Zora Neale Hurston and Women Oppression

Zora Neale Hurston and Women Oppression, Inferiority and Mistreatment Introduction Zora Neale Hurston is often rated as one of the best literature writers of the 20th Century. Hurston authored four novels and many short stories, essays and poems that were all critically acclaimed. Hurston was born near the end of the 19th Century in the Southern state of Alabama before she moved with her family to Florida as a child. She spent her early years as a student at different colleges and universities and at the same time collecting folklore from various places. She was an active participant of the Harlem Renaissance where she befriended famous authors and poets such as Langston Hughes. Hurston would later on become an acclaimed writer by her own right with her most famous work being ‘Their Eyes Were Watching God’. Other notable works are â€Å"Sweat† and â€Å"The Conscience of the Court†. One persistent theme in all these works is the plight of women in the society. More specifically, Hurston depicts the inferiority, unjust treatment and oppres sion that women are subjected to in the society, especially in marriages. Hurston works seems to indicate that during the early 1900’s, women were subjected to huge inferiority, oppression and mistreatments including domestic violent at a time where speaking out was unheard off. The mistreatment of women is obvious in Hurston’s most famous work â€Å"Their Eyes Were Watching God†. This works tells the story of Janie, who undergoes various tribulations in the hands of men. In the course of the novel, the protagonist, Janie is married three times and in all three marriages, she is subjected to emotional and physical abuse at the hands of men who view women as their property and possession (Sadoff, 15). In her first marriage, her husband Logan Killicks complains about her laziness and the fact that she does not do many domestic chores. In fact, when her husband was marrying her, he thought he was simply acquiring a domestic helper, and he becomes disillusioned after some time after he realizes the Janie is not much of a helper. Janie however is a hopeless romantic and believes that a marriage should be filled with love and when she cannot bear this loveless marriage anymore, she elopes with another man. Janie’s second husband Joe proves to be more abusive in nature. Once again, it is shown just how much mistreatment women go through. It also shows how men try to assert their dominance and power over men (Miles, 45). For example, Joe constantly abuses Janie, both physically and emotionally as a way of showing the power that he holds over her. He strikes her when she cooks him dinner that he deems to be unsatisfactory. In another incidence, Janie tries to show her defiance by verbally assaulting him in the presence of his friends and he physically assaults her. Joe is extremely controlling, and he does not only show his power by physically abusing Janie but by also forbidding her from various things and activities. For instance, he restricts Janie’s social life by a huge margin and does not allow her to interact with friends. He also goes as a far as choosing the clothes that she wears. Joe is also very critical of Janie. Janie them marries after Tea Cake and although are quite smooth in this marriage, it is nevertheless clear that even in the most seeming perfect marriage, women are still viewed as inferior and are still oppressed (Sadoff 33). Although Tea Cake treat her very differently than her previous husbands, it emerges that even amidst this, some masculine behavior standards are still expected, and one of them is physically striking women. Janie is struck by Tea Cake not because he is angry and needs to do it, but just because the society expects him to do it. He is expected to show his authority over the women, and he does this by whipping Janice. A marriage is not considered complete unless it involves some few blows to the woman. In regards to Tea Cake’s physical abuse of Janice, Hurston writes that â€Å"Before that week was over he had whipped Janie. Not because her behavior justified his jealousy, but it relieved the awful fear inside him. Being able to whip her reassured him in passion. No brutal beating at all. He just slapped her around a bit to show he was  boss† (Hurston 140). The inferiority, oppression and mistreatment of women is further evident in Hurston’s other famous work Sweat. Sweat tells the story of Delia, hardworking black woman who earns a living