Managing a Multigenerational Workforce Term Paper

Managing a Multigenerational Workforce - Term Paper Example rce could be challenging as well as interesting because if it is not properly understood, it would create a hazardous situation in between different age groups, leading into creating instability as well as conflicts. Based on different skills s as well as diversified ways of communication, these groups must be segregated accordingly. These diversified age groups could create a rich talented workforce, which in turn, would prove to be quite beneficial for the organisations in future. However, it should be too much challenging also for its remarkable diversity, which should be managed properly, otherwise the situation becomes fatal (Fallon, 2014). It has been earlier mentioned that multigenerational workforce could create positive and negative impacts on the overall performance of organizations belonging to this modern day context. From the perspective of positive impacts, an effective management of a multigenerational workforce could result in facilitating the modern organizations to reap several significant benefits. These benefits could be duly measured in the form of increasing the profitability level, attaining greater competitive position and ensuring long-term sustainability among others. On the other hand, from the standpoint of negative impacts, the implications of the above stated subject matter could be reckoned as decreased level of overall business or operational performance, ineffective decision making and most vitally mis-utilization of certain valuable resources like human resources. Thus, with this concern, it should be managed in an effective manner for enabling the modern organizations to reap several signi ficant benefits including taking wise decisions about developing the performance of the employees and taking deliberate efforts towards sustaining in this competitive business settings. While discussing about the management of a multigenerational workforce, it will be vita to mention that in this 21st century, operations performed within the

Charlottes Web, by E. B. White | Summary and Analysis

Charlottes Web, by E. B. White | Summary and Analysis Relationships in Charlottes Web I chose to read Charlottes Web because it has always been one of my favorite stories. I instantly knew this would be the perfect story to write about human and animal interrelationships. There are many different relationships between the people and the animals throughout this book. Along with those relationships, there are also various interrelationships between the animals as well. I loved reading this book again, and found it the perfect book for this type of essay. The story begins with a litter of pigs being born at the Arables farm. There were a total of eleven pigs, including the runt. Normally, Mr. Arable kills the runt because it usually dies anyway. However, Fern, the Arable daughter, became very upset when she heard her Papa was going to kill the baby pig. She begged and pleaded with him until he finally gave in and told her that he would not kill the runt if she took care of it. Fern was so ecstatic to have her very own baby pig. She named her new pig Wilbur. Wilbur loved Fern, and would follow her wherever she went. After Wilbur was two weeks old, he had to live outside in a little wooden box under the apple tree. Fern would go outside everyday to feed, walk, and play with Wilbur. They both really loved each others company. Unfortunately, when Wilbur was five weeks old, Fern had to sell him to her Uncle Homer Zuckerman. The Zuckermans farm was close to Ferns house, so she could go and visit Wilbur whenever she pleased. The farm had horses, cows, geese, chickens, sheep, dogs, cats, and now Wilbur. Wilbur became very bored on the farm; he no longer got to go on walks or swims with Fern. He was always stuck in his little pig pen. One sunny day, Wilbur was just walking around his pen talking to himself about how bored he was, when a goose overheard. The goose told Wilbur that there was a board loose on his pen and he could get out and do whatever he wanted. Since Wilbur was so bored he decided that he would like to leave the pen and see whats out there. While walking around the farm with complete freedom, Mrs. Zuckerman saw him. She yelled out to her husband and Lurvy, the hired man to go and catch him. News like this spread fast throughout the farm. All the animals were talking about Wilburs freedom. Then Mr. Zuckerman, Lurvy, and the dog surrounded Wilbur. All the animals started yelling for Wilbur to run away. However, the sweet smell of slope soon came over Wilburs nose, and he was quickly lured back into his pen. There is a lot of human and animal interrelationship in these first three paragraphs. Mr. Arable doesnt really care about the pigs, he just uses them to make money. He doesnt see them as actual living things that have feelings just like him. However, his daughter Fern makes a real connection with Wilbur. She saves his life, and takes care of him just as she would her own child. They become each others best friend. If Ferns is not at school, she is with Wilbur. They do everything, and go everywhere with each other. They become true companions. Fern also develops a relationship with the rest of the animals on the farm. They all get to know her, and start to trust her. They allow her to sit in their pens and watch Wilbur. In the next three chapters, many things happen at the Zuckerman farm. Wilbur becomes very, very lonely. He had planned his whole day out. He planned when he would eat, when he would sleep, and when it would just sit there doing absolutely nothing. Unfortunately, when he awoke all his plans went out the window due to the rain. So he then asked the goose to play with him, but she was sitting on her eggs. Next he asked a sheep to play with him but the sheep said no and called him less than nothing. Not even Templeton the rat would take time out of his day to play with poor Wilbur. Wilbur then became extremely depressed, and started to weep. Right before Wilbur was about to go to bed he heard a little voice that said, Do you want a friend, Wilbur? Ill be a friend to you (White 31). Hearing this excited Wilbur, but he was confused because he couldnt see where this little friendly voice was coming from. The voice then told Wilbur to go to sleep, and that they will meet in the morning. Wilbur did as he was told, and in the morning he discovered his new friend was a spider named Charlotte A. Cavatica. At first, Wilbur was disgusted by his new friend Charlotte. She showed him how she caught her food in her web, and sucked out their blood. Wilbur didnt know what to think about her because he really wanted a friend, but he thought that what she did was very cruel. In these three chapters there werent any human and animal interrelationships because there werent any humans mentioned. However, there were a lot of animal relationships between Wilbur and the other animals. The goose doesnt even give Wilbur the time of day, and just sort of sees him as a distraction. The sheep say they consider pigs less than nothing, which is odd to me because what do the sheep do that make them that great? Hearing this just devastates poor Wilbur, as it would anyone. Wilbur then turns to Templeton who has no interest in Wilbur, just Wilburs food. After hearing that no one cares about him Wilbur becomes very depressed. He feels that he doesnt have any friends on the farm, which makes him sad because he was so used to having a friend all the time when he lived with Fern. Then Charlotte comes into the picture, but Wilbur isnt so sure if he really wants to be her friend because she is so bloodthirsty. In the next couple of chapters Wilbur gets extremely stressed. One of the sheep tells him that the Zuckermans are just fattening him up to kill him at Christmas time. Naturally, Wilbur freaks out and starts running around saying Save me, I dont want to die!(50). Charlotte overheard the conversation between the sheep and Wilbur, and told Wilbur to calm down. Charlotte said that she would come up with a plan to save Wilbur. The next morning Fern tells her family all about the animals at the barn. She tells her parents exactly what the animals were saying, which implies that she can understand animal talk. Her mom gets very concerned, and says she is going to call Ferns doctor. Ferns dad just blows off the whole conversation like it wasnt a big deal. Later the next afternoon, Wilbur starts admiring Charlottes Web. He tells Charlotte that he thinks he could build a web just like hers if he wanted to do so. Charlotte knows that this is impossible and tells Wilbur to try. So Wilbur then climbs to the top of the manure pile, and jumps off hoping a string will come out of his butt and catch him. Naturally, this does not happen, and Wilbur lands flat on his face in the ground. His next brilliant idea is to tie a string that Templeton gave him to his tail, and then try the same thing again. Just like the first attempt, this one failed too. Wilbur finally gives up, and everyone including Fern laughs at him. Charlotte then cheers him up, and tells him to just lie down and relax. After a while of silence, Wilbur asks Charlotte how she plans on saving him from being Christmas dinner. Charlotte says she has not thoroughly thought of the plan yet, but she will think of one that will work. Wilbur is still very curious of how this is going to w ork, and keeps asking Charlotte many questions. Finally, Charlotte tells him not to worry, and just to do as hes told. She then tells him to eat well, stay healthy, and to get a lot of rest. Wilbur does as he is told, and falls asleep. In these last three paragraphs, the first human and animal interrelationship is between the Zuckermans and Wilbur. The Zuckermans just see Wilbur as a Christmas dinner. The reason they feed him and take care of him is not because they actually care about him; it is because they want a nice, big Christmas dinner. To me, this is so sad. I dont know how people could raise a pig and then just kill it and eat it! I know this is what happens in real life, and it is how everyone gets their bacon and ham, but it is just so sad to me. The other human and animal interrelationship is between Fern and all the animals on the farm. Fern can understand the animals when they talk to one another. She knows what all of them are saying, but I dont think the animals know she has this special gift. Ferns mom just thinks she is going crazy, but Ferns dad just blows it off like its nothing. I think this is probably one of the most important human and animal interrelationships throughout the story. During the next three chapters many events take place. First, Charlotte figures out a way that she can trick the Zuckermans into not killing Wilbur. However, she knows she has to work fast because there isnt a lot of time. That day, Fern and Avery come down to the Zuckermans house for some blueberry pie. Avery brings a frog with him, which causes a disaster in the Zuckermans house. After the frog incident the two of them decide to go swing on the rope in the Zuckermans barn. After they got tired of swinging they went and picked some raspberries. While doing this, Avery found a little candy box to put his frog in. Fern then wants to go and visit Wilbur, so they both walk over to the pig pen. Avery discovers Charlotte and her web. He then tries to knock Charlotte out of her web and kill her. Luckily, Avery tripped and happened to break Templetons rotten egg. The nauseating smell lures Avery and Fern away from the pig pen, and Charlotte. The next day was very foggy, which made it easier to see Charlottes web. When everyone awoke they discovered that Charlotte had written the words some pig, in her web. The Zuckermans were so startled by this message, and started believe they truly had an amazing pig. Mr. Zuckerman then went and told a fellow priest, who of coarse told the whole town. By the next day people were lined up in front of Wilburs pen to see him, as well as Charlottes web. With all this excitement, Charlotte knew her plan to save Wilburs life was working. But she knew that in order to keep Wilbur alive she would need to do more, and change the words. So Charlotte then called a group meeting where they decided the new word would be terrific. However, Charlotte wanted more words as well, so she then convinced Templeton to go to the dumpster and collect magazine clips with more words on them that would continue impressing the people. The first human and animal interrelationship demonstrated in these chapters was between Avery and Charlotte. Avery saw Charlotte and her web and automatically wanted to swat her down and kill her. Even though Charlotte wasnt bothering Avery one bit, his natural instincts were to just kill her. This shows that not all human and animal interrelationships are good, or fair in this case. Another human and animal interrelationship shown in these chapters was between all the people and their reactions to Charlotte, Wilbur, and Charlottes web. The people were so astonished by the sight of the writing in Charlottes web. They could not believe that a spider could spin the letters so clearly in her web. The words some pig, completely changed everyones views of Wilbur. Before, he was just an ordinary pig that one day would be made into dinner, but now he is so good looking and perfect in their eyes. Its really interesting how the animals can change the views of the people so easily. During the next three chapters many events occur. After the words some pig, started to get old, Charlotte decided to reconstruct her web, and write in the word terrific. Once again, everyone came down to the Zuckermans farm to see the new web. Wilbur loved all of the attention, and started to believe that he was a terrific pig. Mr. Zuckerman also loved all of this attention. He started giving Wilbur all sorts of special treatment, and decided that he will enter him in the Country Fair. Templeton searched through the dumpster to look for new words that Charlotte could carve into her web. His first couple trips werent very successful; however he finally found the perfect word, radiant. Wilbur loved the new word, and started doing flips and turns to prove that he was a radiant pig. After a long day of flipping, Wilbur