cu) for pediatric radiography will result in decreasing the surface dose by half. Also using proper collimation help to minimize primary and scatter radiation. Karami.et.al,(2016) focused on the essential role of increasing the X-ray focus to film distance (FFD) in lowering the radiation dose to the chest in general pediatric radiography. Study shown that is increasing FFD from 100 cm to 130 cm its effective to reduce patient radiation dose. Specifically, following special technique when imaging chest x-ray in pediatric is very important. The breast tissue in this age is very sensitive to the ionizing radiation. Therefore, a PA chest technique is favorable if the patient is cooperate and can perform it (Sulieman,2015). This to prevent this sensitive tissue from primary beam. . Table 1. Briefly, demonstrate the techniques of pediatric patient protection in plain film radiography. This case study was done in SQU Hospital for 7 months old male patient come to the department for skeletal survey. He has skeletal abnormality from birth. Doctor requested to do AP and lateral skull, AP chest, AP spine, AP pelvic, AP full lower limb, AP feet, AP both upper extremities, PA both hands. There was absence of right hand and forearm and meromelia â€Å"which is a partial absence of part of the limbs†(Nayak S et al.2016,pp pp106-108) of right upper limb with normal appearance of right humerus, right humerus is slightly smaller compared to left humerus. As many projection was done I compared the radiation dose (DAP) given for some part with the standard dose should give to the pediatric patient in plain radiograph a according to diagram below. In AP skull the patient get 1.41 dGycm2 (14.1 µGy.m2) and for lateral skull 0.400 dGycm2 (4  µGy.m2).Dose considered high in AP skull compared to the standard, this due improper selection of exposure factor. In contrary, lateral skull dose its optimum. Also an image for humerus was repeated and expose patient again due to poor immobilization and movement of the patient that cause increased dose to the patient. In conclusion, protecting child from radiation is necessary for many reasons; the most important one is because of their tissue sensitivity as they still in growth stage and does not mature yet. As result they will be more vulnerable to radiation induce risk and the radiation effect noticeble more in them. Pediatric group are more likely than other age group of society to be irradiated for several reasons, one of them is that, child in this age become sick or get disease easily therefore, they need sometimes for x-ray for accurate diagnosis. Researchers and those who are interested in radiology done many studies in this topic and they found that, there is many methods and ways to reduce dose to the pediatric patient some of this ways come with the machine and some based on radiographers. For example reducing exposure factors, use gonad protection, immobilization device in addition to perform spatial techniques in imaging pediatric patient.

English Language Learners Bilingual Education - 1694 Words

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