by washing clothes for the white man. She loves her job as it brings food on the table. Delia is married to Sykes, an oppressive man who does not work. He constantly oppresses and ridicules Delia for working for the white man. The irony here is that it is the money that Delia earns from her work that puts the food on the table. Sykes is obviously abusive towards Delia, and he tries to antagonize her even further by playing on her fear for snakes (Sadoff 61). For instance, one day, her husband casually lays his bullwhip that resembles snake on Delia’s shoulder and this causes her to be hugely freighted. Delia is very angry and scolds her husband for this. Sykes however does not exhibit any bit of concern and goes on to yell at her admonishing her for bringing clothes to the house, something that de does not obviously like. Delia attempts to ignore him as she is not in a mood to fight, but Sykes is determined to fight and he therefore continues provoking her, for example by kicking a neat pile of clothes that she had arranged  (Davis 150). Delia reaches her breaking point, and screams at her husband about just how hard she works to support them and picks a piece of metal from the stove as if to strike him (Davies, 39). This particular action is a depiction of the huge oppression that Delia has been subjected to and that she has bottled inside her all this time. In fact, he husband is quite taken aback because he expects to exert his dominance and power once again over his wife without her responding in any way. In fact, Hurston writes that the episode from Delia â€Å"cowed him, and he did not strike her as he usually did† (Miles 78). This quote once again reveals the physical violence that women are subjected to. Things only get worse and in an effort to antagonize his wife even further Psyches buys a pet snake. This however proves to be his main undoing as one day the snake bites him and instead of helping him, Delia simply lets him die after all the oppression that he has caused her. The other work by Zola Hurston that further depicts the inferiority, the oppression, and the mistreatment that women in the society are subjected to is in ‘The Conscience of the Court’. This story is a depiction of the inferiority of women in the society. The main protagonist, Laura Lee Kimble is an unlearned black woman who is accused of murder. She is accused of murder although from the onset; it is clear that she is not responsible for the murder. However, because of her gender and her lack of education, her chances of redemption seem very bleak (Croft 59). She cannot even comprehend the words and vocabulary being used during her trial, and she is offered no legal counsel. When she even goes to the stand and makes her plea, she is immediately dismissed. Her inferiority causes her to resign herself to those deciding the case saying that she does not even know if she is guilty or not and it is the deciding parties who are to tell her. The â€Å"The Conscience of the Court’† just the other previous discussed work once again shows the huge inferiority that women in the society are usually held at. It shows the struggle that women go through and how they are often judged by society’s higher powers including men (Croft 80). In this case, however, Kimble is lucky because she is acquitted. Conclusion Zola Neale Hurston is without a doubt one of the greatest writers of the 20 the Century. She might not have been appreciated much in her time, but today, her works reflect issues that plagued the society during her time. As seen, one the things she describes is the inferiority, oppression and mistreatment of women in the society. In the discussed works, it is shown just how much women were treated as second-grade citizens at a time when they could not speak out about their experiences. Works Cited Croft, Robert Wayne.  A Zora Neale Hurston Companion. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002. Davies, Kathleen. Zora Neale Hurstons Poetics of Embalmment: Articulating the Rage of Black Women and Narrative Self-Defense.  African American Review  26.1 (1992): 147-159. Hurston, Zora Neale.  Their Eyes Were Watching God: A Novel. New York: Perennial Library, 1990. Print. King, Lovalerie. Miles, Diana.  Women, violence testimony in the works of Zora Neale Hurston. P. Lang, 2003 Sadoff, Dianne F. Black Matrilineage: The Case of Alice Walker and Zora Neale Hurston.  Signs  (1985): 4-26. Zora Neale Hurston.  The Cambridge Companion to American Novelists  (2013): 146.

