Real Estate Values in San Diego County

In this paper, I’m going to talk about what cities and areas of San Diego have higher real estate prices and higher incomes and why. Although the average home value in San Diego county is higher than most of the rest of the country, there is still a large spread in average home values. The average income in San Diego county is in the top ten percent in the country. Like home values, incomes vary greatly from place to place within the county, ranging from around $11,000 to around $110,000.According to a survey done in 2009, a region dubbed â€Å"North County Coastal† is the most wealthy region of San Diego. this area extends from Del Mar to Oceanside. This is consistent with the general trend of coastal property being more desirable and therefore wealthy people living in them. However, Imperial Beach, while having coastal property, has both a low average income and home value relative to the rest of the county. Rancho Santa Fe is the wealthiest census designated place in San Diego. It is not located on the coast.It is a part of the â€Å"North County Coastal† region. It is surrounded by other wealthy communities. The location alone is not enough to explain why Rancho Santa Fe is as an expensive of a place to live as it is. There are places like Chula Vista with comparable landscapes. The pattern of wealth distribution in San Diego County appears to be that wealthy communities are built around other wealthy communities. These places are found in a thin coastal strip in the northwest and west-central parts of the county.This pattern could be extended to explain why this strip is situated closer to Orange County than it is to the Mexican border. Patterns of home value do not completely follow natural-physical desirability but are influenced by them. The places is San Diego County with the lowest home values are found in the far east county, outside of the San Diego Urban Area. The Two cities in San Diego county with the lowest home value are Bo rrego Springs and Campo. The lower value of these homes can be explained by their rural location.The average home values in these cities are around $150,000 compared to over $1. 5 million in Rancho Santa Fe. The lowest income cities in the county include National City, El Cajon and Lemon grove. There is a strong parallel between high median incomes and high median home prices in San Diego county. That parallel does exist with low median incomes and median home values. The median home value in El Cajon is more than double the median home value in Borrego Springs even though the median income is higher in Borrego Springs.This can be explained by the general higher cost of living in urban areas. What I have found in this project is that there are many factors contributing to where different income groups and home values are located. I also found that there are interests that intend to mislead. One survey, published in 2009 by the county of San Diego, gave home values and net worths tha t the fine print said were from 2005. It seams that some try to make things look better than they are and that others try to avoid being profiled.These to factors were the biggest obstacles in researching for this project. â€Å"San Diego Metro Home Prices and Home Values in CA – Zillow Local Info. † Zillow – Real Estate, Homes for Sale, Home Prices & Values. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. . â€Å"California Locations by per Capita Income. † Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. . â€Å"Formal and Fina San Diego Transfer of wealth study†-San Diego county http://www. energizingentrepreneurs. org/content/images/File/Formal%20and%20Final%20San%20Diego%20Transfer%20of%20wealth%20study-%20pdf. pdf

Greek Culture vs Roman Culture

Greek Culture VS. Roman Culture Gabraille Driscol American InterContinental University HUMA215-1204D Ms. Cheryl Lemus Abstract Many people are unaware of just how alike the Romans and the Greeks are. They have many of the same cultures because they adapted them from each other. From modern art to the gods and goddesses. Everything that the Greek have the Romans also has. Yes there are a few changes that have been extracted throughout the two but they are similar to each other in many ways. Roman gods are known as the same thing that Greek gods are. But they have different names for them.The Roman culture is very un strict and focus of the greater good of the gods and mankind. These are just some of the few things that are focused with the Greeks and the Romans. The Greece culture was one just like what the â€Å"New World† went through. Their period was made up of Polis better known as city states. Their society was broken up between free people and slaves. The free people kep t the slaves. The slaves worked without pay many time and did hard labor such as the slaves of the 20th century. Many slaves lived with their master, but were over work and almost never paid.As their society evolved so did the people. They changed from free people to free men. They were divided between Citizens and Metics. If you were a citizen than both of your parents were from the Greece decent. Metics were foreign people that came over to Athens from other places to learn a craft. Many of them were forced to serve in the military. Metics also had to pay taxes and would never be considered a citizen. Women had no rights in the Greece culture any foreign affairs they were involved in was because of their husbands or a man they were involved with.When it came to their government many citizens were thought to serve on the government after taking part in the military. The Greek agriculture system was called orders, they had three orders. They were Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Parthe non is an order of Doric the temple of Athena Parthenos (â€Å"Virgin†), Greek goddess of wisdom, on the Acropolis in Athens. The Parthenon was built in the 5th century BC, and despite the enormous damage it has sustained over the centuries, it still communicates the ideals of order and harmony for which Greek architecture is known.Ironic order is The Temple of Apollo at Didyma – The Greeks built the Temple of Apollo at Didyma, Turkey (about 300 BC). The design of the temple was known as dipteral, a term that refers to the two sets of columns surrounding the interior section. These columns surrounded a small chamber that housed the statue of Apollo. With Ionic columns reaching 19. 5 m (64 ft. ) high, these ruins suggest the former grandeur of the ancient temple. The territory of Greece is mountainous, and as a result, ancient Greece consisted of many smaller regions each with its own dialect, cultural peculiarities, and identity.Regionalism and regional conflicts was a prominent feature of ancient Greece. Cities tended to be located in valleys between mountains, or on coastal plains, and dominated a certain area around them. The Roman culture was very much like the Greek culture because much of it was adopted from the Greek. Much of the roman culture is still in our world today. They built bridges and sewers which we still use today. They help to develop wells and other sources to get water. The roman ideas were much of the ideas that are still used in today economy.They created the death games and gladiators which we still use today. Much of our culture was adapted from the Romans. They came up with many things that the U. S. has to thank them for. Roman theater came from the Greek as well but more developed. They came up with many adlibs and improv that Shakespeare used and many new sitcoms use today. The roman a d Greek gods and goddesses share many of the same attributes but have different names. The roman government was run by priests who we re mentors between both men and gods.They maintained the good will and support for Rome. Lastly the roman philosophers were the Greek philosophers. References N. S. Gill, Roman Culture: An introduction to the culture of Rome, especially the Roman Republic. (2012). Retrieved on November 2012, Retrieved from http://ancienthistory. about. com/od/culture/tp/061511-Roman-Culture. htm Ancient Greece, (2012) Retrieved on November 2012, retrieved from http://www. ancientgreece. com/s/Culture/ Ancient Greece, 21 October 2012 Retrieved on November 2012, retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ancient_Greece