lay down, and asked Charlotte to tell him some stories. She went on telling him about her cousin who actually caught a fish in her web, and how another one of her cousins was a balloonist. The next day Fern told her mom all the stories about Charlottes cousins. Her mom began to worry about Fern, and how she thinks she can understand animals. Her mom decided to go see Dr. Dorian to talk about Ferns strange behaviors. Dr. Dorian didnt see anything wrong in what Fern was doing, and he actually found it quite enchanting. Mrs. Arable then goes on to ask if he has heard about the words written in Charlottes web. He says he has heard about them, and that it is a miracle that a spider could spin a web in the first place. So the fact that Charlotte could write something in it does not surprise him. Mrs. Arable then felt relieved after Dr. Dorian told her that he thinks Fern is perfectly fine. Wilbur started thinking about the County Fair, and what was going to happen to him. He asked Charlotte if she was going to come with him but she said she wouldnt be able to. Charlotte needs to stay at the farm and lay her eggs during that time. Wilbur pleads and pleads with her until she finally says she will try her best to be there. However, she knew she wasnt going to be able to help Wilbur much longer because she needs to start building her sac for the eggs. There are quite a few human and animal interrelationships during these couple of chapters. The first one is between Mr. Zuckerman and Wilbur. Mr. Zuckerman now sees Wilbur as something more than food. Wilbur has a chance to win the County Fair, and become useful to Mr. Zuckerman. In reality, Wilbur is still the same old pig, but because of Charlottes words in the web, Wilbur all of a sudden becomes a prized possession, as well as a very important asset to Mr. Zuckermans farm. Wilbur loves all the attention the people give him, as well. He now sees himself as terrific and radiant, instead of just a normal old pig. So here, both Wilbur and Mr. Zuckerman help each other out. Another human and animal interrelationship that is shown in this chapter is through Dr. Dorian. Dr. Dorian explains to Ferns mother that it is perfectly fine that Fern spends all of her time at the Zuckerman barn. He goes on to tell her that animals are very amazing creatures, especially spiders. Dr. Dorian says tha t he is not surprised by the miracle that Charlotte could spin letter in her web, because he thinks its an even greater miracle that a spider can spin a web in the first place. To me this shows that Dr. Dorian really respects animals, and all the amazing things they can do. During the next three chapters they take Wilbur to the County Fair. Mrs. Zuckerman wanted Wilbur to look extra clean, so she bathed him in buttermilk. The buttermilk worked very well, making Wilbur white as can be. After Wilbur was all clean, everyone went and changed into their best clothes to go to the fair in. When they were all done they met at Wilburs pen to help load him in his crate. When Mr. Arable saw Wilbur, he made a remark that the Zuckermans will get some extra good ham and bacon from him when they kill him in the winter. When Wilbur heard this he immediately passed out. Fern ran over to him with tears in her eyes, and Lurvy ran over with a bucket of cold water to splash on him. When Wilbur regained consciousness, they all helped load him into the car, and took off to the fair. Wilbur felt a lot better now that Charlotte and Templeton were coming with him as well. When they arrived at the fair many people gathered around to see Wilbur. Charlotte soon became worried because she noticed that the pig next to Wilbur was much bigger than Wilbur. However, when Charlotte went down to meet the large pig she was not impressed with his personality. His name was Uncle, and according to Charlotte he is too familiar, too noisy, and cracks weak jokes. This made Wilbur feel a little better because he knew that he could win over the crowd with his radiant personality. The next night Charlotte set Templeton out to find a new word for her web. She told him to make it a good word because it will be the last one she will ever create. Templeton found the word humble written on a piece of newspaper and brought it back to Charlotte. He said humble describes Wilbur perfectly because it means two things: not proud and near the ground. Charlotte agreed that it was a good word for the web, and quickly got to work. Later that night when the web was complete, Wilbur could not see Charlotte. She told him that she was in a different corner creating a masterpiece. Wilbur wanted to know what this masterpiece was, but Charlotte told him to get some rest and she will show him in the morning. In these few chapters there werent very many interrelationships between the humans and the animals. The time that there was any interaction between the two was when they were all at the Zuckermans farm talking about Wilbur. Mr. Arable made a remark about killing Wilbur, which shows that he has not changed his views on Wilbur from the beginning of the story. He is a farmer who sees pigs as food and nothing else. Fern on the other hand sees Wilbur as a companion, and would never do anything to hurt him. She shows her affection for Wilbur by running over to him and holding him when he passed out. They have a very close bond just like anyone would have with someone or something they loved. During the last chapters of the book many events occur. The first event was that Charlotte laid an egg sac with five hundred and fourteen eggs in it. Wilbur becomes ecstatic that Charlotte is going to become a mom, and that he will have a whole lot of new friends. However, Charlotte has horrible news for Wilbur. She tells him that she has become very ill. But she doesnt want to focus on the negative, so she changes the subject and points out how beautiful her web looks with the new word in it. It was the best web out of all the ones she had created before. But then of course, Templeton returns from a night of ravishing around the fair grounds with some unfortunate news. Templeton tells Charlotte and Wilbur that he noticed that Uncle, the pig next door has a blue ribbon placed on his pen. He then went on to tell Wilbur that this meant that Wilbur will soon be forgotten by everyone, and eventually end up as the Zuckermans Christmas dinner. This hit Wilbur really hard, but he tried to stay strong and listen to Charlotte. Charlotte told him not to worry, and everything will be fine. Within a couple of minutes the whole gang returned to see Wilbur. Fern pointed out the new web, and everyone stood admiring it with astonishment. Then Mrs. Zuckerman began to cry because Avery pointed out that Uncle had already won first prized. Everyone became very upset, except for Mr. Zuckerman. Mr. Zuckerman took control and told everyone to help him bathe Wilbur, and make him look his best. Everyone did as they were told. Suddenly, there was an announcement over the loud speakers that Wilbur had won a special prize, and everyone was to report to the judges booth. Excite ment rushed through the whole fair as everyone raced over to the booth. Once everyone was there, the announcer presented Mr. Zuckerman a prize of $25, and a bronze medal for Wilbur. Wilbur had won this award because he and the words in the web had brought many spectators to the fair from all around. Everyone cheered, and Wilbur felt so proud. Then as things wound down, the Zuckermans took Wilbur back to his pen before loading up the car. Wilbur noticed that Charlotte was a lot quieter than normal. Charlotte then told Wilbur that she would not be returning to the farm with him because she would only live for one more day. This news hit Wilbur hard, and began to weep. He did not know what he would do without Charlotte, his best friend. Then Wilbur came up with an idea to bring Charlottes egg sac back to the barn with him so Charlotte would at least know her children would be safe. So Wilbur called over Templeton to run up and get the sac. However, Templeton would not do it unless Wilbur agreed to give Templeton first pick of his food from that day forward. Wilbur instantly agreed. As Wilbur was being loaded back into his crate, he had Charlottes egg sac safe in his mouth. He could not talk, so he looked up and gave Charlotte a wink. Charlotte knew that he was saying goodbye and quietly said goodbye back. The next day Charlotte died alone. Wilbur, Templeton, and her eggs were all back at the barn with the other animals. They all made it through the cold winter, and patiently awaited the little spiders arrivals. Then one warm morning they finally hatched. They all said hi to Wilbur, but then made little balloons with their strings from their butts, and flew away. Wilbur began to cry because they were all leaving him and he thought he would be all alone again. Then he heard three little voices coming from the corners of the doorway. Wilbur looked up and saw that three of Charlottes daughters decided to stay, their names where Joy, Aranea, and Nellie. They became Wilburs close friends because now that Fern was growing up she didnt stop by to visit as often. As the years went on Wilbur became friends with Charlottes daughters, granddaughters and even great granddaughters. However, none of them could ever take the place of Charlotte in Wilburs heart. In these chapters the Zuckermans and the Arables all fall in love with Wilbur and his achievement. Wilbur essentially becomes their hero, and the highlight of their lives. However, Fern who was Wilburs best friend, didnt even want to stay to see Wilbur win his prize. She was to busy running around after a boy on the ferris wheel. This shows that the human and animal interrelationship changes a lot throughout the story. In the beginning of the story all Fern cared about is Wilbur and his health. Her parents, along with the Zuckermans didnt care about Wilbur; they just saw him as a good Christmas dinner. However, as the story develops, the tables turn, and it seems that Fern out grows Wilbur in a sense. Fern still loves Wilbur, and always will, but she has found other loves in her life now as well. Whereas the Zuckermans find a whole new love in Wilbur, and now see him as their pet. I thought the interrelationships in the last few chapters were very interesting. However, the true relat ionship in the last chapters was between Charlotte and Wilbur. Charlotte succeeds in saving Wilburs life, and in return Wilbur protects Charlottes eggs for her. They both would do anything for one another, whether it meant giving up their own lives or just always being there for the other. Charlottes Web was a great book to read for this essay. Not only did it show human and animal interrelationships, but it also showed animal relationships as well. It demonstrated the many ways people perceive and value certain animals, along with how their views can change. Fern saves Wilburs life and develops a very close connection with him. They become best friends, and would do everything together. However, no one else saw Wilbur in the way that Fern did. They saw Wilbur as a pig that would be used for food. Poor Wilbur then got sent away to the Zuckermans farm where their intentions were to kill him come summertime. There was no interrelationship between them and Wilbur. Eventually, Wilbur develops a close relationship with the animals on the farm, especially Charlotte. As time goes on, Charlotte and Wilbur become extremely close, and Charlotte also saves Wilburs life. The Zuckermans and Arables also start to develop a close relationship with Wilbur when he becomes famous. They end up seeing Wilbur as their pet, as well as part of the family. However, it took words in a web for them to realize how great of a pig Wilbur actually was.

The Hurricane :: essays research papers

Lyrical Analysis Presentation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On July 17, 1966, in Paterson, NJ, Rubin â€Å"Hurricane† Carter was contending for the heavyweight boxing title, when, one night, he was pulled over and suspected of a murder. There was no evidence or witnesses to prove the Hurricane guilty, but the cops needed somebody to blame; so they fixed the trial, and Rubin received the short end of the stick. He was put away for life for a crime he didn’t commit. This is a true story. The song was written by Bob Dylan to bring Rubin’s situation to the public. Rubin Carter was a black man; so many people, including judges and cops, just turned their head. The Hurricane’s verdict was changed after nineteen years in prison. He is now trying to live the life that was taken from him. Dylan’s song, â€Å"The Hurricane† explains how Rubin Carter was proven innocent, but found guilty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shots were fired, and a triple murder was committed. Two people were at the scene, Patty Valentine and a man, but there were no witnesses. The man next to the bodies said, â€Å"I was only robbin’ the register, I hope you understand.† Somehow this burglar is not suspected of the murder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The number one contender for the heavyweight title is not even near the shootings. It says â€Å"Meanwhile, far away in another part of town, Rubin and a couple of friends are drivn’ around.† But he was pulled over anyway â€Å"just like the before and the time before that. In Paterson, that’s just the way things go. If you’re black you might as well not show up on the street ‘less you wanna draw the heat.† People were very racist back then, and therefore a black man was always suspected before a white man.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The police are at the scene gathering information. The burglar and his partner said they saw two middleweights running, and Patty Valentine agreed with them. A cop sees that the bartenders not dead, â€Å"and though this man could hardly see they told him he could identify the guilty man. The cops have to find a person to blame, and even though it doesn’t say it in the song, Rubin has had trouble with the Chief of Police when he was younger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rubin is hauled to the hospital, so that the bartender could identify him. â€Å"The wounded man looks up through his one dyin’ eye, says, wha’d you bring him in here for?