Racism Synthesis Essay - 1022 Words

Racism can be â€Å"defined as the hatred of one person by another or the belief that another person is less than human because of skin color, language, customs, place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person. It has influenced wars, slavery, the formation of nations, and legal codes† (â€Å"What†). The face of racism over the past 50 years has changed but yet, some still stay the same. People made laws against racism and it is not as blunt anymore. But opinions and stereotypes will remain which will cause others to still be treated differently. One way the face of racism has changed is that there are now laws against it. Because racism was such a major problem back then, the 14th amendment was created, which†¦show more content†¦Back then, not all blacks had the same privileges and racism wasn’t just about black and white people. This is an example of colourism. Colourism can be â€Å"defined as a conscious or unco nscious state of prejudice that may be experienced by both blacks and whites so that they label as less attractive and intelligent individuals of a darker complexion, particularly, when it comes to black women† (â€Å"Demystifying†). Among the black community, there is racism between it as well. Back then, white slave owners â€Å"allowed those of a lighter complexion certain privileges and denied those of a darker complexion those privileges and created in the minds of blacks that â€Å"light† is better. In addition, the selling of lighter-skinned women into prostitution or to salve masters to become their mistresses helped to concretize the idea that light skin is better† (â€Å"Demystifying†). But racism is not just about blacks and whites. It can be between any races. With the internet and the power of social networking these days, it is even easier to repudiate and excoriate people. People can criticize you secretly and not include you in certa in events without your knowing. You can express racism even behind a computer screen on a website plus make it private so it can’t be seen by the public. Although racism has changed over time these past 50 years, racism in many ways still exists. Everybody has their own opinion and those opinions are influenced by the public and the media. In some way,Show MoreRelatedRhetorical Analysis : The Rhetorical Triangle 1129 Words   |  5 Pagespathos make up the rhetorical triangle I used in my Rhetorical Analysis Essay. To illustrate this in the beginning of Tatum’s article she attempts to use logos to demonstrate her own view on racism. She believes racism is â€Å"a term used only for behaviors committed by whites in the context of a white dominated society.† This illustrates early on that she is biased. 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General Electric Free Essays

Factors affecting Demand of Pepsi( Cold drink) (1)Changes in the Price (2)Changes in consumers’ Income spent on goods and services (3)Changes in the Tastes/Preferences of consumers for goods/services (4)Changes in the Prices of related goods and services: Substitutes and Complements 5) changes in interest rates and the general availability of credit. Many households finance consumption through borrowing. If interest rates rise, demand contracts for many goods and services; particularly housing. We will write a custom essay sample on General Electric or any similar topic only for you Order Now 6) Natural disasters (storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods etc) ) Advertising can have a market effect on demand. Indeed, producers of PEPSI that are close substitutes generally spend large amounts on advertising, reminding consumers that their product is †better† than the opposition’s product. (Whether or not this is reality true, of course is another matter). 8) Seasonal changes. For example, demand for Cold drinks rises in warmer weather, and falls in the colder months of the year. If price only changes, the demand curve for a good or service will not shift. Instead, there will be a movement along the demand curve. If price rises, demand will contract; less will be purchased in a given period of time. If price falls, demand will expand, and more will be bought in a given period of time. The demand curve will shift to the left or right, if other factors, other from price, change. Factors Affecting Supply Of a Product . * Expectation of future price * When producers expect higher prices in the future commodities, the tendency is to keep their goods and release them when the price rises. * ? Change in the price of related goods * Changes in the price of goods have a significant effect in the supply of such goods. Government subsidies * Subsidies or the financial aids/assistance given by the government reduces cost of production which encourages more supply. * Number of firms in the market * An increase in the number of firms in the market leads to an increase in supply of goods and services. Nature of elasticity in terms of Income The degree to which a demand for a good changes with respect to a c hange in income depends on whether the good is a necessity or a luxury. The demand for necessities will increase with income, but at a slower rate. This is because consumers, instead of buying more of only the necessity, will want to use their increased income to buy more of a luxury. During a