Case study of the Web Index

The renowned organization called World Wide Web Foundation produced and designed the Web Index. The purpose of the Web Index is to measure contribution of World Wide Web to economical, social and political development within nations across the world[1]. In order to make the people understand how the nations maximize the impact of the web, Web Index compiles data across several different Web healths’ dimensions and makes it available free. The annual country-ranking format continuously improves the understanding of the people regarding the Web’s value for humanity[2]. The study includes the description of the Web Index in accordance with Singapore. Singapore ranked 22 nd in the Web Index ranking and has the value of 75.16. Every key areas of the Web Index are described in detail in the study. The provided recommendation implies that there are five things that Singapore must carry out in order to achieve better ranking. Universal access is a sub-index and it measures that countries have devoted in reasonable access to high quality internet infrastructure[3]. In addition to that, it also suggests that countries are investing in skills and education that its people require to make use of the Web well. Figure 2: Universal Access in Measurement Singapore is in ninth position in the list of Universal Access as per the data of Web Index.   The score of the country is 91.69 [6]. This score clearly says that the Singapore has clearly provided extreme interest in its Web Usage. There are various regains within which Singapore need to improve. As per the definition of the Universal access, Singapore devoted in reasonable access to high quality internet infrastructure. The facts and figures support this statement. In order to make most use of the Web Infrastructure of a country, the people must be able to improve the skills. In addition to that, having the proper knowledge is also crucial. The country can categorize the web users into three categories such as academics, professional and entertainment usage. The most of the use is done for the entertainment purpose. It can be assumed that almost all the countries within top fifty make same amount of use of the web for the entertainment purpose. This suggests that the use of the w eb for the academic and professional purpose places it at 9 th position in the list. These sub-index, freedom and openness, refers to the extent to which the people of a country enjoys privacy online, rights to information, expression and opinion[7]. On other orders, it can be stated this sub-index is the measure of the interaction of the citizens with the Web. Figure 3: Freedom and Openness Graph of Singapore Figure 4: Freedom and Openness Measure of Singapore The score of Singapore in this sub-index is very low relative to the other sub-indexes. The country is in the 41 st position in the world ranking in this category [10]. The citizens of Singapore are not that much interested in interacting with the Web. It is may be because of their conserved nature but it is none of the concern of the study. Singapore, needs to make its citizens more educated and skilled so that they can also share their thoughts, believes and opinions. As the people of Singapore will learn to accept the views of the others, they can argue on different things. Social media sites like, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and many more provide the great opportunity to all the people of the world share their knowledge and views. Singapore, has to make its citizen more enthusiastic regarding interact with the Web. The relevant content is the sub-index that uses both the factors, content present within each country and the Web utilization by the people. These two factors must be residing within a prominence on the amount to which several stakeholders can be able to access information. In addition to that, the data must be relevant to the purpose of use of the people[11]. The content must be in the form of that language within which the people of the specific country is most comfortable. These contents can be accessed through the channels and platforms that available broadly. Figure 5: Relevant Content Graph Representation of Singapore Figure 6: Relevant Content measurement of Singapore The score of Singapore within this category of sub-index is 76.48. The country is in the 21 st position, followed by Estonia (75.72) [14]. These score is slightly more than average. Still Singapore has managed to produce content that most of its people can make use of. It will foolish to consider all the people within the region of the Web using category. It has be assumed that a certain amount of people actually make use of the Web. The people who make use of Web for entertainment and professional works are tend to use content that are written in English, not all but for majority. The reason this Country is lacking behind other countries is its mother tongue. There are very smaller chance of growing within this rank. As per the definition of the Relevant Content provided in the above section, the country’s content must be within the particular region so that the citizen can access the contents easily. In addition to that, the content, the citizen will be making use of and co nsidered while measuring score, must be relevant for the targeted audience or people of Singapore. This sub-index reflects the most powerful and complex activity of the Web that is empowerment reflects the difference that the Web is bringing with the lifestyle and thought process of people of a country. This sub-index is also used for reflecting the impact of the Web on the society, politics, economy and environment[15]. Empowerment relates to these key four areas of any Country in a strange way. Figure 7: Empowerment Graph Representation of Singapore Figure 8: Empowerment Measurement of Singapore Singapore has raked 19 th and 15 th in the empowerment respectively in the political area and economical area. The rank of Singapore in the overall empowerment is 18 th [18] .   The score of this country in empowerment is 75.17. It says that the impact of Web on the social, economic, environment and political regions. The most of the impact of the Web on this country can be viewed in the economical areas as it makes use of the Web for communicating with the whole world. The Web can be a very good tool for making some move in the political region. One citizen can connect to different citizen who is hundreds of miles away and share their view on some political agenda. This way a thought or view of one person can grow from one region to completely region in a very rapid pace. In terms of evaluating the four sub-indexes of the Web Index regarding Singapore, it is important to analyze all the sub-indexes. The biggest lack in the freedom and openness is the restricted mind of its citizen. The government is required to provide sufficient amount of knowledge to the citizen so that they can empower their view upon the citizen of other countries. This will allow Singapore to score more on the freedom and empowerment sub-index. There is not much limitations regarding universal access and the score reflects it. Gaining the ninth position in the world list is a significant matter. There are various areas that can be utilized the government for making more score in the empowerment area. The empowerment consists of four key areas and impact of Web on these regions is different. Universal Access: The universal Access of Singapore is 91.69 and has the world fastest internet average speed. The country has invested a lot in the internet infrastructure for providing internet service to its citizens. Nowadays internet is considered as a most essential service for public and facilitates for management of the utility services in the country. The citizens should have a reliable internet access and it is essential for the access of knowledge, finance and agriculture. Increasing the universal accessibility decreases the gap of governance and provides public access to the internet. It is recommended that a good technology is required to be selected and the integration issues are required to be identified for the improvement of the universal access. Relevant Content: The relevant content of Singapore is 76.48, i.e. the stakeholders and the citizens can search the web in the language they prefer and find the most relevant content. The posting of the unnecessary web content and increase in the awareness can be used for the improvement of the relevant content. The online resources must not contain any junk files that the user does not find useful and maintain a good relationship with the citizens for understanding their requirement and providing them the most relevant content they needs. The establishment of a good trust is also important for engaging the user to use trusted sources of information. Freedom and Openness: In freedom and openness Singapore have the value of 42.24 and there are lots of possibilities of improvement. The freedom and openness can be improved with maintaining transparency with the government rules and regulations. The management of the economic methodology and aligning the regulatory efficiency with the economic freedom criteria is also important for the increase in the freedom and openness of the internet access of the citizens and the stakeholders of the country.   Controlling the financial sector and public investment programs can also eliminate the inefficiency of the current system. Empowerment: The current empowerment value of Singapore is 75.17 and it is used for the measurement of the self determination in the citizens using the internet. The internet is making a huge difference for making a positive change in the society, politics, environment and economy. It is recommended that the all the information regarding the social life, economy and others mentioned in the key areas for bringing a positive change in the country must be available in the internet. The users should have access to all the resources that can bring a change in their life and the government authorities must monitor the web content and take an initiative to increase the digital literacy of the country. From the above study, it can be concluded that Singapore is a strong country according to Web Index. According to the results of the organization, various countries are making the use of the Web significantly more than other countries. The Web can be seen as a great source of medium that can generate power and economy. The use of the interact can allow the citizen of Singapore to communicate freely with the citizen of the other countries. Keeping in mind the end goal to comprehend the connection amongst correspondence and worldwide understudy streams in the data society, it is basic to research the impacts of the Internet. The Web Index is the main multidimensional measure relating the World Wide Web to worldwide improvement and human rights. The pointers of Web Index incorporate zones of widespread get to, flexibility and openness, pertinent substance and strengthening. The people who make use of the internet for entertainment purposes do the most use of the Web in the Singapore. Th is scenario can be seen in other countries too. Instead of this fact, it can be strongly stated that the most of the interactions with the Web is done for knowledge gathering and sharing purpose. "About | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/about/. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Web Index: Empowerment: Political | Open Data". 2017.  Socrata. https://idp.nz/Global-Rankings/Web-Index-Empowerment-Political/bcgb-g3xx. "Web Index: Freedom & Openness | Open Data". 2017.  Socrata. https://idp.nz/Global-Rankings/Web-Index-Freedom-Openness/43nm-is4c. "Web Index: Relevant Content | Open Data". 2017.  Socrata. https://idp.nz/Global-Rankings/Web-Index-Relevant-Content/v3pg-t68t. "Web Index: Universal Access: Access & Affordability | Open Data". 2017.  Socrata. https://idp.nz/Global-Rankings/Web-Index-Universal-Access-Access-Affordability/ndvd-qsv6. Gaftea, Viorel. "Socio-economic Major Risks Related to the Information Technology."  Procedia Economics and Finance  8 (2014): 336-345. Gayo, Jose Emilio Labra, and Jose M. Alvarez Rodr?guez. "Validating statistical index data represented in RDF using SPARQL queries." In  RDF Validation Workshop. Practical Assurances for Quality RDF Data, Cambridge, Ma, Boston. 2013. Jiang, Ke. "International student flows between Asia, Australia, and Russia: a network analysis."  Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia  13, no. 1 (2014): 83-98. Ojino, Ronald, Luisa Mich, Patrick Ogao, and Simon Karume. "The Quality of Kenyan University Websites: A Study for the Re-engineering of the Masinde Muliro University Website."  Journal of e-Learning and Knowledge Society  9, no. 3 (2013). "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. Jiang, Ke. "International student flows between Asia, Australia, and Russia: a network analysis."  Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia  13, no. 1 (2014): 83-98. "About | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/about/. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Web Index: Universal Access: Access & Affordability | Open Data". 2017.  Socrata. https://idp.nz/Global-Rankings/Web-Index-Universal-Access-Access-Affordability/ndvd-qsv6. "About | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/about/. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Web Index: Freedom & Openness | Open Data". 2017. Socrata. https://idp.nz/Global-Rankings/Web-Index-Freedom-Openness/43nm-is4c. "About | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/about/. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Web Index: Relevant Content | Open Data". 2017.  Socrata. https://idp.nz/Global-Rankings/Web-Index-Relevant-Content/v3pg-t68t. "About | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/about/. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Data | The Web Index". 2017.  Thewebindex.Org. https://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGPhttps://thewebindex.org/data/?indicator=INDEX&country=SGP. "Web Index: Empowerment: Political | Open Data". 2017.  Socrata. https://idp.nz/Global-Rankings/Web-Index-Empowerment-Political/bcgb-g3xx. With a decade's experience in providing essay help,

Linguistics Course Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Linguistics Course Work - Essay Example Hudson (2000) points out that the use of anaphora is also influenced by the nature of the topic and the context of the discussion. In this perspective, the use of anaphora can also be utilized as a means of determining the nature and purpose of the conversation or discourse In the example given, anaphoras are used through the repetitive use of the same words or reference to bind the discourse by local syntactic operation (Napoli, 2003). The most dominant anaphora used in the exchange is with the use of pronouns. The car is referred to as it by both the husband in the 1st and 3rd dialogue and by the wife in the 2nd dialogue. Other anaphora used in the discourse include the one in the 4th dialogue, "up at the crack of dawn, and not home till mid-evening", where VP-ellipsis is used by the wife. As was seen in the example, language is not just a simple exchange but also involves a system that is as rich in meaning and value as the conversation itself. John Langshaw Austin, the author of the Speech Act Theory, is one of the linguists that supported the study of the manner by which words are used to derive meaning of discourses. ... Akmajian (2001) says that through the use of syntactical features, the participants in a discourse are able to maintain the context of their conversation allowing the consistency of thoughts and ideas. Some examples of syntactical features that are commonly used are anaphoric, cataphoric and deictic elements. It can also be achieved through logical tense structures, presuppositions and implications connected to general world knowledge. Anaphors and Cohesion The use of anaphora may vary according to the familiarity of the speakers to the subject and too each other. Hudson (2000) points out that the use of anaphora is also influenced by the nature of the topic and the context of the discussion. In this perspective, the use of anaphora can also be utilized as a means of determining the nature and purpose of the conversation or discourse In the example given, anaphoras are used through the repetitive use of the same words or reference to bind the discourse by local syntactic operation (Napoli, 2003). The most dominant anaphora used in the exchange is with the use of pronouns. The car is referred to as it by both the husband in the 1st and 3rd dialogue and by the wife in the 2nd dialogue. Other anaphora used in the discourse include the one in the 4th dialogue, "up at the crack of dawn, and not home till mid-evening", where VP-ellipsis is used by the wife. Austin and Grice As was seen in the example, language is not just a simple exchange but also involves a system that is as rich in meaning and value as the conversation itself. John Langshaw Austin, the author of the Speech Act Theory, is one of the linguists that supported the study of the manner by which words are used to derive meaning of discourses. His assumptions were based

