Positive and Negative Associations Essay Example for Free

Positive and Negative Associations Essay Cognitive social psychology describes the â€Å"self† as a dynamic, flexible, and complex set of self-conceptions, emotions, images and memories that are stored in the long-term memory. Some of the self-related material in working memory is associated with the transient conditions of the present time frame. These self-conceptions serve the important function of guiding behavior, affection, and perception. Core self-conceptions are enduring and stable self-conceptions tend to endure over time, and are activated across situations which mean they influence a person in giving meaning to circumstances and choice on how to behave. The perspective about the self in the memory has been referred to as the self-structure where it is proposed that the self-related memory representations are not neutral, but rather carry with them an emotional quality or evaluation tone known as valence (Zephyr 91). Because self-evaluation is based on the prevailing norms and expectations of the cultural milieu, the meaning of the valence component of the core-descriptions is likely to show cultural specificity in which the positive and negative associations are mutually based. Positive and negative associations Cultures have been described in terms of interpersonal values they socialize in their members. Culture is the patterns of social institutions, relationships, and expectations that guide the development of culturally competent individuals. The social values and practices are the major basics in the cultural construction of the positive and negative social associations in a society’s culture. The Haitian culture has been overtly portrayed on racial terms by many white writers something that African American writers have been deconstructing to dispel these negative associations. On the positive associations, anybody who is Haitian upholds highly about his/her self-conceptions will regard everything with self-esteem and more so respect his/her culture; trying to paint a positive image of it. Zephyr (118) points out that Haitians are to some extent positive about their culture and that is the reason why they would like very much to change the negative perceptions the world has. Their music has transcended class boundaries expressing the greatness of the people’s culture and their nation at large. People who talk well of themselves usually have that attitude that keeps their cultural boundaries open to constructive criticism for the better. Superstitions which have for a long time dwarfed development and people’s association are being negated for a society that embraces change. Haitians have changed the African American negativism by whites which has brought new light on the racial issues as a people with equal dignity and who are supposed to be respected. Haiti had remained in the dark and students and other groups have drummed up support in peeling away the darkness and letting people learn more about the place and its people. The United States initially viewed Haiti as a threat to its existence but now that has changed with the view of Haiti as a nation that contributes to its well-being. The historical slave revolution of Haiti is very much part of its proud history. Haiti is considered as a beacon of hope for its model of self-emancipation. This much inspired Negroes in slave plantation to rise and strive for their liberties which were held at ransom by the slave masters. It also strikes positively that Haitians fought bravely against French troops which points to the strong urge among the people to resist oppression from the white masters. Their culture has been without intrusion for many years which has accounted for the people’s strong will of independence leading to self-conceptions that glorifies their lives. The positive self-descriptions of the Haitian people therefore fits within their cultural frame because of the image as a free people from the chains of colonization which are to blame in many African countries for denigrating indigenous cultures, leading to many Africans neglecting their butchered cultural values (Zephyr 89). The critique of the cultural practices of Haitians has provided culturally relevant psychiatric practice very important in the cultural mindset of the Haitians. However, the Haitian culture has not been without negative self-descriptions that are to account for the stereotypes which have influenced the society in a great way. Gender issues, like in every other patriarchal society in the world rears the ugly muzzle to the world view. Also, the Voodoo culture has had negative effects on the socio-economic and political advancement of Haitians. Zephyr (108) reminds us that the belief in cultural practices that hinder development due to inhibiting beliefs that changes will be a bad omen to the society are to blame for the situation of Haitians. The negative stereotypes are of bad influence on the self-conceptions and description which are normally based on the cultural milieu of the people. The voodoo belief has bad influence on the economic bearing in that some practices deny people the opportunity to enterprise in what can economically uplift their living standards. With this culture bearing impact on the mindset of people, ignorance and backwardness set in which make the associations with other people very difficult as these have moved from the perspective of stereotype to beliefs that oppress the people. Like any other society, oppression of women is evident on gender lines, with boy-girl privileges at stake, where education for the male child is done at the expense of the girl who might be a better achiever than the boy. But the Haiti society is changing to adapt to changes that have affected all societies in the world. Neglecting the oppressive beliefs has been a step towards building that global society that embraces change negating the ignorance of many indigenous societies of the past. With these changes, the perspective or the view of the world on Haiti has still remained negative with efforts made by the Haitian society not recognized (Zephyr 122). These degenerative views on Haiti need to change and the world to view the big picture of a changing society for there is no society without blemish. In conclusion, the positive and the negative associations in any society are embedded in the cultural frame of that society, and there is no way one can define such a society without meeting such associations. Whether positive or negative associations, they can be understood on the cognitive social psychology in terms of the self-conceptions defined by the larger cultural milieu. Societies due to globalization influence are changing and so should be our perceptions on particular societies like the Haitians. Works Cited Zephyr, Flore. The Haitian Americans. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2004.