Principles of Hypnosis

The Principles of Hypnosis: CONTENTS Dylan Morgan THE BOOK is arranged in three parts: A, B and C. Part A, like the root system of a plant, is a foundation. It brings into mind some of the materials that will be needed for the remainder of the book. These chapters are only loosely connected to each other. Part B, like the stem of a plant, develops the central theme of the book, which is the key processes involved in Hypnotherapy. These chapters are strongly connected and should be read in order. Part C, like the leaves or fruit of a plant, spreads out again.These chapters are all developments from the ideas of Part B, but are not otherwise connected strongly. They can be read in almost any order, and are intended to stimulate thought in a variety of new directions. PART A Introduction. This describes the kind of book you are reading. It is a book which is devoted to presenting a unified theoretical view of the subject. In this way it is new and unique. It does not present any new fac ts, but rather arranges the facts in a new light. It presents a new paradigm for Hypnosis. Chapter 1: Clearing the Ground.Here we make sure that we know what certain key words will mean in this book. The word Hypnosis will refer ONLY to the subject and not to some hypothetical state or condition. Chapter 2: Hypnotic Phenomena. Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy are particular fields of human knowledge. We may delimit such fields of knowledge by their subject matter: the phenomena they deal with. A brief overview of some of the standard phenomena of Hypnosis is given to remind the reader of what the subjects involve. Chapter 3: Introducing Systems.A very important idea which is central to future development is that of systems, and particularly organic systems. This chapter introduces some of the basic properties of systems which will recur throughout the book, primarily their level of activity, and the most basic ways in which they might affect each other. An important shorthand notation is a lso presented. Chapter 4: Other Theoretical Approaches. It is useful then to examine various other theoretical approaches which have been taken to the subject. This overview will deepen the understanding of the newcomer.The range of theories is classified with an eye on the way in which they can be related to particular organic systems. It will be seen that the systems approach gives a way of unifying discussion and analysis of the whole field. The primary conclusion is that previous theoretical models have been based on noticing that Hypnotic techniques change the functioning of one particular system of the mind or body and then extrapolating to the idea that this particular system or change is the key or definitive feature of Hypnosis.Each theory therefore has some truth to teach, but none provides a complete picture. Chapter 5: Interlude – Analogous Processes. In this chapter the reader is reminded of many other organic systems with which he or she is familiar, such as org anisations, ecosystems, economies and families. The purpose is to activate in the mind certain patterns of organised thought; certain dynamic images; a certain organic approach to a subject which is a useful one when we develop the â€Å"Morganic† approach to Hypnotherapy. Chapter 6: A First Order Classification of Subsystems useful in Hypnotherapy.In this chapter we take a rather closer look at the central systems with which we deal in Hypnosis, in order to perform a rough classification. There are those subsystems which interface with the external environment, which can be classified into active, e. g. muscular, vocal; and responsive, e. g. vision, hearing. Then there are those subsystems which deal with the internal environment, e. g. emotions, internalised speech, visualisation and a variety of maintenance and defence systems. Important among this last class is the â€Å"flight or fight† process.This elementary classification is then used to illustrate the principl es along which Hypnotherapy can proceed. Chapter 7: Processes. This brief chapter takes a closer look at the matter of distinguishing processes as opposed to distinguishing structures. It also considers yet another complex system as an example of an organic system: an orchestra. The particular virtue of this example is that it provides us with a concrete image of what we mean by a process of a system: it is akin to the score of an orchestral work.Another very important point made, which is neatly illustrated by this example, is the distinction between the kinematics of a process – how a thing proceeds – and the dynamics – why it proceeds as it does. No amount of analysis of subsystems will in principle enable us fully to understand an organic process by merely analysing its subprocesses: we must also always be aware of the influence of larger systems and processes of which it is in turn a subprocess. Chapter 8: Tests. Anyone familiar with Hypnosis will know many â€Å"tests† of Hypnotic responsiveness.These are used in an attempt to determine how readily a potential subject will respond. The purpose of this chapter is to re-evaluate such tests within a systems framework as follows. The tests remain tests, but tests not of Hypnotic responsiveness but of how readily one system of the brain or body activates another in a given individual. Chapter 9: Inductions. â€Å"Hypnotic inductions† are traditionally thought of as processes that the Hypnotist goes through in order to â€Å"Hypnotise† the Subject.But they are mostly presented with little or no explanation of how they work, or of what is the purpose of their various parts. From a systems point of view it becomes much easier to see what the purpose of an induction is, and examples are given to illustrate this way of thinking. The result is a more precise, flexible and accurate approach to this area within the field of Hypnotherapy. PART B This central part of the book t akes a very close look at the process of Hypnotherapy, in more or less the order that it arises in real life, starting with the initial diagnosis.In doing this the value of the systems approach and the notation we have outlined in Part A become more apparent and develop real strength, throwing further light on how a variety of Hypnotic phenomena are produced. Chapter 10: The Process of Hypnotherapy. Stage 1: Elements of Diagnosis. This chapter starts to look at the process of diagnosis by looking at the presented symptom. It then describes the first step in a process of diagnosis which involves looking at precursors and resultants of the presented symptom. A precursor is a system, a change in the activity of which produces the symptom.A resultant is a system whose activity changes as a direct result of the symptom. In this way we build up a clear picture of the dynamics of the problem. The typical picture is a chain of systems each affecting the next, with the problem symptom somewh ere in the middle. A situation of considerable importance arises if the chain forms a loop, colloquially termed a vicious circle. Chapter 11: Feedback Loops – an Introduction. The notion of a vicious circle is part of a more general set of ideas which deal with what are known as feedback loops. These are of enormous importance in organic systems, and this chapter outlines their principles.We distinguish positive feedback loops from negative feedback loops, and increasing from decreasing feedback loops. Any of these can at times create the problem we are supposed to be resolving, or prevent a change we want to make, or, on the other hand, be the means by which we are removing a problem or ensuring that the changes we make are permanent. Chapter 12: The Process of Hypnotherapy. Stage 2: Consequences of Symptom Reduction. The next step in diagnosis involves looking at the question of what would happen if the problem symptom were to be removed.The importance of this comes from th e observation that the problem may well only remain in existence because of a negative feedback loop which ensures that any reduction in the problem leads to consequences which start it up again. It is essential in successful therapy that such situations be recognised. Chapter 13: Making Changes in Hypnosis. As a preliminary to deciding what to do to change things for the better this very important chapter builds on the analysis of cybernetic processes to emphasise a general and very central technique of Hypnotherapy.We start from the general principle that amplification is involved and the observation that organic systems are typically provided with a multitude of increasing positive feedback loops which act precisely like amplifiers. Many Hypnotic phenomena are shown to centre around the principle of deliberately creating and activating such loops. As a secondary but still important principle we note that in many other cases a pre-existent loop of this nature is present but is hel d in check by the activity of another system.In such cases it is enough to inactivate the controlling system in order to tap into the activating power of the loop. But even then the inactivation is likely to be achievable by means of establishing a positive feedback loop. Chapter 14: The Process of Hypnotherapy. Stage 3: Planning a Change. In this chapter attention is focused on the process of deciding a strategy in Hypnotherapy for reducing the problem symptom. There is no one way of tackling a given symptom, or helping a given person. But there is a strategy which has a good chance of producing a short list of the most effective and efficient ways.Chapter 15: Reinforcing Changes. In the context of Hypnotherapy it is important to ensure that changes to the Client are reinforced by factors in the environment. This amounts to ensuring that there will be an increasing positive feedback loop to make the change grow in strength. This is contrasted with a form of therapy in which any new behaviour is reinforced only by the therapist, which can result in undue dependence. The principle is that â€Å"Life must provide the reinforcer†. PART C In this third part of the book each chapter is relatively independent.Each takes up one particular aspect of our subject and looks at it from the perspective of the principles that have been developed. Chapter 16: Dynamic Rebound and Paired Systems. In this chapter we focus on a particular and very important principle of organic systems. This is the fact that to maintain homeostasis – a reasonable equilibrium – there evolve pairs of systems which act in opposite directions to maintain any important parameter within range. If one increases, then the other decreases. This is coupled to the principle that if we attempt to over-ride a system it will tend, over a few cycles, to strengthen.We may then often find that the most effective strategy in dealing with a problem is analogous to vaccination: we act in the sh ort term to produce the very thing which we are trying to prevent in the long term, with the aim of strengthening a natural system which will produce the required change. The converse of this is that a direct attempt to change a system is more analogous to drug therapy: it can be very effective in the short term, but in the long term weakens a natural system which would do the same job, thus creating potential long-term problems.Chapter 17: Dissociation. This chapter draws attention to the general point that in any complex system there are subsystems which may or may not affect each other. If two have no direct effect on each other they may be called totally dissociated. If the effect is only one way we may call it a partial dissociation. The dissociation may also be weak or strong – in the latter case there will be some third or higher system which acts so as to prevent the strongly dissociated systems from affecting each other.Examples are given of these phenomena and an in teresting point is made regarding the difference in emphasis between Hypnotists, who tend to create dissociation, and Hypnotherapists, who tend to eliminate it. Chapter 18: Indirect Questions. The asking of appropriate questions is a theme which runs through the whole book. One particular aspect of this is asking questions of the Client. Problems can arise when we want to know things about subsystems of which there is no conscious awareness. This chapter deals with some of the techniques specific to Hypnotherapy which deal with such a situation.In brief they involve bypassing the verbal system and connecting the system of interest to some other system (using the characteristic Hypnotic techniques of eliminating distractions, amplifying responses by means of feedback loops, etc. ). The alternative systems are usually the visual imagination or the motor or emotional systems. Examples are given to illustrate this. Chapter 19: Experimental Hypnotherapy. This chapter underlines the value of the very clear theoretical structure presented in this book when it comes to making meaningful experiments.Since it has proved impossible to find an agreed objective answer to the question, â€Å"When is a person Hypnotised? † the experimentalist who wishes to be scientific is working on shaky foundations. Within our framework, however, the basic question as to whether a particular system is active or not is much more tractable and answerable. It should then be possible to build a strong experimental structure on the basis of clearly defined experiments on the component parts of Hypnotic procedures. Chapter 20: Family Therapy.Family therapy is an area of human psychology which has already incorporated to some extent a systems way of thinking. The background to this is presented for the sake of its similarities to our systematic approach to Hypnotherapy. Some examples are used to illustrate the fact that the approach and notation developed in earlier chapters continue to b e precisely as valuable when the primary system is a family and not an individual. The general point is made that the practice of a therapist is characterised by the choice of systems he recognises as important.The different fields of family therapy are associated with different assumptions as to the subsystems of importance. The same holds for Hypnotherapists: the subsystems they regard as important characterise and at times limit them. Chapter 21: Schools of Psychotherapy. Different schools of psychotherapy tend to focus their attention on different subsystems of the human mind, and apply different techniques to them. This chapter very briefly outlines some of the major approaches in order to provide an idea of the context of Hypnotherapy.It is concluded that Hypnotherapy, in the sense of this book, is broader than most forms of psychotherapy as it may deal with systems of many kinds and all levels from the comparatively simple reflexes of the nervous system up to social systems. It involves a prescriptive diagnostic process, a crisp theoretical framework, a sense of the dynamics of feedback systems and a wide variety of procedures to change them. Chapter 22: Activity. This chapter presents a precise scientific definition of the key notion of activity which has run through this book.The activity of a system is defined as the rate at which it increases the entropy of the universe – a quantity which is in principle always measurable or calculable. It also has the property of always being positive. It is approximately proportional to the power output of the system in watts. If we wish to extrapolate the notion of activity to socio-economic systems (which are also organic) then a more useful measure will be the rate at which money is spent: ? /sec. Chapter 23: Analogies and Metaphors The use of analogies or metaphors in Hypnotherapy is common and important.In this chapter their use is related to the general principles running through the book. The key ide a is that the principles allow us to uncover the abstract dynamic pattern of the problem and solution. The same abstract pattern may be embodied in many particular forms, each of which thereby provides an analogy for all the others. In helping a Client we generate an analogy