Strategic Management (Topic In Instruction) Essay

Strategic Management (Topic In Instruction) - Essay Example With the company, being actively governed by a board, with the CEO, Mr. Edward Perry at the top, it comes to a situation whereby every decision made relating to the company is carefully deliberated. Decisions and rulings that fall under this category include mainly, the company’s mode of carrying out external analysis. An external analysis is a specific analytical method by a firm, which is made use of, to examine the opportunities, as well as threats, that predominantly exist in the business environment (Lee, 2010). It is important for a company such as Timber King to engage in thorough external analysis. Performing this analysis is important, most especially in the long term effectiveness of the firm. Being aware of one’s competitive environment comes in handy in terms of exploring the underlying potential in the market. The analysis is considered to be external to the firm if a question concerning the opportunities of the company, or firm, still exists even in the absence of a particular company. These factors are considered to still exist, though have to be acted on, if at all, the firm is to benefit, whether directly, or indirectly, from them (Logan, 2009). For Timber King, the company in question, to perform a thorough and effective external analysis, it is important, to gather as much competitive intelligence about the most important external factors as possible. Basically, the company has to realize factors that may include, political, environmental, social, economic, and generally all related competitive factors. The use of SWOT analysis is the most common, and widely used mode of collecting external analysis (Lee, 2010). The SWOT analysis, also known as SWOT Matrix, refers to a structured planning mode that evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities as well as threats, which are involved or encountered in a business venture. This mode of external analysis involves specifying the company’s goals and relatively identifying factors that

Dream act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dream act - Essay Example Although much of the Dream Act is misunderstood, the fact of the matter is that these children of illegal immigrants must meet stringent requirements and comply with all of the criteria in order to be illegible for the type of amnesty the Act provides. When all the requirements of the Dream Act are met by the candidate, then the minor is given permission to stay in the country for 6 years; upon successful completion of such residence, the individual is then able to apply for citizenship. In this way, the Dream Act allows temporary residency only for minors who have good character. As a function of this, the Dream Act gives an opportunity to build the career of otherwise helpless children who have what many would term a very dark life perennially branded as â€Å"illegal† without the restitution that such an act provides. Due to this reason and many others, I wholeheartedly support this Act. Although one cannot blame certain segments of society for being very anti-illegal immigration (due in no small part to the fact that it is a clear abrogation of the nation’s immigration law), it is however summarily unfair to punish the children of these illegal immigrants with the same labels that condemn their parents to a life on the sidelines of American society. Due to the fact that the children who migrated along with their parents are innocent and helpless, the Act is able to make such a distinction and seek to close a necessary loophole and oversight of current immigration law as to make it more humane and reasonable. However, beyond just being reasonable, the Act allows for an entire generation of â€Å"American† youths to integrate and participate in the society that they have thus far known and accepted as their own. Even though the Dream Act attempts to specifically nurture the life of migrant youths, this could also motivate more illegal

Person Centered Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Person Centered Counseling - Essay Example His professional struggle against orthodox psychiatry has reminded a scholar of Martin Luther’s stand against the catholic church. Roger’s person centered approach (to psychotherapy; to education; to small encounter groups; and to larger groups assembled for the purpose of improving transitional understanding, exploring intergroup conflicts, and learning the nature of culture and its formation) has been committed to such contortions. For example, there is a proposal to wed the person-centered approach with Taoism’s technique of the â€Å"microcosmic orbit†, and no less serious, coupling the person-centered approach with a French Physician’s philosophy of human development based on the architecture of the human inner ear. Another past time is to construct elaborate arguments to show Rogers was in the Existentialist line of dissension and then scold him for not admitting his debt to his forbearers. The fact is what are called existential attitudes and behaviours in his approach developed independently of any contact with the philosophy of extentialism. It was while he was director of the counseling center at the University of Chicago and Roger’s major work on psychotherapy was well established that his intellectual trajectory intersected with the Extentionalists. His intention as a psychotherapist and his research methods concentrated on the phenomenon of effective therapy. Thus, one may find many examples of phenomenology in his work.. The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, while writing on the "collective unconscious", is said to have coined the term translated "transpersonal". Like most of psychology, transpersonal psychology intends to help individuals realize deeper self-understanding, improve the health of their minds and bodies and lead more effective lives. In working with individual clients, transpersonal psychologists are said to be dealing with more than just the mere persona. Thus, they focus their attention on the whole person: "Spirit, mind and body". Though this may be the goal of other psychotherapies, it is the means that transpersonal psychologists may differ from their colleagues. To accomplish their objectives, they may analyze dreams, explore "peak experiences", or delve into paranormal phenomena, such as revelations from "past lives". Other methods may involve provoking altered states of consciousness through the use of drugs, hypnosis, guided fantasies, breathing exercises, meditation, and other "spiritual" practices. It is unlikely that Rogers would have approved of some of these activities, particularly where the therapists exerts authoritarian control over the client. Certainly he could not be considered to be a transpersonal psychologist in an unqualified sense. Roger's world view and his practice of psychotherapy should be understood as a integrated approach that he cultivated over his entire life. His (person-centered) approach evolved over time out of a specific stance or way of being, which can be described as consisting not only of certain beliefs and attitudes, but also abilities that improved with

Jihad and Women in the Quran Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Jihad and Women in the Quran - Essay Example etween Muslims and non-Muslims, exemplified either by ‘dynamic’ method or classical jurisprudence, is subject to socially stereotyped views as well as political misinterpretations. However, when one does a historical assessment of jihad doctrine, particularly the war-jihad and gender-jihad, it is possible to state that Muslims have no obligation to wage jihad on the basis of Qur’anic readings. Commonly, Muslims’ understanding of the Quran is based on one’s own reading of the text or one’s attempt to extract the meaning from the text. The discussion here focuses on this assertion in relation to few readings on war and gender issues thereby exploring the essence of Islam and interpretation of Quran regarding jihad against these particular issues. There is still a continuous suspicion among the people of the world when it comes to the question of terrorism based violence and the role of Islam and its radical followers. The dialectical interpretation of fundamentalism, women-rights, and many such infelicities, with no regard to cultural, social, religious, and economic differences also owes to the wrong interpretation of Islam, particularly the jihad. However, the major misunderstanding lies on the interpretation of the Qur’anic readings, with many extracting its meaning textually rather than contextually thereby wrongly interpreting it. Particularly, the concept of jihad or ‘just war’ is often misinterpreted in the essence of Islamic law as a justification for violence or war by various institutions. Whatever the reason for jihad be, either war or gender oppression, the entire doctrine is strongly rooted on the Qur’anic readings and its interpretations. In that direction, it can be observed that mis understanding of jihad as a violent concept or a declaration of war by the radicals can bring religious justifications for warfare in the name of God. â€Å"Differences about the status and nature of jihad are a marked feature of early Islamic law, and

Ethical Dilemma Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Dilemma - Case Study Example Linet came alone to the clinic, though had been married for 7 years and the last born was 3 years of age. At the clinic, she stated that her husband did not know of her pregnancy as they had agreed 3 years ago not to have other children due to their financial difficulties. Linet was determined to have another child despite her husband’s ignorance on the issue. When it came to HIV testing recommended as part of routine prenatal care, Susan declined saying they had both been tested with her husband before entering their marriage 7 years ago. She claims that she her first three children had been home delivered, and it is because of her complication that resulted in her last pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, that she decided to start attending clinics. Several weeks later, the nurse practitioner receives another new patient, â€Å"Peter Wanyama.† The patient states that he is concerned about occurrence of thrush symptoms, which had originally been treated 4 months ago. Peter states that he is HIV positive and had discovered his status 2 years ago. He is a long distance truck driver and sometimes sleeps out. He states that he always has protected sex with his wife. He says that in the past 1 year, he had been visiting an infectious disease specialist who lived 150 miles from where he lives. He states that he had consulted his specialist about th e recurrence of his symptom, of which he recommended Peter to seek immediate attention in the town which he lived. 2. Include one ethical principle and one law that could be violated and whether the violation would constitute a civil or criminal act based on facts in the law. The nurse on pulling the file of Linet Wanyama realized that Peter Wanyama was indeed her husband. The nurse practitioner became torn on this scenario as she had an ethical responsibility of informing Linet Wanyama of her need to have an HIV test due to a risk of transmission from her husband who was HIV positive (Lipe, 2008). Furthermore, Linet was living in a world where she believed her husband to be faithful to her when he went on long distance journeys (Lipe, 2008). In addition, informing Linet would help her make a decision on whether to have the child or not as the risk of mother to child transmission would be existing. Furthermore, such a disclosure would help in protecting the unborn child (White, 2008 ). Next, in informing Peter of his wife’s secret and coming open about his status to his wife, would at least help them make a decision as a family whether to continue with the pregnancy or not (Timby, 2009). The nurse got herself in such an ethical dilemma as in doing one right thing, would resulting in breaking some of the ethical rules which the medical practice stood by (White, 2010). If the nurse decided to inform the Linet about Peter’s HIV status, then he would have gone against the medical code of ethics of confidentiality. Nurse practitioners are often required to keep information about their patient’s secret (Martin, 2010). Going against one’s confidentiality usually leads to civil lawsuit (Janie, 2012). A nurse can be sued and even lose her job and certificate from the medical board in case of such a lawsuit. But in this scenario, in trying to keep quiet, would only result to more harm to the family (Daniels, 2009). If Linet is not informed for instance, she may not know her HIV status and hence not get enrolled in taking HAART; therefore increasing the chance of HIV related