period of increasing income, demand for luxury products tends to increase at a higher rate than the demand for necessities. Nature of elasticity in terms of Price Price elasticity of supply measures the relationship between change in quantity supplied and a change in price. If supply is elastic, producers can increase output without a rise in cost or a time delay If supply is inelastic, firms find it hard to change production in a given time period. Major competitors ;Type of market (structure) it competes in (give reasons as to your opinion) Major Competitor is COCA COLA and all other different Soft drinks made locally It competes in many products as compare to Coca cola its products are * Aquafina * Pepsi * Mountain Dew * Sierra Mist * Sobe * Lipton Brisk Tea * MUG Root Beer * Slice * Gatorade * Dole Juice * Tropicana Pepsi is purely a M onopoly One seller dominates the market with no close substitutes. Natural Monopoly – efficient production by a single supplier PRICING STRATEGY OF â€Å"PEPSI† In Pakistan Pepsi cola is being operated by Pakistan Beverages. Pepsi is available in the majority of  stores, outlets, restaurants, and hotels. It has a huge market of customers. Basically it is segmented for theyounger generation of Pakistan but because of its customized offerings it is being consumed by differentage groups in our society. The company has offered Pepsi in different quantities and prices in our market. Its market oriented statement is â€Å"Dare for more†Ã‚   PRICES QUANTITY 12 Rs250ml 20Rs 300ml 20 Rs500ml 40Rs1. 5 lit 55 Rs2. 25 lit. In our society Pepsi often reduces its prices during the holy month of Ramadan and at the time of Eid. In this way they adopt promotional pricing strategy. Even if you notice on their offerings they are using  product-line pricing strategy as they are offering different quantities with different amount of money. Indifferent sectors Pepsi have also adopted segmented pricing strategy as its prices are much higher in luxurious hotels and other sectors. Its main competitor is Coca-cola when it comes to soft-drinks. Coca-cola have also made various efforts through different pricing strategies and offerings but Pepsi have alsoresponded effectively towards their actions through initiating price cuts at the right time for example. In the month of Ramadan whenever Coca-cola reduces their prices Pepsi also responds through price cuts and then eventually after that period it rises its prices. However buyer’s reactions have not been much affected the company in the long-run. Pepsi have always operated their sales through promotional and  phsycological pricing strategy and the great example for this can be their recently offered deal which is 2. 25 litre in 50 Rs. How to cite General Electric, Essay examples

Soliloquy Desdemona free essay sample

What is going on? Why did Othello act in such a way? How could Othello do this? I love him! Does he not know that? I thought we were merry? What happened? Why isnt Othello telling me whats wronged him? I thought we were lovers; Him and l. Dont lovers confide in one other? [Sobs] Why did Othello hit me as he did? My dear sweet moor; Vive always loved you and always will! Please talk to me my lord and tell me what has gotten you upset. What thing ere has brought up this quake of anger so strong as to burn all who sheet? What did I do wrong? [Falls to ground] Waste me Oh Othello who brought this about? Whilst you ever speak a Joyful sound to me again; whilst you ever look me in the eye with the same love and Joy I saw fort night? Why cant my sweet as pomegranates Othello be back? What whilst this bring for our days tomorrow? Wills be over? Did I really do something that bad; so menacing that he would feel it right to strike me? And in front of Ladylove no less. We will write a custom essay sample on Soliloquy Desdemona or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Is he sorry at all; for embarrassing me so? For I am soon to crawl under a rock then go be near them again. Husbands are not supposed to do such things to their wifes, yes? And what could a wife as myself do so bad to bring this hatred about; to see such a strong eternal fire burning in his onyx eyes; such eyes that burn such passion into my own? [Looks out window] For what brought this about? What will come about now? Should I confront thee and get to the bottom of this seemingly endless pit? No; not ere at this hour. I must talk to his ancient; for they are close yes? Yes! Thats what Ill do. Master Ago will solve this riddle and fill in the empty pieces. [Exeunt]

Empirical Research on Individual Conformity to Group Pressure