which draws on his or her experience, and present the change that is required to resolve the problem in terms of the related change in the analogy.These ideas also throw some further light onto the nature of the theory of this book: although many analogies have been presented for Hypnotic phenomena, their purpose is to enable the reader to grasp the general or abstract principles which are involved in both Hypnosis and the other fields from which the examples or analogies are drawn. Chapter 24: Consciousness. This brief chapter gives an outline of an approach to the very difficult question of consciousness.The essence of the approach is the theme, which runs through this book, of the twin perspective on any syst em both as being part of a larger system or systems and also as containing subsystems. The point is made that when we ask of a system a question based on â€Å"How? â€Å", then we are looking for an answer in terms of its subsystems. On the other hand when we ask a question based on â€Å"What? † we are looking for answers in terms of its supersystem or supersystems. Anything like a full understanding of a system can only be obtained by answering both the â€Å"How? † and the â€Å"What? † questions.Applying these principles to human consciousness, which is taken to involve the highest order of systems within the individual brain, leads inevitably to the conclusion that although research has gone a long (though not the whole) way towards answering the â€Å"How? † questions, the answers to the â€Å"What? † questions must lie in a higher system, which must at least include very many other human beings. The fact that traditionally the â€Å"What ? † questions regarding human life have been answered in terms of higher systems than the individual human being is therefore accepted to be the right approach in principle.Chapter 25: Mathematics. This brief chapter points towards the way in which the analysis of Hypnotic phenomena promoted in the body of the book could be developed in such a way that it would connect up with the large existing body of mathematical theory of cybernetic and biological systems. A single very small example of mathematical modelling is given in the hope that even the non-mathematician may get an idea of the potential of such an approach. CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY Home | Principles | Top of page PART A The Principles of Hypnosis: INTRODUCTIONThis describes the kind of book you are reading. It is a book which is devoted to presenting a unified theoretical view of the subject. In this way it is new and unique. It does not present any new facts, but rather arranges the facts in a new light. It presents a new paradigm for Hypnosis. WHAT KIND of book is this? This question is an important one. In order to get the best out of a book we need to approach it with the right mind-set. This book is a paradigm-changing book: it aims to present a fresh way of looking at the field of Hypnotherapy.It was in 1962 that Kuhn introduced the notion of a paradigm shift to describe a process that has happened in many fields of science at many times. The second edition of his book will be found in the list of References under Kuhn (1970)Bib. It concerns a fundamental change in the way in which the phenomena of the field are viewed, and consequently in the way things are done. In Kuhn's view such a change has the nature of a revolution. His book itself introduced a paradigm shift in the field of the theory of scientific ideas.A good survey of his ideas and of those of others who do not agree with him is given by Casti (1989)Bib. Since this book presents a paradigm shift it is a book of ideas. It will therefore stand or fall on the success of these ideas. They will be a success if they help others to make sense of Hypnotherapy. We may contrast this with some books which it is NOT. It is NOT a book which claims to present any new FACTS about Hypnosis. If it were it would contain a number of detailed accounts of specific new experiments and their results: it does not. It is NOT a compendium or encyclopaedia of known facts about Hypnotherapy.If it were, it would contain thousands of references to the work of thousands of other workers and what they have discovered: it does not. It would also be a great deal thicker. It is NOT a history. If it were it would deal exclusively with ideas and practices from the past. It does not. It is NOT a handbook of techniques. Although various techniques will be mentioned, they are there only to illustrate and illuminate the theory. A handbook would aim to give extensive lists of techniques. This does not. It is NOT a â€Å"Teach yourself Hypnother apy† book.Although you will learn a lot about Hypnotherapy, this book will not, in itself, qualify you to be a Hypnotherapist. That requires in addition a lot of practical experience and a lot of detailed information that you would need to acquire from the kinds of books mentioned above. It is NOT one of those Elixir of Life books which claims to have found some totally new and remarkably simple method of solving all human ills. It is none of those things. It IS a book which aims to change in a fundamental and useful way the manner in which we think about the subjects of Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy.Books of this nature are rare – and they are exciting. Not only does it give a new perspective, it generates new insights into the processes used. Furthermore it leads to a clear and original description of the process of diagnosis in Hypnotherapy – something which is notably absent in other books on the subject. The association of Hypnosis with therapy is not new. By th at name it was first used by the Scottish doctor, James Braid, then practising in Manchester, in the 1840s. Related practices, under other names, were used in healing by Mesmer and his ollowers in the 17th century and by priest and shaman as far back as the dawn of recorded history. Over the centuries many books have been written about Hypnosis in the context of therapy. The common characteristic of all these books is that they deal extensively with HOW to create the many phenomena we associate with Hypnotism but give very little idea of WHY the methods work. There is very little theory. They are therefore of little help when a method does NOT work, which is a matter of some importance to the practitioner of Hypnotherapy. The early days of most sciences are marked by this same feature.Early chemistry consisted of a collection of recipes, â€Å"If you add this to that then the following happens†¦ † There was no real understanding of WHY or HOW it happened. Early medicine was the same. It had a large collection of procedures and treatments, but only vague ideas as to HOW they worked (when they did). In the light of our present understanding, moreover, we can see that the theoretical ideas they did have – such as the Hippocratic idea of Humours – were inadequate and faulty in the extreme, leading for example to quite unnecessary and potentially dangerous bloodletting on a massive scale.When a science has reached a certain degree of maturity, as a result of the accumulated experiences of many workers, there comes a stage in which partial, and hard-won, experiences may coalesce to form one uniform picture which makes sense of a whole field. An example of this was the introduction into chemistry of the atomic theory by Dalton (1808)Bib, which was a big paradigm shift and the foundation of all subsequent understanding in the field.It is the contention of this book that Hypnotherapy has come of age, and that it is now possible to describe in some detail a theoretical framework within which Hypnotic phenomena can be produced and understood in a systematic way. This book is written with three classes of readers in mind. The central class consists of students: people who are learning the skills of Hypnotherapy. There are increasing numbers of these as this form of therapy becomes more popular. They can expect to find this book a unique aid to understanding what it is that they are learning to do.On one side of these are individuals who already have an extensive understanding of Hypnotherapy, whether as practitioners or as experimentalists. For these individuals this book may be seen as a codification of ideas that are floating in the pool of common consciousness of Hypnotherapists in this day and age: it crystallises these ideas; it makes them more definite and clear; it unites them in a common pattern. Some of the ideas presented here have already been published in journals read by professionals and found a ready response .The paradigm shift involved does not involve the shattering of existing ideas for most professionals. It is more a matter of drawing together all that we know and do in a systematic way and then building on that foundation a strong new understanding. On the other side of the centre is the group of intelligent readers who want to know what Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy are all about, though with no intention of using them in person. This will include students of psychology and medicine, but also many of the millions of people who like to know â€Å"how things work†, and in particular â€Å"how people work†.Hypnotherapy is intimately involved with the ways in which people's minds and bodies work: arguably the most fascinating subject for everyone outside their own speciality. With this readership in mind the language has been kept comparatively simple. A minimum level of specialised vocabulary is used, and a minimum amount of prior knowledge assumed. Having said that, it ha s been my experience that the concepts are grasped most readily by men and women who are working at the higher levels of many fields such as management, education or consultancy.They seem naturally to think in terms of systems and processes: an ability that I suppose is correlated with degree of intelligence. It may well be then that a certain level of intelligence is a prerequisite to grasping the ideas in their abstract form. However, I have supplied many concrete examples to minimise this problem. The theoretical framework described here, although proposed as a basis for understanding Hypnotherapy, is in fact rich and powerful enough also to provide a fresh perspective on a very much wider arena of human behaviour, whether individual or in groups such as families or organisations.It is hoped that it will open up new ways of thinking to others as it has to the author. It will seem to outsiders that the Hypnotherapist does not hold a central position in the world of ideas: I certai nly thought so myself at one time. But I have gradually come to realise that in terms of understanding how people work it is a position second to none. This is because it combines the maximum opportunity for observation with the maximum opportunity for making changes and seeing the results. The Hypnotherapist sees people from all ranks of life. People open up and disclose their innermost feelings and houghts to the Hypnotherapist, so that a full picture emerges of the entire course of people's lives. The Hypnotherapist is not restricted to working with people in whom there is a severe mental malfunction as are Psychiatrists for the most part. He or she is instead often working with healthy and typical people who want help with a single problem in an otherwise satisfactory life or to improve their performance in some way. Consequently the Hypnotherapist can form a clear idea of the range of ways that people normally deal with life: there is not the Psychiatrist's exclusive emphasis o n severe malfunction.Compared with many other related fields such as counselling or psychoanalysis, the Hypnotherapist is expected to a far greater degree actively to change things: a variety of things in a variety of people. This seems to me to be of far-reaching importance. The scientific revolution which began around the seventeenth century was a result of men who were not, in the Greek tradition, restricted to contemplation and reflection in the pursuit of truth, but who had hands-on experience.There is nothing like trying to make a change and failing, to drive home the fact that you do not understand what you are doing. When your livelihood depends on making successful changes it concentrates the mind still better. If, on the other hand, it is possible to take an ivory-tower approach and to build a theory on the basis of what has been merely read, then there is little chance of any immediate feedback to prove the theory wrong. Later on in this book we will find much on the impo rtance of feedback loops.In the present context I will observe that improvement in any skill or ability depends on a feedback loop in which execution is followed by an assessment of how successful that execution has been, which is followed by an appropriate modification and further executions. That is how the Wright brothers learned to fly. That is how anyone learns to play golf. That is how babies learn to co-ordinate their limbs. That is how science has grown. The Hypnotherapist is in the position of having immediate feedback, perhaps within minutes, quite usually within an hour and always within days to test how successful he or she has been in effecting a change.As a matter of contrast, many Psychoanalysts work over periods of years with a Client. The feedback is so slow, I wonder it can ever have any effect on practice. Research Psychologists are disciplined to work with a very small area of human psychology; each experiment can take months or years, and can lead only to knowin g a lot about very little. Psychologists who build theories on the results of the work of such painstaking research inevitably spend most of their lives in libraries and laboratories: they have little chance to get any feedback by putting their ideas into any kind of practice.Many counsellors are constrained by present conventions to be non-directive: that is to say they are supposed NOT to make direct changes, but rather to somehow create an environment in which the Clients will make changes for themselves. Since there is so little action, there is limited scope for feedback also. In addition, many such professionals are working in salaried positions: which has two drawbacks.One is that they involve extensive costs in terms of the time that has to be spent on the organisation – the committees, the paperwork, the administration, etc. – which reduces either or both of the time available for original thought and the time spent dealing with clients or patients. The second is that since the salary cheque is only very, very loosely connected with success at helping people as contrasted with making a good impression on the System, there is not the same direct and immediate incentive to improve at the cutting edge of the work.The Professional Hypnotherapist – by which I mean an intelligent man or woman who devotes his or her whole life to the field, not someone who is a professional in some other field like medicine and does a little Hypnosis on the side – is, by contrast, in a perfect position to devote ALL his or her time to studying and changing the functioning of other people with ample and immediate feedback available. This is the optimum position to be in in any field.I, personally, have adopted and then discarded because they failed me in practice, hundreds of different partial theoretical structures before finally evolving that which is presented in this book, which has passed the hard test of day-to-day work and also exposure to m y professional peers. My initial training and doctorate were in Mathematics with a strong leaning to Theoretical Physics. These force you to think clearly and deeply and honestly about the structures and dynamics of things. Ideas must be as crisp as possible: woolliness of thought is a sin.When I plunged into the world of Hypnotherapy, I found none of the precision of thought I was used to, no systematic approach, no theory worthy of the name. I also found my ego very badly hit every time I failed to help someone. Furthermore I had no salary: Clients are not reimbursed by Health Insurance Policies for Hypnotherapy as yet; neither can they get it free on the National Health Service. When Clients are paying with their own money, they require evidence that the service is worth it. And this is even more true in Yorkshire.The fact that if you make no progress then you make no money concentrates the mind wonderfully, I find. If an idea does not work you reject it at once. Those that survi ve and evolve in this tough environment are fit and strong and lean and healthy. I hope you will find these qualities throughout this book. Finally I come to a small matter of how to refer to the approach to Hypnotherapy which has evolved in this way. In my first articles for the European Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, I referred to it as a â€Å"Systems-oriented Paradigm for Hypnotic Phenomena†.This is a bit of a mouthful, and the Journal used, as a more useful label, the phrase, â€Å"the Morgan Proposition†. Neither of these lends itself to the formation of a useful adjective: â€Å"systematic† is a possible one, but this is too general a word. As you read the book, you will find that central to the approach is the notion of the functioning of complex organic systems. An alternative adjective could therefore be â€Å"organic†, but this again is too general. Finally I stumbled on an adjective which is concise, reminds us of this aspect of the theory, is specific and easily memorable: â€Å"Morganic†.So when, from time to time, it is necessary to distinguish between the approach of this book and other approaches I will use this coined word as a convenient shorthand. Home | Contents | Next Chapter CHAPTER 1 Clearing the Ground Here we make sure that we know what certain key words will mean in this book. The word Hypnosis will refer ONLY to the subject and not to some hypothetical state or condition. OUR TOOLS for understanding are ideas and words. To do a good job tools must be clean and clear. This short chapter does some of this necessary preparation.Let us begin with the word â€Å"hypnosis†. It has been used in a number of senses. It is sometimes said that a person is â€Å"in hypnosis†. Or it might be used in a phrase such as â€Å"experimental hypnosis† to mean a field of expertise. In this book the words â€Å"hypnosis† and â€Å"hypnotherapy† will refer ONLY to fields of knowledge and skill. They are in the same class as the words â€Å"chemistry†, â€Å"medicine† (as a discipline), â€Å"physics†, etc. The reasons why this is important will become clearer later. Briefly it is because the other use conjures up a picture of a subject in a unique â€Å"state of hypnosis†.Detailed experiments have failed to establish any way of defining such a state or distinguishing it from other, â€Å"non-hypnotic states†. For the same reason the phrase â€Å"an hypnotic trance† will not be used. On the other hand a field of knowledge is comparatively easy to define. It is characterised by an interest in a certain class of phenomena. The field defined by interest in the weather can be labelled â€Å"meteorology†, of interest in the past, â€Å"history†, in books, â€Å"literature†, in the nerves, â€Å"neurology† and so on. Notice that it is the phenomena that define the subject and not the theories or the pra ctices.For example, the techniques used in chemistry have varied enormously over time. Modern equipment is vastly different from nineteenth century equipment: Bunsen didn't start using his burner until 1855! Chemical theories have also changed enormously over time: Dalton's atomic theory only goes back to the beginning of the nineteenth century. In a similar way both the ideas that people have had about the field of Hypnosis and the methods they have used have changed considerably, but the phenomena of interest have remained relatively fixed.What the Hypnotist is interested in is a certain class of changes in the functioning of the mind and body brought about in a non-physical and naturalistic way. Later on we will list in more detail most of the common such changes, but here we will note a few such things: analgesia – a loss of a sense of pain; amnesia -an induced forgetfulness; involuntary movements induced by suggestion alone; and distortion of the messages of the senses, in which a lemon may be made to taste like an apple, a clearly visible object may not be perceived, or an object may be â€Å"seen† though not present.The Hypnotherapist is more interested in a rather different class of changes, such as recovery of lost memories, removal of old habits or patterns of thought, elimination of tensions, changes in perceptions to bring them more in line with reality, changes in mood and so on: in brief to change things which are perceived as â€Å"problems†. When we say that these changes are to be produced in a non-physical way, it implies that the changes are NOT produced by the application of drugs, electricity, magnetism or other physical agency.To say that the changes are produced in a naturalistic way implies that neither are they produced by some strange or unnatural force, power or phenomenon. Hypnotic phenomena are a result of using the natural modes of functioning of the mind and body, but in focused or particular or unusual ways, to produce the desired changes. It is because we are using only modes of functioning which can exist naturally that no hard line can be drawn between a â€Å"state of hypnosis† and any other â€Å"state† or mode of functioning of a person. For many people this point cannot be emphasised too much.In the uninformed mind there is a simple picture that being â€Å"under hypnosis† is rather like going â€Å"under† an anaesthetic: a sudden and dramatic departure of consciousness. While the stage Hypnotist will at times work (with his better Subjects) to approximate to this state of affairs, it has been found by careful experiment that the same phenomena which can be produced under those conditions can also be produced under conditions where there is no such dramatic change. A related error can be typified by a recent enquiry to me: â€Å"Can Hypnosis be used to improve my memory, so that I could pick up and learn a telephone directory? This is effectively equ ivalent to being able effortlessly to be a chess Master, a scratch golfer, etc. The normal rules of functioning of the mind and body demand that practice, and a lot of it, is necessary to develop such skills. Hypnotic techniques may be used to increase motivation, to reduce distracting thoughts and to optimise the results of practice, but they are always working on natural systems which have their own rules and therefore limitations. You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.There is a lot of power and potential in Hypnotic techniques, but they are not magic: not contrary to the laws of physics, chemistry or neurology. It is easily possible to get a person to feel themselves too heavy to get off a chair. But it will not result in any extra pressure on the chair. Two other words that will be used in this book are Subject and Client. The former will normally refer to a person whose functioning is being changed by a Hypnotist, and the latter by a Hypnotherapist. Some Hypnotherapi sts use the term Patient in place of Client. SUMMARYHYPNOSIS is the area of knowledge concerned with certain naturalistic changes in the functioning of the mind and nervous system. HYPNOTHERAPY is the application of such knowledge to help individuals with a related class of problems. We will not use the concept of a â€Å"state of hypnosis† in this book. Home | Contents | Introduction | Next Chapter CHAPTER 2 Hypnotic Phenomena IN ORDER TO GET a clearer view of the Subject matter of Hypnosis we will next look at some of the more common phenomena which have been reliably produced in certain people in an experimental setting as well as by Hypnotherapists or stage Hypnotists.There is no real disagreement about the existence of these phenomena. Others may be added to the list below and there can be disagreement over the precise nature of what is happening in them and also about theories designed to explain how they are happening. But there is general agreement that the phenomena do characterise the field of Hypnosis. In each of these examples it must be remembered that no claim is made that the particular phenomenon can be produced with equal ease in everyone, nor that it will be possible in everyone.Remember that we are dealing with naturalistic phenomena. The fact that some individuals are colour blind does not invalidate the phenomenon of full colour vision in others. The fact that some individuals have poor memories and take a lot of time to learn things does not negate the achievements of certain individuals who can memorise enormous amounts quickly. The fact that not everybody can run a mile in under 6 minutes does not affect the fact that a great number could, with practice, or that there are many who can run it in under 4 minutes.Neither does the fact that the world record time has been reducing allow us to deduce that a 2 minute mile will some day be possible. The general principles of ALL human behaviour or achievement are that there is a range in the capacity of different individuals to produce certain behaviour; that anyone's capacity can be improved by proper practice; and that there are natural limits to what can be done. If Hypnosis dealt with phenomena which did NOT obey these principles it would be a very strange Subject indeed.Consequently in reading the following, remember always that each example is something that can be produced to a high degree quite easily in some people, to a lesser degree and/or in more time in others, and finally to no significant extent in any reasonable time with yet others. It is also a fact that there is only a loose correlation between an individual's capacity to produce one phenomenon and another, rather in the way that if you are very good at geography there is a better than average chance that you will also be good at history, but it is far from certain.The stage Hypnotist works within these constraints of nature by selecting from the audience, by means of various tests, those individ uals in which the phenomena of interest can be produced most easily. The Hypnotherapist, who has to work with a wider range of individuals, will tend to use more time and a variety of methods in order to offset the limitations that may arise in a particular individual. Some Hypnotic Phenomena In the following list the phenomena are grouped into those areas of the brain or nervous system or body which they involve.VOLUNTARY MUSCULAR SYSTEM At one time it was a popular part of a demonstration of stage Hypnotism for the Hypnotist to get a Subject to go completely rigid. So great was this rigidity that the Subject could be supported on two chairs by his head and heels alone. And as if this were not enough the Hypnotist would be able to sit or stand on the supported body with no complaint from the Subject or yielding of his body! This has now been banned in the UK by the Hypnotism Act of 1952, as it could lead to physical damage.At the opposite extreme from this, it is comparatively easy to induce in those same large muscles of the body an extreme limpness or relaxation which is so great that the Subject feels unable to move them. In between these extremes there are a variety of phenomena in which a large group of muscles – those of an arm, perhaps – will move in response not to the perceived will of the Subject, but rather in response to verbal suggestions from the Hypnotist. INVOLUNTARY MUSCULAR SYSTEM There are many muscles in the body which we do not normally expect to be able to control at will.These include the heart, which is one big muscle, the small muscles which expand and contract to control the flow of blood through veins and arteries, and the muscles of the stomach and alimentary system which push the food along its way. Hypnotic techniques have been shown to be able to affect these. Heart rate may be increased quite a lot, and reduced to a lesser extent. The flow of blood can be altered so that, for example, it can be increased to warm t he feet or decreased to cool them. The flow of blood to the face can be altered in order to induce or reduce blushing. And so on. SENSORY SYSTEMSAnother popular phenomenon for the stage Hypnotist is to get a Subject to eat an onion under the impression that it is an apple. In order for this to be possible – and with every indication of enjoyment – there must have been changes in that person's perception of taste, smell and also vision. In general it is possible to change the messages from any sense. The sense of touch can be altered either so that a certain kind of numbness results in which a touch cannot be felt at all, or, conversely, so that it reports the presence of a stimulus which has no basis in reality – for example, that an insect is crawling over the skin.Glove anaesthesia is a term often used in Hypnotherapy to describe a situation in which nothing is felt in one or both hands up to the wrist – as if a thick glove is being worn which makes it impossible to feel things. The related sense of pressure can likewise be affected, all the way from feeling no sensation of the pressure of the body on the chair to a great sensation of pressure on the chest which has no outward cause, for example. The sense of smell may be affected either to produce anosmia – the absence of all sensation of smell – or to change the perceptions so that one smell becomes interpreted as another.A pleasant scent can be made to smell like hydrogen sulphide – rotten eggs – or ammonia like a rose. The related sense of taste can likewise be affected to change either the quality of the taste or its intensity. Sweet can turn to sour and vice versa, or can simply vanish. The sense of hearing can be affected so that the Subject fails to respond at all to a certain class of sounds, while remaining aware of others – for example, he may remain aware of the Hypnotist's voice, but unaware of anyone else or any background noise.The sense of sight can be affected in a similar way so that things which are there may not be noticed and things which are not present are visualised as vividly as if they were there. A popular stage trick is to give the Subject â€Å"X-ray glasses† which seem to be able to see through the clothes of anyone looked at. The sense of orientation may be altered so that, for example, a feeling of lying at a steep angle can be induced in a person lying horizontally, or a feeling of falling in someone who is standing vertically.The sense of temperature may be affected so that a part or whole of the body is perceived as being either hotter or colder than it is in reality, though there is no change measurable by a thermometer. The sense of pain, though it is so much more acute than the other senses, follows the same pattern. Because of its importance it has received a great deal of experimental attention and the basic facts have been established conclusively. It is indeed true that a per son can be induced by Hypnotic procedures to be consciously aware of less pain in a given circumstance, or, on the other hand, of more.HABITUAL SYSTEMS A typical habit is a complex pattern of behaviour which is carried out automatically with little or no conscious thought. Although it may involve the same groups of muscles that are involved in the phenomena mentioned above, it is really a higher order phenomenon of the nervous system. Such habits are regulated primarily by a part of the brain called the cerebellum – and altering habits is therefore altering the functioning of a part of the brain.For the stage Hypnotist the task is often to establish a new habit, such as standing and declaiming something when a certain piece of music plays. For a Hypnotherapist the task is the more difficult one of preventing a long-established habit, such as smoking or nail-biting, from continuing. EMOTIONAL SYSTEMS The emotions tend to shade into each other more gradually than do the senses: it is hard to put a clear line between a pleasure and happiness in the way