Leadership Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership Scenario - Essay Example Various leadership theories will help in increasing the productivity and maximizing the benefits of innovation and gaining competitive advantage over its competitors. The study will try to solve various managerial issues related to the case study with the guidance of varied leadership theories and models. The case study deals with the complexities faced by two employees in departmental store working under two separate heads. The author of the study will also lay emphasis on the different working procedures of the managers and its impact on the performance of the employees. The study will give an insight into components of leadership theories like transformational, path goal, equity and need goal theory. Finally, the study will conclude recommendations of leadership theories which will help in improvement of performance of the employees and also increase their morale. (b) Case 1: Transformational leadership It is observed that the two departmental store workers Alex and Stephanie work under different managers. It is also observed that the leadership and managerial traits exhibited by these two managers are absolutely distinctive from each other and their impact on the work performance of the employees is absolutely different from each other. ... This allows her to test her creativity skills and also improve her interaction skills communicating largely with the customers and colleagues. However, Alex has been working continuously in single department for weeks which has increased his dissatisfaction and lowered his morale considerably. It is evident from the case study that Dan exhibits an autocratic leadership style which has not only promoted a non congenial work atmosphere but also has lowered the moral of Alex. Transformational leadership style will help the employees to become more active due to their inner motivation, which is triggered by the managers (Hautala, 2006). Transformational leadership theory is directly related to higher productivity, lower employee turnover rates and increasing the morale of the employees. Transformational leadership includes components of charismatic, inspirational leadership, individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation (Ozaralli, 2003). This theory would serve purposeful in enhancing the personality of the managers by enhancing their personality and improving their attitude. Transformational leadership would help in improving the managerial situation and help Dan to portray a positive attitude (Godwin, Neck & Houghton, 2000). It would help Dan to improve his mentality and also he may think of providing rewards, incentives to the employees working under him including Alex. (c) Case 2: Goal Setting Theory Alex has been working in the stocking department since a long time, which has not only created monotonous, dissatisfaction within him but has also instilled negative attitude in him. Unlike, Stephanie, Alex is dissatisfied with his work procedure and is reluctant to resolve his potential issues with his immediate manager. It is evident

Memory Boy Essay Essay Example for Free

Memory Boy Essay Essay The book that I choose to read this 9 week period is called Memory by Will Weaver. The book is based on the lives of a family of 4 people; Miles, Sarah, and their two parents. Memory Boy starts out in the Mid West after a mountain range in Washington erupts and spews ash what seems billions of feet up, and over the entire United Sates like a blanket. The ash is so thick that people have to wear dust masks outside to avoid the risk of breathing it in. Miles and his family finally decide to leave the town that they live in to head northwest. Since the ash is so heavy they can’t drive a car because those are restricted, and people can only use them on certain days to avoid the problem of pollution. So Miles assembles a new vehicle that he calls the Princess. It is a mix between a bicycle and a boat that they must pilot by either peddling, or when there is enough wind they have a sail from a boat to put up. They decide to leave under the curtain of night to avoid being detected by other people who would want to take their vehicle from them. As they make their way North they must face encounters with many obstacles such as road blocks, bandits, hunger, the government, nature, each other, and other hazards. In between telling us about they’re adventure north, Miles, who is the main character tells us the events leading up to their departure, starting with the day that the eruption happened. The novel starts out a peaceful journey by the family but they soon learn that their trip will not be easy and they must work together to survive. Miles is our main character and we watch all the events happen through his point of view. He would be a junior in high school if they still actually went to school. Miles is a smart individual who enjoys doing the job of a mechanic. He built the Princess by himself and is the only one who is about to fix and maintain it throughout the book. He takes a strong leadership role; even his parents look to him to solve the solutions. When the volcano erupted he was only in the 9th grade. So every other chapter he will flashback to his 9th grade year to tell us a story about after the volcano erupted. He often compares his life now to that of his 9th grade year, and how he would have done things different. He used to be disrespectful and would often act out in school to seek attention. He will explain to us how some of the events he tells us about have changed him. Miles sister Sarah is a few years younger than he is. She is a dark and morbid girl; the type that is into vampire, dark music, and dark literature. But even though she seems tough on the outside, but she is actually just hiding how scared she has been throughout this entire ordeal. She secretly looks up to miles even though she would never say so to him. She doesn’t like her father very much because he was always away when she was a child. Miles’s father was a jazz musician in a band before the eruption. He was always on the road with his band, so he wasn’t around much when Miles and Sarah were growing up. Although he seems quite docile at the beginning of the book we soon learn that he is actually quite the leader, and when Miles gets overwhelmed his father is always there to take the lead for awhile. Miles’s mother was the main caretaker of the children so she was always around. At the beginning of the book she kept the family together as a unit, they referred to her as being. The children see their mother as being helpless most of the time. It isn’t until later in the book that she really blooms as a character, and becomes a very useful asset to the group.

Introduction to Sociolinguistics

Introduction to Sociolinguistics Sociolinguistics is the study of aspects of societies, including cultural norms, the way language is used, and the effects of language use on society. Language is an important portion of identity and culture within many speech communities; also associated with members self-esteem; within these communities. Sociolinguists have structured a number of ways to categorize the languages within their status and social function domains such as vernacular. The specific concern of this paper is focusing on the significance and function evaluation of the vernacular (dialect, accent) and through the presentation used and by sociolinguistic-studies, it is intended to decide on the argument if the language change is lead by the implications, role models of media or not. Touching upon the concepts of vernaculars, dialects and diglossia is a good place to begin. The term vernacular has various meanings; but mostly refers to a language not standardized and not officially confirmed; which is used by local people. Generally, vernaculars are spread among communities living in a multilingual atmosphere where they have a different mother-language than the official language of their residence. For example; Afro-American English is a vernacular created among the group of people living in places where the standard American English was officially used; but had African languages as their mother-tonque. Standard languages, like the American English or the Received Pronunciation in Britain are classified as highly prestigious languages associated with educated; as compared to the people talking vernacular languages. Different from a vernacular; a dialect is a variety of a particular language characterized by specific regional features such as pronunciation; spoken by a specific group of people. Furthermore, according to Fergusson (1996), diglossia is a special language-situation where, in addition to the primary dialect of the language (categorized as (L)), there is a highly regulated and often more complex variety, which is used in official writings and formal speeches (categorized as (H)); but not exactly followed seen in daily conversations. Diglossic situation exists if it has two distinct codes which show clear functional separation (Wardhaugh, 1998: 87). It has been observed that, in due course the standardized varieties of languages (like Standard American English) started becoming less dominant and local varieties (like African American English) became more prominen. Sociolinguists studied the origins of these changes trying to answer whether it was the social factors or impacts of the popular media that triggered these language changes. Labov suggested certain principles to justify these changes within languages: He first said that linguistic variation is transmitted to children as stylistic differentiation on the formal/informal dimension, rather than as social stratification. Formal speech variants are associated by children with instruction and punishment, informal speech with intimacy and fun. ( Labov 2001: 516) Consequently; linguistic changes from below develop first in spontaneous speech at the most informal level. They are unconsciously associated with nonconformity to sociolinguistic norms, and advanced most by youth who resist conformity to adult institutional practices ( Labov 2001:516). In connection with these principles stated by Labov (2001), the positive attitude of youth generation on the growing prestige and spreading of the non-standard languages is quite acceptable. Aftwerwards, Labov also stated that these changes were symbols of nonconformity actions against the structured social norms of appro priate behavior, and were generated in the social settings that challenged those norms. Finally, the constructive nonconformity principle of Labov (2001) concluded that these changes were spread to wider communities by those who displayed the symbols of nonconformity in larger pattern of upward mobility. Apparently, the popular media and its figures also had an indirect impact on this by disseminating these changes to language communities, as explained in detail in the relevant section; below. Likewise, Debra Spitulnik (1997) argues that mass media has a role in the construction of community, and the cultural continuity depends on a social circulation of discourse and public accessibility. The popular mass media has the ability to enact local concerns on a global stage and to merge the marginal with the dominant, the parochial with the cosmopolitan, and the local with the global' (Johnson and Ensslin 2007: 14). This is said to be a form of re-scaling often associated with the globalization of the late-modernity. In the light of these studies, the language used in songs of 50 Cent is presented with the main dialect, accent is used alongside the significance and functions of the vernacular speech. In this presented domain of popular media the vernacular is the African American English dialect with standard being the American English. Appendix 1 The use of vernacular during rapping, affects the voice quality of the speaker within the psychological or emotional states. If the topic is exciting or joyful, voice rises and when it is time to be calm, the voice descends into a bass level. One of the distinctive features of vernacular is usage of double added prepositions as in up on it (line 4). Besides, the use of double negative is common in this vernacular compared to Standard American English. Is is used to structure strong positives and emphasize meanings (line 8). Negatives are formed different from standard American English e.g. use of aint as a general negative indicator (line 11). Appendix 2 Mostly a v substitution occurs in the vernacular unlike Standard English. When using profanity in combination with the F word, speakers pronounce M.F. correctly just like in Standard American English in order to emphasize the meaning (line 2). Unlike the standard, there are words in vernacular that indicate the possessive: e.g. in line 4 them is used for they. If in the context of the sentence a reference is made to more than one(plural), it is not necessary to add an s to the noun: e.g. like in line 5. Also it can be seen that want to is converted into wanna in line 3. African American English speakers have a large repertoire of slang words uncommon to Standard American English. The bread in (line 6) refers to money in African American English. There is th dropping within the African American English as in (line 7) with is pronounced as wif. The phonetic feature of African American English is quite different from standard American English e.g.; solve them is converted to solveem which is continuous sound in one word that can be considered as the compressed phonetic feature of the vernacular (line 9). There is also consonant reduction in African American English: consonant sounds in letters such as (T) are often not pronounced unlike Standard American English (line 11). In the media images; low and middle class African Americans have a negative image: associated with marginal lifestyles; engaged in bad things. For example; (appendix 2, line 10) it is clearly implied that 50 Cent participated in gangster activities, as he raps in African American English. But the re-scaling process of media within semantic positioning, such as In the hood they say theres no bness like hoe bness ya know which cross over into ridiculous representations of unsophisticated ideals and ambitions which, most likely, are unattested practices either in low or middle class black communities. Vernacular has always had a impacted hip hop and rap genres by incorporating meanings (power, money, love, slang idioms) that are historically and contextually situated and relevant to experiences of African American communities. Here vernacular serves as a translator engine, a special tool to express these meanings. This is because, for the African American communities the dialect is not only a variety that one may hear or speak within the community but also a variety delivering local community knowledge, wisdom. For example; the slang idiom Im the love doctor (in line 9 appendix 1), the nickname usually associated with the late Barry White, whose soulful voice is considered by many Americans to be the ultimate music for seduction, is also interpreted by African youth through vernacular. The other speech communities can also access to vernacular; via popular media. That is how popular media spreads certain linguistic-traits around the world and influences the language of all communities; as opposed to having this communication confined to vernacular society. However, it should be noted that media is only spreading out whats there but the creator of the change is not the media, it is someone different (in our case, somebody in vernacular). Given that the standard American English is a political sign for the African Americans which also imply the rejection of their culture; 50 Cent sings especially in vernacular to empower himself within the social and cultural contexts of the African American communities. His vernacular speech also functions as a resistance language towards the white community. It can be assumed that he presents himself as the retainer of local New York, Queens as the low variety vernacular he has chosen to use, which incorporates loss of voiceless y and central off-glides as her becomes /hà ¶/ in (appendix 1, line 13) which New York accent is famous for. All in all, this ordinary performance involves no visuals but only audio and follows the authentic values which emphasize the potential meaning of the restricted language. 50 Cent seems to be following the guidelines of Clarke and Hiscock (2009) on how keeping it real in rap involves reflecting local realities as well as respecting the African American origins of the genre. While it can be quite difficult to assess the precise role of the media and its figures in language change, perhaps this issue should be looked in two categories: The direct and the indirect influence of popular media and its figures. As to the direct influence of them over the language change, the answer should be parallel to that of Chambers: at the deeper reaches of language change sound changes and grammatical changes the media have no significant effect at all (Chambers 1998: 124). The re-scaling process on cultural norms and shaping the vernacular features of media domains is greatly exaggerated. Consequently, language change is the result of the growing prestige of a certain variety of language that is triggered by the social factors such as the non-conformity issues of communities with a vernacular alongside with the standard language. That being said, the media can be considered as having an indirect influence on language change. As also seen in the analyzed example, media plays a major role in raising the awareness to the change taking place; to this growing prestige of a variety within other speech communities as well. In short, it can be concluded that, language change is unlikely to be driven directly by media or its role models only; but they have an indirect impact on it.