Introduction Human beings are social and interact with others in different social arrangements. Many times the associations take place in group settings that require individuals to work jointly to meet set goals. At the work place, groups are commonly formulated to complete tasks meant to grow an organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Empirical Research on Individual Conformity to Group Pressure specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the advancement in technology experienced globally, the concept of work teams has been taken to an even higher level. It is therefore common to come by virtual teams that are constituted by individuals who may or may not be geographically dispersed. With the help of tools such as wikis and blogs, virtual teams are able to carry out activities with very minimal face to face encounters. As stated by Griffin and Moorhead (2011), individuals influence groups as much as groups also influence the individuals. Within a group, an individual with a strong character can easily determine the others act while the use of very strict group norms can compel members to conform either willingly or against their will. According to Mowday (1993) one is able to understand organizational behavior by studying the link between individuals, groups and the organizational culture. These three are interrelated and determine how far an organization can go in offering services to the public. This paper presents a critical evaluation of research that has been done by different authors on the subject of individual conformity to group pressure. Groups and Social Norms According to Bendor and Swistak (2001), a group norm is defined as a rule or behaviour that triggers punishment if violated by an individual who is a part of the group. Norms exist to provide stability to a group so as to ensure that the group is able to accomplish stipulated tasks as planned. In a study by Brown (2009), o rganizations have for many years been encouraged to build strong cultures that can help in the achievement of goals.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Organizations that are keen to realize greater performance have a culture of creating and reinforcing strong group norms to ensure that groups are used to benefit the organization. Further claims indicate that the presence of a strong organizational culture will inspire works teams to execute tasks as required and complete them within the stated time period (Brown, 2009). Durlauf and Blume (2008) observed that the main purpose of social norms is to govern the interactions within groups and to successfully coordinate the varying expectations of the individual team members. The group norms are particularly valuable when a group is made up of people with diverse backgrounds. Durlauf and Blume (2008) further argued that once a group has created the norms, all its members required to conform and act in accordance with stipulated rules. Even though there is a general belief that group norms greatly enhance the performance of a group, good management is, however, critical for success to be realized. Durlauf and Blume (2008) described three different approaches to do this. These include coordination, threats of a member being punished by the group if he or she deviates from what has been agreed and specifying an agreed code of conduct. Although norms may not formally appear anywhere or even be discussed quite often in the context of a working group, they are a very powerful tool in guiding the behaviour of a group and ensuring that goals are met. McMahan Kacmar (1991) argued that the concept of group norms is extremely essential for an organizational consultant and although it they have indicated that it may not be easy to identify all the key requirements in forming or strengthening group norms, they agree that stri ct control measures must be adhered to if a work team is to work effectively. Subsequently, they have identified four reasons why group norms must be enforced. These include the need to ensure those work teams survive, managing the behaviour of a group, dealing with interaction problems that could cause embarrassment to group members and making sure that the group lives up to its intentions (McMahan Kacmar, 1991).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Empirical Research on Individual Conformity to Group Pressure specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to a study by Bettenhausen and Murnighan (1985), social norms tend to be invisible even though they play an incredible role in helping organizations control the ultimate behaviour of work teams. Brief and Weiss (2002) argued that effectiveness of a work team is to some extent affected by the personality traits of the individual members team. While some team members m ay be willing to abide by the group norms, others may be uncooperative. Nadler Tushman (1980) also observed that the whole process of creating and managing groups is quite complex and the fact that it is never easy to really understand the individual members in a group makes it even more difficult. Development of Norms Bettenhausen and Murnighan (1985) claimed that while organizations do appreciate the fundamental role played by group norms to guarantee the success of groups, they pay little attention to the process involved in developing these norms. Using nineteen different groups, they did experiments to try and establish how group norms develop. Even though organizations may accomplish tasks using informal and loosely structured teams with no strict guidelines, results often end up being pathetic. Where unstructured work teams are created, they will be made up of people with no prior history of interacting with one another and this can generate problems incase no policies are i n place to support the work of the group. Characteristically, these work teams spend so much time getting to know each other so as to agree on the way forward rather than embarking on the stipulated tasks right away (Bettenhausen Murnighan, 1985). A similar argument is presented by Mowday (1993) who also observed that unless interpersonal relationships are fully dealt with, groups will not be able to function well and it will difficult to get the expected output. The continued use of such an approach will lead an organization to a consistent state of poor group performance. This being the case, Bettenhausen and Murnighan suggested that it is important for organizations to take time and develop scripts that will govern group operations as they are formed.