that we can distinguish touch and pain, for example.But the principles we have seen above in the senses continue to hold in the sphere of the emotions. Whether we consider love, liking, excitement, pleasure, happiness, or fear, anger, grief, guilt, depression or any other shade of feeling, it is true that they can be induced or suppressed or altered in quality. Although feelings do not seem to us to be localised, in terms of our physiology they are primarily a function of a certain structure in the brain called the limbic system. So in altering emotions we are again dealing with a part of the brain.This part is in direct contact with a small gland in the brain called the thalamus, which produces hormones which in turn affect other endocrine glands in the body. The best known of these are the adrenal gland and the ovaries or testes. If a person is induced by some Hypnotic technique to feel fear or excitement then the adrenal glands respond as a part of the process. This underlines the fact that Hypnotic techniques can also affect the functioning of the endocrine system. Another example might be the arousal or suppression of sexual feelings, which would be accompanied by changes in the level of sexual hormones.RELATIONSHIPS Of very great importance to most people are their relationships with others. A relationship is a complex pattern of feelings and habitual actions and responses in two or more people, so it involves systems which have been mentioned above. Very often the problem presented to the Hypnotherapist lies in this area, and the task is to sort out what parts of the complex pattern it is best to change in order to improve matters. Insofar as it is possible to alter feelings and actions by Hypnotic techniques, it is by the same token possible to alter the course of a relationship.IMMUNE SYSTEM Scattered through the literature on the subject there are accounts of the use of Hypno tic techniques to influence the body's ability to react to a wide range of illnesses, including cancer. Perhaps the best evidence underpinning the validity of these reports is the very well-attested fact of the Placebo Response. This simply says that for virtually any illness there will be a certain proportion of sufferers who will recover significantly better if they are given something that they believe will work, even if it is totally neutral medicinally.Insofar as Hypnotic techniques can evidently change an individual's belief about all manner of things, as we have seen, there is every reason to suppose that it can act as well as, if not better than the beliefs involved in the Placebo Response to help people's bodies to heal themselves. MENTAL SYSTEMS We have seen that emotions and habits are both properly seen to be functions of the brain, though they may not be thought to be so by the man in the street. We will now consider a few more functions of the brain which are more obvi ously so.Memory is a particular function of the brain which has also been demonstrably affected by Hypnotic procedures. It, also, can be enhanced, inhibited, made selective or falsified. On the stage a popular alteration is to make the Subject forget some quite simple thing, like the name of a colour or the number 7. The Subject may struggle very hard to recall the missing fact but fail totally. An alternative is to get him to believe that something is true or has happened which has not. If a Subject is induced to â€Å"remember† that another person has cheated him in some way, he will start to act in a way which is amusing to the audience.But the serious side to this is that certain individuals can be influenced to believe that they have remembered episodes or early sexual abuse which never in fact happened. The problems that can arise from this are termed the False Memory Syndrome. Concentration is another high-order mental faculty which can be intimately affected by Hypnot ic techniques. It is not uncommon to come across cases in which the Subject responds exclusively to the voice of the Hypnotist, and seems totally oblivious to all else. This is a particular case of total concentration.Equally it can be possible to make concentration on any subject very difficult. More generally the entire mental framework can be altered, as when a Subject can be induced to imagine himself to be Elvis Presley, or some other person, and act, respond and answer questions from the viewpoint of that person. Since this book is not encyclopaedic there is no need to list ALL possibilities. Enough has now been said to indicate something of the range of changes that have been recorded. SUMMARY Hypnotic procedures have been demonstrated in laboratories and elsewhere to produce a wide range of changes in the functioning of human beings.Something of the range has been listed above. Home | Contents | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter Principles of Hypnosis: CHAPTER 3 Introducing Sy stems A very important idea which is central to future development is that of systems, and particularly organic systems. This chapter introduces some of the basic properties of systems which will recur throughout the book, primarily their level of activity, and the most basic ways in which they might affect each other. An important shorthand notation is also presented. IN THE LAST CHAPTER the word â€Å"system† frequently arose.In our growing understanding of the functioning of body and brain, scientists have come to recognise the nature and modes of functioning of many systems in the body. There are the nervous system, the digestive system, the cardiovascular system, the limbic system, the endocrine system, the immune system, the muscular system and so on. Each of these systems has an identifiable structure. The nerves are the physical structure of the nervous system; the heart plus veins and arteries and their associated small muscles form the structure of the cardiovascula r system, and so on.But equally, if not more, important are the processes which the system undergoes. The existence of the heart has been known since prehistoric time. But the fact that it circulates the blood only became understood with William Harvey (1578-1637) in the early seventeenth century. The existence of the major planets of our solar system was also known from prehistoric times, but the principles of their movements were only properly described by Newton (1642-1727) in the latter half of the seventeenth century.To get any proper idea of a system we must know how it works; what kinds of processes it undergoes; what are the principles governing those processes. The difference is related to the difference between seeing a thing in static terms and dynamic terms. This great change has taken place in a multitude of sciences, and each time has heralded a great increase in understanding. Darwin's Theory of Evolution is an example of a change from a view which held that species w ere fixed to one in which they changed in certain ways for specific reasons.The theory of continental drift has similarly transformed geology. As a simple analogy illustrating this matter from another angle, consider the position of a car mechanic. He might well be able to put quite a few things right by following a few tried and tested procedures that he has found to be effective in some instances. But unless he understands the principles governing the function of the various parts of the machine, his ability is going to be strictly limited: he will have no real idea of why the changes he makes are effective, and so his work will remain rather hit and miss.He has to know how and why the parts move or operate in order to understand things properly. It will be clear from the last chapter that the field of interest of Hypnotherapy is intimately involved with the functioning of effectively all the major systems of the mind and body. In order to understand what we are doing we are there fore forced to give thought to understanding the nature of these organic systems, and in particular to understanding their modes of functioning and interacting. There is no option. The phenomena are clear. That they involve changes to systems of the body is clear.That the changes are not to their structure (we are not surgeons) is clear. That we change the behaviour is clear. Consequently we are dealing with the dynamics of complex organic systems. If we are to form an idea of the principles of Hypnosis we are therefore forced to start with a picture, however simple, of the dynamics of the organic or biological subsystems of human beings. The study of the dynamics of organic systems in general is a growth area: it is highly relevant to economics, ecology, sociology and biology, and has been approached from all those areas.I have not been able to find an existing approach, however, which is well-adapted to the kinds of systems and dynamics involved in Hypnosis. The following language and methodology is therefore designed specifically to be useful in our field, though it can be generalised to others. How does one start to design a dynamical theory? It is a tried and trusted principle that one should as far as possible work with observables. To base a theory on unobservables is to be working in the dark: there is no way of verifying if the theory is right or wrong and no way of refining it.What observables therefore can we say are applicable to all the systems of mind and body in which we are interested? The answer which I will adopt is: the level of activity. It is possible, by means of very fine electrodes, to measure quite precisely the level of activity of a single neuron (nerve cell). It is easily possible to measure the mean activity of the heart – the heart rate. It is possible to get a good measure of the level of activity of a muscle by means of seeing what force it can resist, or by its oxygen consumption.The overall level of activity of a region of the brain can be estimated by measuring the rise in temperature of that region (a method used over a century ago) or more modern methods involving measuring electrical activity (EEG) or local blood flow and metabolism – positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The activity of various glands can be estimated by measuring the concentration of the hormones they produce in the blood. And so on.Although the functions of the various systems are of course distinct, we can in each case form at last a qualitative and very often a precise quantitative measure of its activity at a given time, and hence how its activity is changing with time. Later, in Part C, we will discuss a more exact definition of activity, applicable to all systems, but at this introductory level it is enough to note that the intuitively clear notion of activity is something that is in principle observable for systems of the body. We will therefore base our theory on the notion o f the activity of a system.Let us now take a very brief look at a simple Hypnotic process with this idea in mind. A fairly typical Hypnotic induction as used by a Hypnotherapist today may proceed as follows. First of all the Subject's eyes may be induced to close, by one of a number of methods which usually involve fixing the gaze on some point, and some form of verbal suggestion that eyes will get tired until they close. However it is done, it is clear that the result must be a great reduction in the activity of the whole of the part of the visual system involved in viewing the external world.With the eyes closed all the nerves from the retinas to the visual cortex will become quiescent. A typical second step is to encourage physical relaxation. This again may be accomplished in a variety of ways: each group of muscles may first be tensed so that there will be a natural rebound into a more relaxed state; there may simply be a focus of attention on groups of muscles and a suggestion of relaxation; there may be the creation of an imaginary scenario such as a warm beach, which is designed to induce relaxed feelings.But however it is done the result is a great reduction of the activity of the main voluntary muscles, and very often the involuntary ones as well. It will be noticed that a typical induction process is a one-way affair. Unless a question is asked, the Client does not talk. This is usually accomplished by the Hypnotist maintaining a steady flow of speech in which there are no cues for the Subject to respond verbally. But however it is done, the result is that the active speech-producing system often becomes very inactive. The pattern is clear.The Hypnotherapist is reducing the activity of nearly all systems one by one. Higher-order faculties which are harder to observe, such as an internal verbal analysis of what is going on and a critical analysis of its content, are typically also reduced. There is, however, at least one exception to the general rule that systems are inactivated: and that is the aural system. The Subject must continue to be able to hear the Hypnotherapist. Ideally this system should become more active than usual: the intention is for the listener to respond more than usual to what is said by the Hypnotherapist.This may be accompanied by a reduction of attention to other sounds. Another possible exception will be a partic

Religion-Effect of Dispossession on Aboriginals

Religion Discuss the connection between the dreaming and the land rights movement. Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the dreaming. The dreaming is a complex concept of fundamental importance to Aboriginal culture, embracing the creative era long past of the ancestral beings as well as the present and the future. The Dreaming's importance to the aboriginal people is emphasised through it providing for the obligations and responsibility of the aboriginal people, and furthermore accounting for their past, present, and future.The dispossession of land of the aboriginal people has led to various problems, including psychological and social issues experienced by communities and individuals, who in the past, have been forcibly removed from their land, their ‘home'. The Land Rights Movement is a movement targeted at recognising the issue of dispossession and progressing towards a. Thus Land Rights Movement, a movement based on the claims by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islan der peoples to repossession and compensation for white use of their lands and sacred sites, became the resolution.The motivation of this movement was ultimately base upon Aboriginal peoples reliance on a sense of spirituality connected to the land. As the movement strengthened, so too did the awareness of the effect of the dispossession, leading to an increase in the movement itself, and also enforcing the Aboriginal people’s sense of spirituality. Essentially, it becomes evident that the importance of the Dreaming was ultimately the reason for, and motivation behind the Land Rights movement. Thus it is needless to say that the Dreaming is fundamental to the Lands Rights Movement.Analyse the importance of the Dreaming for the land rights movement Land rights are of critical importance in relation to Aboriginal spirituality, because the Dreaming is inextricably connected with the land. Therefore the dispossession of Aboriginal native land is also the dispossession of Aborigina l spirituality. The link between the Dreaming, land and afterlife holds significance spiritual importance to the Aboriginal peoples as the land is the resting place for all aboriginal beings. Furthermore each Aboriginal community is connected with the land through their spiritual totems.Specific areas of Aboriginal communities’ have important spiritual meaning for those particular groups of aboriginal people-these are known as sacred sites. What’s caratagoried in ever aboriginal sacred site is the connection to the Dreaming and aboriginal mythology. There are special responsibilities attached to sacred sites such as important ceremonies like weddings and it could be a place of death for an aboriginal elder. The identity of an Aboriginal person is inextricably linked to the land and hence the land is like a mother for the people.