Intergenerational Observation Scale Analysis

Intergenerational Observation Scale Analysis Abstract Innovative intergenerational programs continue to grow in number and scope. The development of standardized evaluation instruments, however, lags behind, leaving many researchers and practitioners without tools to effectively assess their programs. Evaluation data often focus on outcomes without attention to the nature of the interactions between generations. Understanding the process of intergenerational contact is central to understanding its outcomes. We developed the Intergenerational Observation Scale to assess the social interactions and affect of young and old participants during intergenerational activities. Our 3-step observer training process demonstrated good scale reliability. We present the process of developing the scale, achieving observer reliability, and next steps to continue exploring the scales utility across intergenerational populations and settings. Development of a standardized tool for intergenerational programming: The Intergenerational Observation Scale Providing opportunities for meaningful engagement to persons with dementia challenges family and professional caregivers alike. While some practitioners and researchers seek innovative means to support client well-being (e.g., Allen-Burge, Burgio, Bourgeois, Sims, Nunnikhoven, 2001; Orsulic-Jeras, Judge, Camp, 2000), many dementia care programs are characterized by extreme levels of inactivity (Ice, 2002), which may result from infantilization (Salari Rich, 2001) and can lead to agitation and depression and detract from well-being (Teri et al., 2003; Voelkl, 1986). Kitwood and Bredin (1992) emphasized caregivers responsibility for supporting the personhood of individuals with diminished capacity to do so for themselves. Personhood, or the dignity and respect owed to each individual, encompasses an individuals experiences, preferences and values. For many people, their social history involves significant time spent interacting with and caring for children. Recently, care profession als have turned to intergenerational programming (IGP) as one therapeutic method to support personhood and well-being of persons with dementia (e.g., Camp et al., 1997; Jarrott Bruno, 2001). Though contact between young and old generations remains an integral part of most families (Eggebeen Davey, 1998), non-familial IGP remains a relatively new treatment milieu in elder care. IGP as a whole varies widely, depending on the populations involved, program objectives, and available resources. Interventions targeting children at risk for drug use (Taylor, LoSciuto, Fox, Hilbert, Sonkowsky, 1999), older adults needing employment (Larkin Newman, 2001), and foster care families needing community support (Eheart Hopping, 2001) have utilized intergenerational strategies to achieve program goals. Programs have employed IGP to promote positive affect and engagement of older adults (Xaverius Matthews, 2003), improved attitudes about aging among children (Middlecamp Gross, 2002), and greater sense of community among staff (Jarrott, Morris, Kemp, Stremmel, 2004). Despite the significant cognitive impairment of many elder care clients, practitioners have found elders experiences interacting with and caring for children so ingrained that they remain able to interact appropriately and positively with children until late in the progress of a dementing illness (Camp et al., 1997). The means of assessing IGP vary as much as the programs themselves. Researchers have utilized interviews (Jarrott Bruno, 2007), observational scales (Marx, Pannell, Papura-Gill, Cohen-Mansfield, 2004; Xaverius Matthews, 2003), attitudinal surveys (Jantz, Seefeldt, Galper, Serlock, 1977; Kocarnik Ponzetti, 1986), drawings (Lichtenstein, et al., 2001), and cognitive assessments (Newman, Karip, Faux, 1995) to evaluate the impact of IGP on one or more groups of participants. While the range of scales utilized is not inherently problematic, the current state of intergenerational research tools requires significant improvement for several reasons. First, scales are often created for a single study without any report of psychometric properties (Kuehne, 2004). Consequently, researchers reinvent the wheel rather than use valid, reliable scales. Second, most scales assess the experiences of a single generation (e.g., Camp et al., 1997; Underwood Dorfman, 2006) although IGP should, by de finition (Newman Smith, 1999), provide mutual benefit for young and old participants. Third, the developmental and disease characteristics of a large portion of IGP participants, pre-school age children and frail elders (e.g., Epstein Boisvert, 2006; Middlecamp Gross, 2002; Salari, 2002), limit the opportunity for valid self-report measures. Consequently, researchers often rely on proxy report and direct observation to tap participants experiences with IGP. A critical limitation of much IGP research lies in the black box that conceals the process of bringing young and old together. That is, assessments targeting the impact of IGP often neglect what actually transpired during the IGP. Useful process data will vary from project to project; it might detail the level of activity, the type of interpersonal interactions, the physical environment, facilitators behaviors, or the activitys age appropriateness. For example, Xaverius and Matthews (2003) assessed the impact of IGP involving fourth graders and senior center participants who met for six intergenerational activities. The authors described the theme and setting of activities where elderly participants engagement was coded. Data were not gathered regarding the nature of the activities or what happened when participants were engaged in the intergenerational activity (i.e., if they engaged with the activity materials, with an age peer, or with an intergenerational partner). In contrast, Taylor and colleagues (1999) reported on a senior mentoring program targeting attitudes towards aging, drug use, and civic engagement of participating at-risk youth. The treatment group as a whole demonstrated improved attitudes towards school, civic engagement, aging, and resisting drug use compared to a control group. The authors also tapped into important process data by rating seniors intensity of involvement as a mentor. The researchers found a greater degree of attitudinal improvement among children whose senior mentors were more intensely involved with their student partners. Such studies exemplify the importance of capturing process as well as outcome data. The variety of populations and settings that avail themselves of IGP supports the study of multiple paths leading to positive outcomes. Most would agree that a one-size-fits-all model of IGP is impossible and inappropriate; however, identification of practices and processes that optimize outcomes improves the overall quality of IGP and enhances understanding of how IGP uniquely meets individuals needs across the lifecourse. In turn, greater understanding of the processes by which positive IGP outcomes are achieved informs development of theory pertaining to intergenerational relationships. For example, while the contact theory (Allport, 1954) provides necessary conditions for achieving positive intergroup contact, Allport did not describe the processes by which these outcomes would be achieved (Pettigrew, 1998). The limitations of IGP and related research stem from the relative infancy of IGP research. Researchers have been studying IGP for only the last 30 years (e.g., Jantz, et al., 1977), yet they are trying to raise the field to match those of child and adult development. Practitioners are anxious to know how IGP affects the physical, cognitive, and mental health of participants, yet the more basic question about whether and how children and elders interact with each other during proscribed IGP remains largely unanswered. Before we can reliably draw conclusions about the effects of IGP on children and elderly participants, we must determine the nature of their time spent together. Kuehnes (2003) state of our art report on intergenerational research implored researchers to tap the experiences of young and old participants and to develop and disseminate standardized measures relevant to IGP. By addressing these points, researchers can better inform practitioners efforts and build a cohesiv e body of research. The scale described in the current paper addresses each of these recommendations. We sought to address the challenge of measuring the experiences of young and old IGP participants, focusing on frail elders and pre-school age children because they constitute a large portion of participants involved in IGP (Goyer Zuses, 1998). We conducted a three-phase study to develop an observational scale tapping the social behavior and affect of both young and old IGP participants. We turned to the child development literature, with its long history of observational research, for inspiration. Partens (1933) categories of childrens play behaviors appealed to us; they encompassed categories reflecting a continuum of social behaviors ranging from non-engagement to cooperative engagement. Rubin (2001) developed the Play Observation Scale, drawing on Partens work and childrens cognitive development research. The broad social behaviors of unoccupied, watching, solitary, parallel, and cooperative captured by the Play Observation Scale reflect behaviors of interest to practitioners working to support meaningful engagement among elders and children. For example, a code for unoccupied behavior is salient given the high rates of inactivity found at elder care programs (Ice, 2002) and the goal of utilizing intergenerational strategies to promote positive social engagement. Furthermore, our experiences with IGP (e.g., Gigliotti, Morris, Smock, Jarrott, Graham, 2005; Jarrott Bruno, 2003; Jarrott Bruno, 2007; Jarrott, Gigliotti, Smock, 2006; Jarrott, Gladwell, Gigliotti, Papero 200 4; Jarrott et al., 2004; Weintraub Killian, 2007) highlighted interaction as the central mechanism for achieving mutual benefit during IGP. Thus, a code for solitary behavior is relevant as it reflects engagement in a presented activity without social interaction. The first author used the original Play Observation Scale to observe elders during structured IGP (Gladwell Jarrott, 2003), determining that older adults engagement was greater during IGP than non-IGP. However, Gladwell and Jarrott found the scale cumbersome as they gathered salient data as well as information of little contemporary significance to IGP. Furthermore, they violated some of the scales specifications by utilizing the Play Observation Scale in a structured activity setting. We made several adaptations to Rubins Play Observation Scale for use with structured IGP (see Table 1 for descriptions of the scale categories).   