Stowe and Truth Essay -- essays research papers

The Negro of today is a failure, not because he meets insuperable difficulties in life, but because he is a Negro. His brain is not fitted for the higher forms of mental effort; his ideals, no matter how laboriously he is train and sheltered, remain hose of a clown. He is, in brief, a low-caste man, to the manner [sic] born, and he will remain inert and inefficient until fifty generations of him have lived in civilization. And even then, the superior white race will be fifty generations a head of him. Around the 1850's many whites perceived this statement to be true. Not only did they believe in it, but they also had science and the doctors behind the science supporting this belief (Typically white males in the profession). African-Americans, as well as women were considered to be of lower intelligence, not able to perform in "higher forms of mental effort" and in the case of blacks "able to perform in a civilized manner". These two different causes gradually found themselves merging throughout history sharing one common cause, equal rights. When many of us hear about the civil rights movement we generally tend to think of the civil rights movement of the 1960's. With many well know leaders of the time, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Medgar Evers, many would say that the Civil Rights movement was at its' peak. With all of the things that were going on during the time, and the fact that it was televised though the eyes of millions via television. It's No wonder The Civil rights movement of the 1960's is thought of as the peak and or beginning of the movement. One could say that the civil rights movement started in 1680's, right at the beginning of slavery. Part of the Civil Rights movement was slavery and or Anti-slavery. Before Blacks could be considered equal, they first had to be depicted as humans. This would prove to be no easy task. Slavery roughly started around 1619, that's when the first indentured servants arrived in Jamestown, and ended totally in the US around 1865 with the emancipation proclamation. There were many heroes in the battle against slavery that were both black and white. Around the 1800's slavery was more openly being expressed as being wrong. Many blacks started to speak against their master, some rebelled, som... ...ise to the entire human race? This is the most important document that our country was founded on, as the constitution is the supreme law of the land. When the Europeans came over to America they came here to escape persecution, but eventually manifested into the people they fled from. Europeans became the founding fathers of persecution in what was to become the USA. Sojourner Truth and Harriet Beecher Stowe were two women who went about to change the unjust treatment, for not just women but for blacks as well. The relationship that Harriet Beecher Stowe and Sojourner Truth had was very uncommon at that time. Even the causes that they supported joining were very much uncommon but yet same. Sojourner Truth and Harriet Beecher Stowe set a trend in American society that is still present today. A trend that two causes could find alimentation with one another. Many may argue as to whether or not Sojourner Truth and Harriet Beecher Stowe started the merging of the two movements but it can be assumed that the two reflected the relationship of the two parties at the time. Cited in Charles E. Siberman, Crisis in black and White (New York: Vintage, 1964), 108

Mobs, Mobs, Mobs Essay

Mob mentality is a term used to describe a unique behavioral characteristic that develops when people are in a large group. It is often viewed as a negative sense but it can also be a positive sense. When people in our society today hear the word â€Å"mob† they think of an aggressive chaotic group of people fight or doing something with little to no reason. The mobs we have today has the same effect of what people think but it has become thoroughly worse. The factors of mob mentality leaves our society dumbfounded when it acts with alienation and animosity controlling us like a plague. The aspects of mob mentality comes in numbers which leaves us drowning not knowing what and how to react. Two main aspects that play a role in mobs are the overpowering anonymity that exists within a mob and the allotment of responsibility of the group’s behavior. These factors sometimes conceive a person’s belief that they can act a certain way within the group and not have the same consequence as what he or she would of faced if they did it on their own. For instance, if a person is in a mob that is causing havoc in a building, that person might believe that there would be less of a chance that they would get caught if they were alone, because it would be difficult for authorities to identify every person who was involved. They would also feel less guilt because of the many who did the same. Another factor in mob mentality is the greater sense of confusion or panic that would abrupt in a large riot. A perfect example is shown in most disastrous movies like 2012 or I Am Legend when large groups of people suddenly begin running in one direction. Although many people might not know why this would be happening, they see them and abruptly without warning begin running in that direction too. In severe events, the urge to run and panic spreads through everyone’s mind like a pandemic creating some sort of crowd delirium. Even for something that isn’t as chaotic like Black Friday when people see that a 60†³ HD LCD Samsung TV for sale at the price of $400, once they’re released its monkey see monkey do, some guy runs and the rest follows. Everyone has that moment when one of these events happened, threes also the voice in your head leaching adrenaline through your body telling  you run run run! Mob mentality plays a role in plays and concerts that were the â€Å"best.† Three people would stand up applauding and screaming like mad men. Then maybe a few others would join them. Some would look around uncomfortably , scanning the crowd, deciding if it was alright to start clapping. Our brains are wired to follow the crowd which afflicts damage to our society greatly and creating indecisive entities in everyone’s heads. There is a little more insight to show why people will react in ways that rebel against their regular morals and beliefs. â€Å"When people are part of a group they can deindividuate, (lose their self awareness and sense of individuality), and get caught up in the emotional excitement and indulge in behaviors they would not engage in alone† (Page 1). They may not feel that they are the ones responsible for their act of violence as they continue to do so as â€Å"the group’s†. The larger the mob, the more our society can lose self awareness as a whole or one’s self.