How to Choose a Major 5 Key Factors to Consider

How to Choose a Major 5 Key Factors to Consider SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When it comes to choosing a college major, pithy truisms and conflicting advice abound. But whose advice can you trust? In this no-nonsense guide, we'll help you figure out how to choose a major in college based on what's important to you. After a brief introduction to the dilemma of choosing a major we'll reveal the most important part of choosing a major in college. Then we'll go over what work you should be doing to help you pick a major in a variety of situations- before college, during college, and if any special circumstances arise. Finally, we'll give some parting thoughts on major selection. What Major Should I Choose? Help Me! I imagine that if you are reading this article, you are feeling some level of uncertainty or anxiety about choosing a college major. This is completely understandable. As parents, teachers, and counselors have no doubt hammered into you, choosing a major in college is an important decision. It's one of the first big independent decisions of your academic and professional life. In many ways, choosing a major functions as a rite of passage in the process of becoming an adult. Some people know what to major in in college before they even start high school. However, most people don't, so if you have no idea how to choose a college major, don't panic. (Even if you're a second-semester sophomore in college!) With that said, neither I nor anyone else can tell you what major to choose. And if you do let someone else choose for you (like your parents), you're likely to be miserable. The truth is that the process of thoughtfully selecting the best major for you takes work- work that you need to put in yourself. While I can't do that work for you, I can tell you the foundational principles of investigating and ultimately picking a college major. Or just major in kitty cuddling and call it a day. The Most Important Task for Picking a Major The most important task for choosing a major in college is deciding on your own priorities and goals. Too much of the advice out there on how to pick a major assumes you have particular goals or tells you what your priorities should be. Even your own parents may be focused on particular priorities and goals that don't match up with yours. Family conflict around major choice is a common issue. This may be especially salient for you if your parents are paying for part (or all) of your education. It is reasonable to listen to your parents' concerns and advice. However, it's important to remember that it's ultimately your major. You will have to do the work and ultimately leverage that major as you transition into the workforce. If you are studying something you are not really interested in, you may not be very motivated to succeed (or maybe even to attend class). So you need to ask, "Which college major is right for me?" Here's some advice on discussing any change in your major plans with your parents. If your parents are paying for your education and they want input into your plans, you can also consider compromises like majors that are agreeable to both of you, double majors, or minors. For you to be able to choose a college major that makes sense for you, you first need to figure out what you want out of a college major. For some people, knowing they will almost always be able to find a job throughout their lives is most important. For others, being able to pursue a particular intellectual interest is the critical factor. Most people are motivated by some combination of factors that they weigh in balance. These factors will guide you towards the answer to the question "What college major is right for me?" Here are some factors you will probably want to consider when you go about choosing a major: #1: Your Interests Of course, your interests are an important part of picking a major. If you really dislike what you are studying, you will be miserable. Additionally, you won't be particularly motivated to complete your coursework. So it is essential that you are actually interested in what you are studying. As part of that, you should be able to envision yourself using at least some of the skills you are learning in your major in the workforce. With that said, people place differing premiums on how interested they need to be in their major. For some people, only studying their one true passion- be it Greek and Roman military history or tropical horticulture- will do. However, many people have several areas of interest that they could envision themselves pursuing. For example, I considered going to art school for a BFA. I also considered majoring in biology or in English. (I ended up majoring in folklore and mythology- more on that later.) The ultimate deciding factors in my major choice weren't necessarily related to what I was most passionate about, because I was genuinely very interested in everything I considered. Other factors came into play when I made my final decision. So your interests will likely guide you, but they may not be the primary deciding factor when you choose a major. You will also find that new interests arise when you get to college and you have access to more possible courses of study. When I arrived at college, I was able to take classes about religion and anthropology, which ultimately led me to the folklore and mythology program. So keep an open mind about your interests throughout the major selection process, especially once you arrive at school. Her intense love of potato chips led her to food science. #2: Your Abilities You should also consider what you're good at when you think about how to choose your major. This doesn't mean that you should definitely major in whatever you are best at in high school. For one thing, you will probably discover new talents in college as you take courses in areas that weren't available to you in high school. For another thing, the thing that you're "best" at is not necessarily what aligns best with all your other priorities and goals. The main principle here is that it's probably not a great idea to major in something that you know you are pretty weak in. If you've barely pulled C's in math all through high school, being a math major (or a similarly math-heavy major like engineering or physics) is probably not the best move. The bottom line is that you should be confident that you will be able to do well in most of your coursework in your area of study. #3: Future Employability When you think about how to pick your major, it makes sense to consider what kind of job prospects you will have once you have your degree. Will you be able to find a job? How hard will it be? Will you have to move to where the jobs are, or are there jobs everywhere? There are a few ways to approach these questions. You can research professions facing shortages to get an idea of areas where you would be likely to find employment. Professions facing shortages include nursing, engineering, various computer science disciplines, accounting and finance, and teaching. In addition to looking at shortages, you can look at growth industries. (Of course, there's overlap here; if there aren't enough skilled workers available to fill these growth industries, there will be a shortage! But it's a slightly different angle). Some industries currently experiencing growth include nursing and other allied health professionals, finance, and data science. Within those groups, there are tons of different kinds of jobs available, and a variety of potential majors could lead you into those industries. Note that there may or may not be a very clear link between a certain major and a certain job or industry. For some majors, it's fairly clear what sort of job(s) the degree will lead to. A degree in teaching will lead to teaching, a degree in nursing to nursing, and so on. For others, it's less clear. A degree in communications or sociology or public policy could lead to a variety of jobs. Thus, in terms of future employability, don't just think in terms of what job title you will be qualified for, because those things shift all the time. Think about the skills you will learn in your major, and how much those skills are in demand. For example, as data becomes a super-important part of the economy, skills related to data and data analysis are super-valuable. This includes skills in statistical analysis and database construction and architecture. Majors in statistics and computer science are good choices if you are hoping to meet that demand. Note also that employability and salary aren't one and the same. Teachers are notoriously underpaid, but if you do become a teacher, you will almost certainly be able to find a job. What does all this mean for you? Research the employability prospects associated with a particular major. Think about the skills you will learn and the potential jobs you could have, and check out the employment prospects for those skills and jobs. While this is far from foolproof- predicting job shortages and growth isn't 100% accurate- it still provides valuable information that can give you at least a general idea of whether you are likely to find a job easily or whether it will take more work and require more flexibility in location etc. on your part. The school you go to also plays somewhat into your general employability. At Ivy League and other top-ranked schools, most students are generally able to find jobs (even ones that are totally unrelated to what they studied) regardless of what they majored in. This is not as true at less selective schools, where graduates may struggle much more to find a job in some less marketable fields than in other more marketable ones. Job?! Where? #4: Future Income Potential You will probably also want to consider your future income potential at least somewhat when you think about how to pick a major. This is far from an exact science but still a valuable exercise. If having a high salary is important to you, you need to be realistic about your interests; professions like teaching and social work typically pay very poorly so those may not be the best bet for a major. By contrast, majors like computer science and engineering tend to have a sunny salary outlook. You can find lots of data on the median salary of graduates with particular majors. This is a valuable starting place. As you can see from the PayScale data, engineering, computer science, mathematics and finance-focused degrees dominate the list of best-paying majors. But it also includes physician assistant studies and government. By contrast, the lowest-paid majors tend to be concentrated in education, service industries, pastoral and religious studies, and social work and counseling. But the median and mid-career salary data here doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. For one thing, in some of these professions, there is a high degree of income variability: graphic designers, for example, are low-paid in general, but the highest paid graphic designers can easily command six-figure salaries. You certainly can't assume that you will be among the highest-paid in your field, but you should know when higher salaries are at least possible. Additionally, sometimes your ultimate income potential depends a lot on graduate school. Psychology majors are low-paid unless they get advanced degrees, in which case they get a huge salary bump. So if you're already intending on graduate school, this is something to keep in mind as you choose a major. You can use sites like PayScale and Glassdoor to investigate the income potential of various careers that might follow from majors that you are considering. Again, it's hard to predict exactly what your salary could be solely based on your major, especially long-term. But doing research can at least keep you in a realistic frame of mind. #5: Particular Career Interests You might also have a very specific goal, like becoming an astrophysicist, or a doctor, or a lawyer. Some (but not all) very specific career goals require specific majors, or at least specific courses and activities. For example, if you want to be an engineer, you have to get an engineering degree. If you want to be a doctor, you need to fulfill your med school prerequisites, or else you might have to complete an expensive post-baccalaureate pre-med program later. On the other hand, if you want to be a journalist, there are lots of majors that can accommodate that goal. And if you think you might want to go to business or law school, you have plenty of leeway in your choice of undergraduate major. If you do have a very specific goal that requires a particular academic path, that probably needs to be your top priority in how to pick a college major. Heart set on designing airplanes? You probably need to major in aeronautical engineering. How to Choose a Major: Before College There's a good chance that you will change your mind about your major at least once you get to college. You'll be exposed to a lot of options you didn't consider before. You'll also grow and change. However, there are still some things you can do before college that will help you figure out how to pick a major. Start Exploring Majors Early Your high school schedule may be pretty rigid, filled up every year with math, science, English, history/social studies, gym, and maybe a foreign language. This often leaves you with very few electives. However, there are still things you can do to explore different academic and career areas: Shadowing and interviewing: Shadowing and interviewing adults you know who have careers you are interested in is a great way to figure out what you might want to study. It can also help to learn how these people got to where they are now from their college days, since many people shift around throughout their careers until they are doing something quite different from what the originally studied! Reading books and articles: Reading nonfiction books and articles on a variety of subjects can also help you figure out what excites you academically. What topics do you find super-engaging, and what topics bore you to tears? This can give you some clues as to what you might want to investigate further in college when you are choosing a college major. Podcasts are another great resource for exploring different topics, especially because you can listen to them while you do chores or other mundane tasks! Summer activities: The summer is a great time to do a deeper dive on things you think you might be seriously interested in pursuing. Internships, camps, classes at community colleges, and volunteering opportunities are all excellent chances to become more immersed in subjects you may not regularly study at school. Volunteer at the arboretum! Take a photography class! Do a robotics camp! There are tons of possibilities. Lectures and events at local colleges: If you do live near any colleges or universities, you can take advantage of their open-to-the-public lectures and events! It's a good chance to hear professors talk about their work, which can help you consider if you might want to do similar academic work. With all that said, don't feel too panicked if you can only do mostly surface-level exploration into choosing a college major at this stage. High school is a high-pressure endeavor; you will be able to consider your interests as you get to college (and throughout your life!) Just do what you can and remain thoughtful and curious about possible courses of study. Major benefit to shadowing a vet: cute animals. Plan If You Have a Specific Long-Term Goal If you do have a very specific long-term career goal that typically requires particular schooling at the bachelor level (like engineering, teaching, or nursing), you will have to be more mindful about choosing a major and school while you are still in high school. If you already know you are interested in a particular major, it makes sense to apply to schools with strong programs in that area. Additionally, at many schools, you have to specifically apply to a certain major or academic area. While you should certainly keep exploring and keep an open mind, it's typically easier to transfer out of competitive divisions like engineering or nursing than to transfer into them. So it makes sense to apply to those divisions and then transfer out if you change your mind later. Select Schools and Programs Wisely Since we have tons of advice out there on choosing a college, I won't belabor this point. But when you are choosing schools, you should keep the following principles related to choosing a college major in mind: The less sure you are of your interests, the more flexibility you want at your school. If you have no idea what to major in, it's not a great idea to go somewhere where you have to declare what you are studying going in. You're better served going to a school where you can explore for at least two semesters before you have to declare. If you are very sure of your major, you should still consider what your situation will be if you change your mind. If you go to a school that is highly ranked for one program and poorly ranked for everything else, think about what you might do if you want to transfer out of that highly ranked program. Will you transfer schools? Or