First, Rubins social behavior categories included sub-categories indicative of cognitive development; however, given our emphasis on interactions irrespective of developmental abilities, we eliminated cognitive behaviors from our scale. Second, the Play Observation Scale was designed to be used during free play sessions where children self-initiate behaviors. However, intergenerational researchers have repeatedly emphasized the need for structure to optimize IGP (e.g., Camp et al., 1997; Jarrott, 2006; Xaverius Matthews, 2003), and so we developed the scale with planned IGP in mind. Finally, we expanded the IOS to distinguish between social behaviors with age peers and intergenerational partners (i.e., interactive peer versus interactive intergenerational). The first phase of the study involved qualitative observations of IGP conducted at a shared site intergenerational program serving frail elders and pre-school age children. The observations were then used to modify Rubins Play Observation Scale for use in a structured intergenerational setting. Phase two involved piloting the scale with two observers coding video of IGP and working with the second author to reach consensus and create a master coding scheme for the video sessions. In phase three, the scale was further modified and tested with a larger group of four observers coding video and live IGP. The current paper describes the three phases of the development and initial validation of the Intergenerational Observation Scale (IOS). While the IOS captures both behavior and affect of targeted child and elderly participants, the current paper focuses on social behaviors, which comprise the more complex sub-scale of the instrument. Method Participants Virginia Techs Neighbors Growing Together, is a shared site intergenerational program designed to improve the lives of people across the lifespan through intergenerational collaboration involving teaching, research, and outreach. Neighbors Growing Together includes two co-located programs: Adult Day Services and the Child Development Center for Learning and Research. Adult Day Services provides activities, care, and supervision daily to approximately 15 adults (50+ years old) with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The Child Development Center provides year-round, full-day care for 41 children ages 15 months to 5 years. Through daily programming designed to nurture development, enhance competencies, and facilitate positive social interactions between the generations, Neighbors Growing Together provides high quality services to children, older adults, and their families. Children from each of three classrooms have one to two weekly opportunities to join their elderly â€Å"neighb ors† for IGP, which typically involves three children and three older adults in a variety of activities, such as gardening, art, or sensory projects. Children and adults work together in a group facilitated by staff and students from the Child Development Center and Adult Day Services. Staff partners plan and implement activities that support an overarching goal of positive interactions. Activities further target developmental goals for both generations, such as fine motor skills or cooperation. Children and adults meet in a shared space adjoining the two programs. Child- and adult-sized chairs designed to put all participants at eye level and developmentally appropriate books and art materials are provided. Procedures Phase 1: Scale development In fall 2005, four research students gathered qualitative observations of IGP involving Adult Day Services participants and Child Development Center children. Observers attended different intergenerational sessions. Each week, observers had a distinct focus, starting with holistic observation to orient the observers to the setting and proceeding to target the environment, the participants, and the facilitators. Following their weekly observations, the observers and the first and second authors discussed the observational data, focusing on the interactions between participating children and elders and factors that influenced those interactions. After observing 3-5 intergenerational sessions apiece, observers read and reviewed the IOS scale and codebook developed by Gladwell and Jarrott (2003) and closely mirroring the Play Observation Scale developed by Rubin (2001). They discussed how well the categories applied to the intergenerational context they observed and how to modify the sca le to reflect the social behaviors critical to intergenerational interactions in planned activities. Through an iterative process, the first two authors used observers notes and conversations to modify the Play Observation Scale to capture data reflecting the interactive process of IGP. Based on the observations from Phase 1, we further developed and refined the IOS (see Table 1). The scale builds on earlier observational research (Rubin, 2001) by coding participants behavior and affect and the affect of intergenerational partners with whom a target participant interacts.   The IOS was developed for live coding. It captures observations for the duration of an intergenerational activity, which tends to last 15-30 minutes. Each observer identifies 4-5 participants for observation and watches them for 1-2 minutes to become familiar with the participants behaviors before beginning to record data. He or she codes a participant for one 15-second interval, then codes the next participant for 15 seconds, followed by the third participant, etc. After the last participant is coded, the observer cycles back to begin observing participant one again. All observers in a session start coding when the facilitators begin the activity and end when the activity completes. When coding, if a behavior occurs for the majority of the coding interval, it is coded as the predominant behavior. When multiple behaviors are observed for equal intervals during a 15-second coding episode, we use the following hierarchy to code the predominant behavior most indicative of intergenerational interactions: Interactive Intergenerational, Parallel Intergenerational, Interactive Peer, Parallel Peer, Staff, Watching, Solitary, and Unoccupied. Phase 2: Establishment of reliability Video coding of the observations was introduced during Phase 2 of scale development because learning the IOS through the use of video has several advantages. When first learning the scale, observers watched a 15-second interval repeatedly to better understand the IOS behavioral scoring. The video coding procedure allowed observers to review their coding with the second author, who is experienced in observational coding. Weekly meetings were held during which observers coding was reviewed and discussed until observers reached a consensus on what behaviors constituted the IOS categories. Weekly review helped observers achieve acceptable reliability in assigning predominant codes to participants social behaviors. The video procedure enabled us to refine the IOS manual. The video coding process began with two observers who both had experience with live coding during IGP. After studying the manual, observers filmed three weekly sessions of planned IGP between the elders and each of the three classrooms of children (one session per classroom per week). The procedure for using video to establish acceptable reliability was completed in three steps. First, observers independently coded sessions in 15-second intervals and re-watched these as many times as necessary to determine the predominant social behavior. In the second step, observers more closely approximated live coding by watching the 15-second intervals on video only once to code the predominant social behavior.   In the third step, observers coded live sessions (scoring participant behaviors individually but observing the same participants at the same intervals) and filmed the activities, which allowed observers to review their coding at the weekly meetings and resolve discrepancies. Based on the consensus between the two coders and the expert coder, master coding sheets were developed indicating agreement on the predominant behavior for each 15-second interval of the coded sessions. Before observers could proceed to the next step in the training process, they had to achieve acceptable inter-rater reliability measured by Cohens kappa. A kappa score of .60 or higher was considered acceptable (Cohen, 1960). The kappa scores for the two observers in Phase 2 were .67 for the first step, .85 for the second step, and .81 for the live coding in the third step. Replication of reliability In Phase 3, we used the IOS video coding procedure to train four new observers. In addition to establishing that the video coding procedure would work with observers new to the IOS, we wanted to determine the amount of training necessary to achieve acceptable reliability with our 3-step process. The observers started with an introductory period where they read the manual and watched live IGP to observe the range of behaviors common to IGP. Observers attended weekly meetings where they watched IGP videos and received instruction on using the IOS. The introductory period lasted approximately 3 weeks or until observers felt comfortable with the coding, which was an additional 2 weeks for one of the observers. After the introductory period, the observers started on step 1 in the video coding procedure. Each step lasted approximately 4 weeks. At the weekly coding meetings, observers reviewed any discrepancies between their coding and the master codes determined in Phase 2. Once the observers achieved acceptable reliability in step 1, they moved on to step 2. Coding pairs were formed, and they coded live IGP during step 3, achieving acceptable kappas of .92, .69, and .75. Discussion In the current paper, we discuss the development of the IOS, a scale designed to measure young and old participants social interaction and affect during IGP.   In developing the IOS, we began with qualitative observations of IGP to refine a well-established child development observational scale (Rubin, 2001). We modified the scale for observations of elder and child participants in a typical range of intergenerational programs.   Based on two groups of observers, we present a system for training individuals to use the scale and establish inter-rater reliability.   Currently, the use of standardized measure within the field of IGP research is extremely limited, and our goal is to develop a scale to address this need. The IOS addresses several of Kuehnes (2003) recommendations for advancing   intergenerational research and evaluation.   