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Although these scripts may need to be adjusted based on the unique requirements of individual groups, a common script must be made available for team members to reference. Availability of a common script to be used by all the members of a team has the effect of boosting the confidence level of the individuals in the team. It also makes it possible for members to trust one another and response time is reduced as work teams will be able to act quickly (Bettenhausen Murnighan, 1985). Research has also demonstrated that informal norms can be very detrimental to the productivity of an individual and must be avoided at all costs. By clearly understanding how norms are developed and thereafter transferred to the work team, an organization can address the challenges of poor group performance. The understanding will also empower group members to later be able to deal with group pressure more positively (Bettenhausen Murnighan, 1985). According to Feldman (1984), group norms are essential f or two main reasons. They determine the productivity of a group and can also be used by the management to shape the behaviour of the group as well as that of individuals. Groups can also influence the culture within an organization and in cases where group members have a past history of interacting with one another better results are feasible (Mowday, 1993). Boonstra (2004) found out that the behavior of an individual is strongly rooted in groups and as such, groups are a very useful means of changing the behavior of individuals. To change the way an individual responds to situations, one only needs to focus on altering the behavior of the group to which the individual happens to belong. When effectively used, groups will also help in transferring knowledge to members within a work team (Argote Ingram, 2000). Enforcement of Group Norms Feldman (1984) pointed out that groups aim at operating in a manner that will amplify success while minimizing failure and argued that a group will only create and enforce norms that are regarded as being relevant to the activities of the group. As stated elsewhere in this paper, one of the motivations for enforcing norms is to eliminate any possibilities of interpersonal embarrassment and hence, groups will therefore be very enthusiastic about ensuring that members are always comfortable. (Feldman, 1984). Conformity and Resistance Goldman, Haberlein and Feder (1965), studied the response of individuals to group pressure by classifying them into two main groups. While one group was considered as being made up of conformists or people who follow without showing any resistance, the other one included those seen as resisters. The categorization was based on how individuals reacted to group pressure. Conformers would very easily go with the flow of the group while resisters would resist any pressure from the group and instead, choose to act differently to the disappointment of the group. Goldman et al (1985) argued that when one ea sily conforms to group pressure he or she is very likely to perform in a stressful manner and this would get worse if an individual refused to conform to the demands of the group as there is fear of being admonished by the rest of the group if one does not abide by the rules. Apparently, there is a high chance of a conformer doubting his or her own intelligence in making sound decisions. In comparison to resisters, conformers will take a much lesser time to perform a given task. This is true considering that characteristically, resisters will take time to come to an agreement before finally embarking on an activity. Smooth communication in a resister group is also ruined by the existence of competitiveness and hostilities among the group members (Goldman et al., 1965). Although it might actually appear that conformers would be able to solve a problem much faster than resisters, this may not be necessarily the case as in some situations where individuals happen to have differing answ ers to the same problem, a resister group could arrive at an answer much faster. According to Mills, Mills, Bratton and Forshaw (2006), group norms should be democratic enough to encourage individual members of a group to conform. Any attempts to make rules that are unfavorable will only result in resentment and poor group performance. Attraction to the Group and Conformity to Group Norms Kiesler (1963) observed that the willingness of any individual to cooperate with a particular group is directly related to the level of attraction the individual has to the group. This makes sense especially because people will want to be associated with what they really like. If it so happens that all the members of a group like to be associated with it, then chances of the group succeeding will be quite high. The opposite is true as men and women will