are you fine with the possibility of finishing in a less prestigious program than you started in? Or maybe you are just very, very confident that you won't change your mind! This also applies to things like going to art school; if you get there and decide the whole thing is not for you, your only real option is typically to transfer (at least within University divisions, if not to a different school completely). This isn't a reason not to do it, but it is something you should be aware of. Choices here, there, and everywhere. How to Choose a Major: During College Once you get to college, here's our six recommendations for how to pick a major: Find Out Your School's Process The first thing to do is to determine what is your school's process and timeline for declaring a major. You need to be aware of how much time you have to consider your options, and how to make it happen once you've made a choice. Note that at some schools, different majors may even have different deadlines for officially choosing a major, so be sure to look into this. Of course, if you had to declare a major going in, you've already done that process. In that case you should find out what the process is for switching majors in case you need to use it. Keep Exploring Now that you are actually at college, you will have even more chances to explore different potential areas of study. Your coursework can help you investigate subjects and departments of interest, of course. But you will also have opportunities to explore through on-campus events, lectures, and speakers. Many departments specifically host open houses and other events for prospective majors. Go to anything that seems intriguing, and try to keep an open mind. Note as you explore that there are lots of college major quizzes on the internet. Some universities even have their own "how to choose a major" quizzes, like this college major quiz from Marquette or this one from Loyala University in Chicago. While a how-to-choose-a-major quiz can definitely be a useful way to get some ideas, you'll need to do additional research on any majors you uncover this way. You'll want to make sure that the information from any "What major should I choose?" quiz is accurate and that the major ideas you get from it really align with your priorities and goals. So the bottom line on college major quizzes is that they are definitely a useful tool but hardly the be-all end-all of the major selection process. Make Your Schedule Multi-Task Many students spend their first semesters fulfilling some of their general education requirements. If you can, try to use those requirements to explore academic areas you may be interested in. If you have flexibility in the classes you can take to fulfill requirements, try to take ones taught by professors in departments you are interested in. Classes with a multidisciplinary focus are great for this, too. When I was a freshman I took a combination gender studies and English class about romance literature, and another combination East Asian studies and religion class about Buddhism. Both of these multidisciplinary courses helped me refine my interests- efficiently. Even if you don't have much control over your general requirements, try to view your requirements as an opportunity to explore academic areas you haven't examined before instead of just something to slog through. This will help you narrow possibilities when choosing a college major. Simon's class in botanical illustration let him explore his interests in art and biology at the same time! Meet With Advisors I'm using the term "advisors" broadly here. There are lots of people you can meet with who might have valuable insights about choosing a major. You probably have at least one school-assigned advisor. They can definitely be helpful, but you'll also want to seek out advice from people with more specialized knowledge about the programs you are most interested in. This includes: Department advisors: Most departments have advisors available to meet with prospective students in that major. Of course, they will probably try to sell you on their department, so they may be a little biased. But you can still get valuable information from them, like info on course requirements, advising structures, research opportunities, and so on. Current students in the program: Current students in majors that you are interested in can provide valuable information. They will give you the truth about the pros and cons of the program. They can tell you what you can expect from the major in terms of course load, advising, class sizes, teaching quality, and other things that can impact your experience. Additionally, you should speak with seniors in the program about their goals and what's next for them. This can help you get an idea of the possibilities available to recent graduates. Alumni: Take advantage of your school's alumni network. You can talk to alumni who have careers you find interesting and ask them what they studied and how they got where they are. You can also talk to recent alumni who majored in programs you are considering and ask them for their thoughts on the program. Most schools have alumni directory sites with contact information. While some graduates may be too busy to talk to you, many will be receptive. Some schools even have mentoring programs where you can get an alumni mentor who is a working professional in a field that you are interested in. Keep Refining Your Priorities Keep thinking about what you are looking for in a major. It's likely that your priorities will shift over time, especially as you get more information and experience in college. So continue doing research about potential industries, careers, skills, and so on that you might want to pursue, and keep thinking about what's most important to you. It might be helpful to keep some kind of journal with all of your thoughts on potential majors and careers, as well as your goals. Be Realistic About Downsides Every major does have some downsides, and it's important to be realistic about the negative things about any potential major. Here are some things to consider: How large are most classes? If you have a preference for small courses but you'll be required to take many large lectures, it may be hard for you to get the most out of that course of study. How robust is advising support? Are advisors accessible and receptive, or hard to reach? How is job placement for the department? Is there adequate support for students trying to find jobs or go to graduate school? How prestigious is the program? At some universities, there's lots of variation between departments in prestige. You can most likely get lots of this information by talking to current and former students of a given department. You can also do your own research into things like program prestige and job placement. Downsides certainly don't have to be deal-breakers- they are just things to be mindful of as you go about choosing a major in college. After all, no major is all upside. Lots of early classes in your department? You may need to hit the coffee hard. Special Situations for Choosing a College Major In this section, we'll discuss some special situations about picking a major, including changing majors in college, double majoring (and minoring), and creating your own major. Switching Majors How do you know when switching majors in college is a good idea? There's no hard and fast rule as to when changing majors is a good move, but here are three things to consider: How Sure You Are If you know that you aren't happy in your current major but you aren't sure what you want to switch into, it may be best to take some time off. During that time off, you can figure out what you want to study through things like internships, shadowing, MOOCs, reading, and other exploratory activities. Otherwise, you risk spending some very expensive semesters dithering around on campus while you try to figure out what you're really interested in. It doesn't make sense to spend seven years getting your bachelor's degree because you switch majors every semester. How Close You Are to Finishing If you are a senior and/or very close to finishing your program, it may make the most sense to finish out your degree and pursue graduate studies in whatever your new interest is. In other words, switching majors late in college is not always the best choice. It's usually better to spend six years in school and end up with a bachelor's and a master's than to spend six years in school and just end up with a bachelor's. Most fields do have graduate degrees for people who are just entering into the field, and you can typically (though not always) command a slightly higher salary with a Master's degree as compared to just a bachelor's. So do your research into your prospects with respect to graduate school. How Expensive It Will Be Remember that no matter what, you can't recoup the cost of what you've already completed. Acting to try to protect what you've already spent is known as the sunk-cost fallacy. So if it won't cost you much more going forward to change degrees, there's not really much downside. But as we mentioned above, if it will be as expensive to finish a different bachelor's as it would be to get your current bachelor's and then a master's in what you really want, it may be a better use of your money to finish out the bachelor's and then get the master's. But, again, do your research on the relative return-on-investment of a bachelor's vs. an entry-level master's in your new desired field. We go into this a bit more in our analysis of when it's worth getting a master's degree here. Your education is a valuable diamond. And possibly as expensive as one. Double Majors and Minors Are you torn between two pretty different fields? Double majoring may be the answer. If you're interested in investigating this possibility, here are some things to find out: Do you have to integrate the majors in any way? Some schools that allow double majoring require students to integrate the two courses of study in some way, often through a thesis or other project. If you are really interested in both majors, you may consider this a feature, not a bug. Of course, some majors may be harder to integrate than others: Religion and history? Great! Math and English? More of a stretch. Can you waive or double-dip on requirements? Can you count classes towards both majors? Depending on how different the majors are, this might be difficult anyways, but it's worth finding out. Also, sometimes departments will let you waive some requirements if you are a double-major (typically departmental electives). That makes double-majoring less difficult. Can you make the schedule work? Because of the increased burden of requirements, you'll need to pay close attention to your schedule. You'll also need to do a lot of advance planning to make sure that you can actually fit in all of your requirements for both majors. It's not uncommon for people who double-major to spend an extra semester on campus to finish everything up. So if spending an extra semester of tuition is a concern, it's extra-important to make sure you can fit in everything in time. If double-majoring is too onerous or impractical, another way to accommodate multiple interests is to minor in something. A minor typically requires 4-6 classes in a given academic area and typically shows up on your diploma. It's a good way to get some grounding in a different field without the commitment and rigidity of double-majoring. As with double majors, however, it's important to plan carefully if you want a minor to make sure you can meet all the requirements you need to. I was actually one class away from two different minors, but because I didn't plan very well, I didn't end up getting either. One of my final classes in my major conflicted with my remaining requirements for each of the minors. Creating Your Own Major Some schools allow you to design your own major. At most schools that allow this, you need to have a pretty specific, cohesive plan about what that major will be. So you can't just use this option to avoid actually selecting a course of study. On the contrary, this option is the best for people who have a very clear idea of what they want to study and want to closely hone in on a topic. I knew people who designed their own majors in things like global migration and climate change. These are very particular topics that lend themselves to a create-your-own major situation. Some schools do allow you to major in something very vague like "liberal arts" or "humanities." These courses of study often have few requirements and offer lots of flexibility in coursework. While this may be appealing, you do run somewhat of a risk of seeming like an aimless dilettante (both to employers and graduate schools). Daphne wants to major in the interpretation of oracles. Parting Thoughts: Your Major Choice Is Not Your Destiny While you should not take choosing a college major lightly, don't allow the weight of the decision to keep you frozen in place. It's great to ponder questions like "What college major is right for me?" or "Which major should I choose?" But if you're thinking anything like "What if I change my mind later and I'm stuck forever" or "Will choosing the wrong major ruin my life" take some deep breaths. Your choice of major will have some repercussions for your professional life, and pretending otherwise is unrealistic. However, it absolutely will not lock you into a particular destiny for your entire life. As a point of personal experience, I majored in Folklore and Mythology, worked in the health insurance industry after graduation, and then got a Master's degree in Public Health. I don't regret my choice of major at all, and I still think I made the right choice. But it was also pretty clearly not the defining decision of my academic and professional life. It did not set me on one fixed path forever. The truth is that it's often hard to predict exactly where a particular degree will lead. New jobs will exist when you graduate that didn't exist when you started college. (Of course, lots of old jobs- like teacher- will still exist, too.) The bottom line is that while you should choose a major thoughtfully, you shouldn't be worried that your choice of major will lock you onto a particular life track that you can never deviate from. Don't be trapped by the idea that you might make the "wrong" decision. You'll learn valuable skills in college- and beyond- no matter what your major. Your major is not a trap! Key Takeaways: How to Choose Your Major If you've been asking yourself "What should I major in in college?" we've got the advice that you need. The truth is that there's no one foolproof method for how to choose a major in college. The most important thing is to figure out your own priorities and go from there. Here are some factors you might want to consider when you go about choosing a college major: Your interests: what do you find enjoyable and interesting? Your abilities: what are you good at? Future employability: How easy (or hard) will it be for you to find a job? Future income potential: Are you aiming for a particular income bracket Particular career interests: Do you have a specific professional interest that requires particular coursework or a particular major, or do your career interests allow for more flexibility in your major? Here are some things you can do while you are still in high school to prepare for choosing a college major: Start exploring majors early: use your free time, extracurriculars, and summer activities as a chance to explore subject areas you are interested in. Plan if you have a specific long-term goal: if you know you have a specific career goal, plan your major and program choice in advance. Select schools and programs wisely: if you are less sure of your major, look for more flexibility in declaring a major at your schools of choice. And here's how to pick a major in college in six steps: Find out your school's process for declaring a major (and any deadlines!) Keep exploring potential majors and departments. Make your schedule multi-task by using requirements to investigate potential majors. Meet with advisors, current students, and alumni to get the scoop on the departments you are most interested in. Keep refining your priorities and doing research to make sure the majors that you are considering align with your goals. Be realistic about the downsides of potential majors- no major is all upside. We also discussed switching majors, double majors and minors, and creating your own major! You're all prepared for this major decision now. What's Next? We have more information on the best-paying college majors and the majors with the worst financial and employment outlook. If you're just looking for a low-stress major, don't worry- we have a guide for that, too. Interested in becoming a doctor? Want to study law? Or is teaching (or becoming a professor) more your style? We have guides to help you pursue your interests! Need help choosing colleges? We have a guide to making a college list. We can also recommend the three best college finders and which college ranking lists you should read. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? 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