First, the IOS is grounded in theory that shaped our view of positive IGP outcomes. Personhood theory (Kitwood Bredin, 1992) leads us to intergenerational relationships as a once common source of positive social interaction for many elders that can continue to support their well-being in late life. Contact theory (Allport, 1954; Pettigrew Tropp, 2000) elucidates necessary conditions for positive intergroup exchange, such as that between youth and elders. The conditions of cooperation and shared goals inform our expectation that the central mechanism of effective IGP is positive intergenerational interactions. The IOS captures the level of interactive behaviors between generations, thus reflecting the presence or absence of cooperation and shared goals of participants. Second, we draw from standardized measures of social interaction, namely the work of Parten (1933) and Rubin (2001).   Working from their concepts, we qualitatively looked at the behaviors seen during IGP.   We then refined the social behaviors described within Rubins scale to fit an intergenerational population and to capture levels of social engagement or interaction during IGP.   Third, we steer away from the over-reliance on attitudinal measures, moving instead to behavioral and affective outcomes of IGP. Fourth, by taking steps to develop a standardized scale, we contribute to the research tools available to IGP researchers, which increases the capacity to compare outcomes across studies, thus advancing the collective understanding of IGP. Our results establish the IOS as a replicable measure of social interactions during IGP.   The three-step process we used to achieve acceptable inter-rater reliability proved effective with two groups of observers. The process allows observers to develop a thorough understanding of the social behaviors in the IOS. Observers coding is checked against the master coding scheme to insure observers accuracy coding observed behaviors.   The master coding scheme allows for faster, more accurate training on the use of the IOS. Now that we have developed a successful process for training observers to use the IOS and achieve acceptable inter-rater, observers could be trained relatively quickly, most likely within four to eight weeks. A reliable, quick training method will allow data collection to begin at an earlier date and will allow more researchers to use the scale with confidence. An important strength of the IOS is its utility with both generations of IGP participants. Most research on individual outcomes of IGP participation focuses on one generation or the other (e.g., Middlecamp Gross 2002), neglecting the experiences of the other generation. When researchers do evaluate both age groups, they typically use non-parallel measures because parallel scales for disparate age groups rarely exist.   Not only will the IOS allow for standardized data collection across sites; it enables standardized data collection across generations. We expect the IOS to yield valuable process and outcome data for practitioners and researchers. Considering first the IOS as a source of outcome data, a program introducing or modifying an IGP could, for example, use IOS data to determine the affect and social behavior of participants during IGP with a goal of achieving high levels of positive affect, increasing intergenerational interaction, and reducing inactivity. In regards to process data, the IOS can be used in conjunction with salient outcome measures (e.g., depression or attitudes towards aging) to help interpret the effects of IGP (another recommendation by Kuehne, 2003). In asserting that IGP positively affects (or does not affect) targeted outcomes, researchers analyses would be strengthened by including data on the level of intergenerational interaction and affect that transpired among participants. For example, Seefeldt (1987) reported that children who participated in regular intergenerational visits to a nursing home h ad worse attitudes about aging than children who did not.   These findings would have been more easily interpreted if they incorporated process data such as the affect and level of interaction between children and elders.   Because these data were not included in the analyses, readers are left to speculate whether all IGP involving nursing home residents would negatively affect childrens attitudes or if the nature of the IGP in that study contributed to the negative outcomes. Seefeldt described IGP that yielded little support for intergenerational interaction (i.e., children performing in the center of the room, surrounded by the elders). She also indicated that elders were largely non-responsive to the children, suggesting that the negative outcomes may have been due to the nature of the IGP. While IGP professionals advocate standards of IGP practice (Epstein Boisvert, 2006; Rosebrook Larkin, 2003), significant variability on dimensions of IGP likely affects targeted outcomes and should be assessed. By capturing data that reflect the process of connecting generations, the IOS promotes understanding of why IGP succeeds or fails. As outlined above, the IOS provides many benefits for IGP research and evaluation. Our next step in establishing the scales value and utility to the intergenerational field entails establishing the reliability for coding occurrence of behaviors and predominance and occurrence of affect. Second, we plan to use a variety of means to establish validity, including video training to address substantive validity, expert panels to assess content validity, and statistical modeling of IOS data and related measures to determine convergent or divergent validity. Third, the scale was developed within the Neighbors Growing Together shared site intergenerational program, which involves structured programming between preschoolers and frail older adults. Generalizability is a critical indicator of validity and depends on the scales utility across intergenerational sites, populations, and programmatic approaches. Fourth, the behavior category codes are developmentally salient for pre-school age child ren and frail elders; we need to determine if the categories will be equally informative when applied to older children and well elders. Finally, the scale should be tested across cultures to support Kuehnes (2003) recommendation to take a more global view of IGP innovation. Initial indicators reveal that the IOS could become a useful tool to researchers and practitioners alike. As they seek to develop, improve, and sustain IGP while linking programming data to instrumental outcomes of interest to practitioners and funders, the availability of a standardized scale appropriate for use with young and old will prove invaluable. At a time characterized by tremendous creative energy and innovation in the intergenerational field, the IOS can capture the essence of IGP as practitioners support meaningful outcomes through intergenerational relationships. References Allen-Burge, R., Burgio, L. D., Bourgeois, M. S., Sims, R., Nunnikhoven, J. (2001). Increasing communication among nursing home residents.   Journal of Clinical Geropsychology, 7, 213-230. Allport, G. W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Camp, C. J., Judge, K. S., Bye, C. A., Fox, K. M., Bowden, J., Bell, M., et al.. (1997). An intergenerational program for persons with dementia using Montessori methods. The Gerontologist, 37, 688-692. Cohen, J. (1960). A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 20, 37-46. Eggebeen, D. J., Davey, A. (1998). Do safety nets work? The role of anticipated help in times of need. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 939-950.   Eheart, B. K., Hopping, D. (2001). Generations of hope. Children and Youth Services Review, 23, 675-682 Epstein, A. S., Boisvert, C. (2006). Lets do something together: Identifying effective components of intergenerational programs. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 4(3), 87-109. Gigliotti, C. M., Morris, M., Smock, S., Jarrott, S. E., Graham, B. (2005). Supporting community through an intergenerational summer program involving persons with dementia and pre-school children. Educational Gerontology, 31, 425-441. Gladwell, M. S., Jarrott, S. E. (2003, November). An observational assessment of elders with dementia during intergenerational activities. Poster presented at the meetings of the Gerontological Society of America, San Diego, CA. Goyer, A., Zuses, R. (1998). Intergenerational Shared Site Project, A Study of Co-located Programs and Services for Children, Youth, and Older Adults: Final Report. Washington, DC: AARP. Ice, G. H. (2002). Daily life in a nursing home: Has it changed in 25 years?   Journal of Aging Studies, 16, 345-359. Jantz, R. K., Seefeldt, C., Galper, A., Serlock, K. (1977). Childrens attitudes toward the elderly. Social Education, 41, 518-523. Jarrott, S. E. (2006). Tried and true: A guide to successful intergenerational activities at shared site programs. Washington, DC: Generations United. [Electronic version available at www.gu.org] Jarrott, S. E., Bruno, K. A. (2003). Intergenerational Activities Involving Persons with Dementia: An Observational Assessment. American Journal of Alzheimers and Related Diseases, 18, 31-38. Jarrott, S. E., Bruno, K. (2007). Shared site intergenerational programs: A case study. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 26, 239-257. Jarrott, S. E. Gigliotti, C. M., Smock, S. A.,   (2006). Where do we stand? Testing the foundation of a shared site intergenerational program. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 4. Jarrott, S. E., Gladwell, M. S., Gigliotti, C. M., Papero, A. L. (2004). Fostering intergenerational community between child adult care programs: A Results Management approach. Canadian Children, 29(2), 4-13. Intergenerational Observation Scale Analysis Intergenerational Observation Scale Analysis Abstract Innovative intergenerational programs continue to grow in number and scope. The development of standardized evaluation instruments, however, lags behind, leaving many researchers and practitioners without tools to effectively assess their programs. Evaluation data often focus on outcomes without attention to the nature of the interactions between generations. Understanding the process of intergenerational contact is central to understanding its outcomes. We developed the Intergenerational Observation Scale to assess the social interactions and affect of young and old participants during intergenerational activities. Our 3-step observer training process demonstrated good scale reliability. We present the process of developing the scale, achieving observer reliability, and next steps to continue exploring the scales utility across intergenerational populations and settings. Development of a standardized tool for intergenerational programming: The Intergenerational Observation Scale Providing opportunities for meaningful engagement to persons with dementia challenges family and professional caregivers alike. While some practitioners and researchers seek innovative means to support client well-being (e.g., Allen-Burge, Burgio, Bourgeois, Sims, Nunnikhoven, 2001; Orsulic-Jeras, Judge, Camp, 2000), many dementia care programs are characterized by extreme levels of inactivity (Ice, 2002), which may result from infantilization (Salari