tend to be less devoted to a group they are not really interested in. This is a good tip for the managers to keep in mind when forming groups. As m uch as possible, groups should be made up of individuals who have interest in the subject matter. Realistically, however, creating such groups may be a challenge and hence, some compromise may be necessary. Kiesler also stated that, there are instances where people with a lesser attraction to a group conformed to the group’s norms more than those with a slightly higher level of attraction. Nevertheless, some attraction is desirable for the members of a work team to conform. Where there is negative attraction to a group, conformity to its norms will be in jeopardy and group progression may be hindered (Kiesler, 1963). Although attraction could be induced, individuals conforming because of some promised benefit will easily resist when their expectations are not met. Attraction can also be nurtured by accepting members in a group. When individuals feel accepted in a group, it becomes easy for them to conform to the norms of the group (Kiesler, 1963). Although helpful in getting members to conform to the requirements of a work team, rewards and benefits could have some negative effects in some cases and must therefore be used sparingly (Rousseau, 1997). Conditions that Lead to Conformance or Defiance Hornsey, Majkut, Terry and McKimmie (2003) described some conditions that could lead to either conformity or resistance to group pressure. Individuals would either be consumed by what the society expects of them or based on an individual’s own judgment it is possible to figure out what other people would probably do in similar situations; whether or not they would share his or her opinion (Hornsey et al., 2003). When people act under the influence of other people, this is referred to as informational influence as they get to do things based on the information they have. On the other hand, normative influence happens when societal norms only influence people to some degree that makes them desire to fit in a group. It is the influence that leads one to wan t to act in a way that will help him or her be accepted by a group of people (Hornsey et al., 2003). Unlike informational influence which is genuine and leads to real change of attitude, the outcome of normative influence is an attitude that is not genuine and often, individuals simply make efforts to fit in a group (Hornsey et al., 2003). Normative influence is a behaviour that organizations must watch out for as it can easily lead to the creation of groups with members who are not fully committed. In the end, a highly motivated group could get demoralized by the less motivated individuals and sadly, the performance of the group will receive a severe blow. According to Brief and Motowidlo (1986), it is possible to use pro-social behaviors to boost the performance of work teams. Pro-social acts are undertaken to support the well being of others and include behaviors such as cooperating, sharing ideas or material things, giving donations to worthy courses and volunteering for the goo d of others. The pro-social acts are meant to directly benefit a beneficiary who could be a colleague, or a client. It may involve helping a workmate to accomplish an assigned job task or even deal with personal matters. One may also volunteer to take on additional responsibilities at no extra pay (Brief Motowidlo, 1986). Conformity as a Means of Defense An experiment undertaken by Hoffman (1957) showed that conformity can be used as a good defense mechanism by individuals who actually find it difficult to conform to pressure from a group. People who are unwilling to go by the demands of a group have been found to resist genuine group influence by simply conforming and taking a low profile. It therefore follows that although an individual may seem to go with the flow and do or agree with what the group wants or says, it does not necessarily imply that his or her conformance is backed by good intentions (Hoffman, 1957). Thinking about the effect of this to an organization, it is imp ortant to note that despite the fact that determining whether or not an individual is truly conforming is such a difficult task, an organization must make an effort to establish to what extent an individual is genuinely conforming to a work team (Hoffman, 1957). Conclusion Organizations can greatly benefit from work teams when groups are created based on well formulated group norms. As has been demonstrated in this paper, group norms play a very key role in ensuring that work teams get to succeed and deliver as they should. However, it is helpful when organizations take interest in developing and enforcing group norms. Although a number of options are available to assist organization with the enforcement of group norms, choices must be made in a way that will ensure that work team performance is not affected. Poor choice of tactics may lead to the failure of work teams and consequently, poor delivery. According to Zhou (2011), groups can have both negative and positive effects. It i s therefore necessary for organizations to ensure that the groups are well planned. Placing an individual in a group that does not correspond to his or her job responsibilities, for example, would lead to discouragement (Zhou, 2011). In spite of all the challenges encountered, there are great benefits that can be realized when work teams are formed and managed in the right way. It is therefore important for organizations to spend a considerable amount of time studying out the process of creating and strengthening group norms which are essential to the success of a group. Reference List Argote, L. Ingram, P., 2000. Knowledge Transfer: A Basis for Competitive Advantage in Firms. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 82 (1) 150 –169. Bendor, J. Swistak, Piotr., 2001. The Evolution of Norms. American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 106, No. 6 (May 2001), pp. 1493-1545. Web. Bettenhausen, K. Murnighan, J. K., 1985. The Emergence of Norms in Competitive Decision-Makin g Groups. Administrative Science Quarterly, 30 (1985): 350 – 372. Boonstra, J.J., 2004. Dynamics of Organizational Change and Learning. England: John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Brief, A. P. Motowidlo, S. J., 1986. Prosocial Organizational Behaviors. Academy of Management Review, 11 (4) 710 – 725. Brief, A. P. Weiss, H. M., 2002. Organizational Behavior: Affect in the Workplace. Annual Review of Psychology, 53:279–307. Brown, M., 2009. The Cultural Work of Corporations. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Durlauf, N. Blume, L. E., 2008. New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics, Second Edition. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Feldman, D. C., 1984. The Development and Enforcement of Group Norms. The Academy of Management Review, 9 (1) 47 – 53. Goldman, M.., Haberlein, B. J., Feder, G. J., 1965. Conformity and Resistance to Group Pressure. Sociometry, Vol. 28, No. 2 (Jun., 1965), pp. 220 – 226. Web. Griffin, R. W. Moorhead, G., 2011. Organizational Behavior. Stamford , Connecticut, U.S: Cengage Learning. Hoffman, M. L., 1957. Conformity as a Defense Mechanism and a Form of Resistance to Genuine Group Influence. Journal of Personality, 25 (4) 412–424. Hornsey, M. J., Majkut, L., Terry, D. J. McKimmie, B. M., 2003. On being loud and proud: Non-conformity and counter-conformity to group norms. The British Journal of Social Psychology, Sep 2003; 42, 319 – 335. Kiesler, C. A. 1963. Attraction to the Group and Conformity to Group Norms. Journal of Personality, 31(4) 559 – 569. McMahan, G. C. Kacmar, K. M. 1991. The Diagnosis of Work Group Norms: Practical Implications for Change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 4 (4) 24 – 33. Mills, A. J., Mills, J. C. H., Bratton, J. Forshaw, C., 2006. Organizational Behaviour in a Global Context. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Mowday, R. T., 1993. Organizational Behavior: Linking Individuals and Groups to Organizational Contexts. Annual Review of Psychology, 44: 195 – 229. Nadler, D. A. Tushman, M. L., 1980. A Model for Organizing Organizational Behavior. New York: AMACOM. Web. Rousseau, D. M., 1997. Organizational Behavior in the New Organizational Era. Annual Review of Psychology, 48: 515 – 46. Zhou, Mark., 2011. Communications in Computer and Information Science. Hong Kong: Springer. This essay on Empirical Research on Individual Conformity to Group Pressure was written and submitted by user Melody Gentry to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Art of Heraldry essays

The Art of Heraldry essays Marvin Pakula defined heraldry as, The art of arranging and explaining in proper terms all that relates or pertains to the bearing of arms, crests, quarterings, and other hereditary marks of honor (18). The elements of crests, helmets, shields, and mottos constitute the coat of arms or heraldic device. Throughout history, heraldry has evolved in its function as a necessity of battle and social hierarchy, symbol of honor, and connection to genealogy. The science of heraldry is not well known and underestimated in its importance in the Middle Ages. The origin of the heraldic device, commonly known as the coat of arms, dates back to the early 1100s. The necessity for identification in battles and tournaments of the Middle Ages prompted the creation of heraldry. As tactics and strategies of warfare evolved, much of knights bodies became covered by a variety of armor. This introduced the problem of how to recognize the opponent (Wilkinson 19). An organized system was needed to eliminate this situation and thus, the use of heraldic devices began. This differentiation connected allies because leaders incorporated their allies arms into their own. It emphasized their support for one another and warned enemies of their relations. Heraldry was also a necessity for tournaments. Tournament contestants wore distinctive insignia on their shields similar to modern athletes wearing team colors and numbers. Frequent tournament winners came to be recognized by their coat of arms. Because of their success, families of the winners displayed the arms as a sign of accomplishment. According to research done at Central European University, Ambitious knights traveled around Europe fighting in tournaments and in doing so helped to spread the usages and conventions of heraldry across Europe (Self-Representation in Heraldry). Eventually, tournaments required the use of a her...

Specialist Research Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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