Rich, 2001) and can lead to agitation and depression and detract from well-being (Teri et al., 2003; Voelkl, 1986). Kitwood and Bredin (1992) emphasized caregivers responsibility for supporting the personhood of individuals with diminished capacity to do so for themselves. Personhood, or the dignity and respect owed to each individual, encompasses an individuals experiences, preferences and values. For many people, their social history involves significant time spent interacting with and caring for children. Recently, care profession als have turned to intergenerational programming (IGP) as one therapeutic method to support personhood and well-being of persons with dementia (e.g., Camp et al., 1997; Jarrott Bruno, 2001). Though contact between young and old generations remains an integral part of most families (Eggebeen Davey, 1998), non-familial IGP remains a relatively new treatment milieu in elder care. IGP as a whole varies widely, depending on the populations involved, program objectives, and available resources. Interventions targeting children at risk for drug use (Taylor, LoSciuto, Fox, Hilbert, Sonkowsky, 1999), older adults needing employment (Larkin Newman, 2001), and foster care families needing community support (Eheart Hopping, 2001) have utilized intergenerational strategies to achieve program goals. Programs have employed IGP to promote positive affect and engagement of older adults (Xaverius Matthews, 2003), improved attitudes about aging among children (Middlecamp Gross, 2002), and greater sense of community among staff (Jarrott, Morris, Kemp, Stremmel, 2004). Despite the significant cognitive impairment of many elder care clients, practitioners have found elders experiences interacting with and caring for children so ingrained that they remain able to interact appropriately and positively with children until late in the progress of a dementing illness (Camp et al., 1997). The means of assessing IGP vary as much as the programs themselves. Researchers have utilized interviews (Jarrott Bruno, 2007), observational scales (Marx, Pannell, Papura-Gill, Cohen-Mansfield, 2004; Xaverius Matthews, 2003), attitudinal surveys (Jantz, Seefeldt, Galper, Serlock, 1977; Kocarnik Ponzetti, 1986), drawings (Lichtenstein, et al., 2001), and cognitive assessments (Newman, Karip, Faux, 1995) to evaluate the impact of IGP on one or more groups of participants. While the range of scales utilized is not inherently problematic, the current state of intergenerational research tools requires significant improvement for several reasons. First, scales are often created for a single study without any report of psychometric properties (Kuehne, 2004). Consequently, researchers reinvent the wheel rather than use valid, reliable scales. Second, most scales assess the experiences of a single generation (e.g., Camp et al., 1997; Underwood Dorfman, 2006) although IGP should, by de finition (Newman Smith, 1999), provide mutual benefit for young and old participants. Third, the developmental and disease characteristics of a large portion of IGP participants, pre-school age children and frail elders (e.g., Epstein Boisvert, 2006; Middlecamp Gross, 2002; Salari, 2002), limit the opportunity for valid self-report measures. Consequently, researchers often rely on proxy report and direct observation to tap participants experiences with IGP. A critical limitation of much IGP research lies in the black box that conceals the process of bringing young and old together. That is, assessments targeting the impact of IGP often neglect what actually transpired during the IGP. Useful process data will vary from project to project; it might detail the level of activity, the type of interpersonal interactions, the physical environment, facilitators behaviors, or the activitys age appropriateness. For example, Xaverius and Matthews (2003) assessed the impact of IGP involving fourth graders and senior center participants who met for six intergenerational activities. The authors described the theme and setting of activities where elderly participants engagement was coded. Data were not gathered regarding the nature of the activities or what happened when participants were engaged in the intergenerational activity (i.e., if they engaged with the activity materials, with an age peer, or with an intergenerational partner). In contrast, Taylor and colleagues (1999) reported on a senior mentoring program targeting attitudes towards aging, drug use, and civic engagement of participating at-risk youth. The treatment group as a whole demonstrated improved attitudes towards school, civic engagement, aging, and resisting drug use compared to a control group. The authors also tapped into important process data by rating seniors intensity of involvement as a mentor. The researchers found a greater degree of attitudinal improvement among children whose senior mentors were more intensely involved with their student partners. Such studies exemplify the importance of capturing process as well as outcome data. The variety of populations and settings that avail themselves of IGP supports the study of multiple paths leading to positive outcomes. Most would agree that a one-size-fits-all model of IGP is impossible and inappropriate; however, identification of practices and processes that optimize outcomes improves the overall quality of IGP and enhances understanding of how IGP uniquely meets individuals needs across the lifecourse. In turn, greater understanding of the processes by which positive IGP outcomes are achieved informs development of theory pertaining to intergenerational relationships. For example, while the contact theory (Allport, 1954) provides necessary conditions for achieving positive intergroup contact, Allport did not describe the processes by which these outcomes would be achieved (Pettigrew, 1998). The limitations of IGP and related research stem from the relative infancy of IGP research. Researchers have been studying IGP for only the last 30 years (e.g., Jantz, et al., 1977), yet they are trying to raise the field to match those of child and adult development. Practitioners are anxious to know how IGP affects the physical, cognitive, and mental health of participants, yet the more basic question about whether and how children and elders interact with each other during proscribed IGP remains largely unanswered. Before we can reliably draw conclusions about the effects of IGP on children and elderly participants, we must determine the nature of their time spent together. Kuehnes (2003) state of our art report on intergenerational research implored researchers to tap the experiences of young and old participants and to develop and disseminate standardized measures relevant to IGP. By addressing these points, researchers can better inform practitioners efforts and build a cohesiv e body of research. The scale described in the current paper addresses each of these recommendations. We sought to address the challenge of measuring the experiences of young and old IGP participants, focusing on frail elders and pre-school age children because they constitute a large portion of participants involved in IGP (Goyer Zuses, 1998). We conducted a three-phase study to develop an observational scale tapping the social behavior and affect of both young and old IGP participants. We turned to the child development literature, with its long history of observational research, for inspiration. Partens (1933) categories of childrens play behaviors appealed to us; they encompassed categories reflecting a continuum of social behaviors ranging from non-engagement to cooperative engagement. Rubin (2001) developed the Play Observation Scale, drawing on Partens work and childrens cognitive development research. The broad social behaviors of unoccupied, watching, solitary, parallel, and cooperative captured by the Play Observation Scale reflect behaviors of interest to practitioners working to support meaningful engagement among elders and children. For example, a code for unoccupied behavior is salient given the high rates of inactivity found at elder care programs (Ice, 2002) and the goal of utilizing intergenerational strategies to promote positive social engagement. Furthermore, our experiences with IGP (e.g., Gigliotti, Morris, Smock, Jarrott, Graham, 2005; Jarrott Bruno, 2003; Jarrott Bruno, 2007; Jarrott, Gigliotti, Smock, 2006; Jarrott, Gladwell, Gigliotti, Papero 200 4; Jarrott et al., 2004; Weintraub Killian, 2007) highlighted interaction as the central mechanism for achieving mutual benefit during IGP. Thus, a code for solitary behavior is relevant as it reflects engagement in a presented activity without social interaction. The first author used the original Play Observation Scale to observe elders during structured IGP (Gladwell Jarrott, 2003), determining that older adults engagement was greater during IGP than non-IGP. However, Gladwell and Jarrott found the scale cumbersome as they gathered salient data as well as information of little contemporary significance to IGP. Furthermore, they violated some of the scales specifications by utilizing the Play Observation Scale in a structured activity setting. We made several adaptations to Rubins Play Observation Scale for use with structured IGP (see Table 1 for descriptions of the scale categories).   First, Rubins social behavior categories included sub-categories indicative of cognitive development; however, given our emphasis on interactions irrespective of developmental abilities, we eliminated cognitive behaviors from our scale. Second, the Play Observation Scale was designed to be used during free play sessions where children self-initiate behaviors. However, intergenerational researchers have repeatedly emphasized the need for structure to optimize IGP (e.g., Camp et al., 1997; Jarrott, 2006; Xaverius Matthews, 2003), and so we developed the scale with planned IGP in mind. Finally, we expanded the IOS to distinguish between social behaviors with age peers and intergenerational partners (i.e., interactive peer versus interactive intergenerational). The first phase of the study involved qualitative observations of IGP conducted at a shared site intergenerational program serving frail elders and pre-school age children. The observations were then used to modify Rubins Play Observation Scale for use in a structured intergenerational setting. Phase two involved piloting the scale with two observers coding video of IGP and working with the second author to reach consensus and create a master coding scheme for the video sessions. In phase three, the scale was further modified and tested with a larger group of four observers coding video and live IGP. The current paper describes the three phases of the development and initial validation of the Intergenerational Observation Scale (IOS). While the IOS captures both behavior and affect of targeted child and elderly participants, the current paper focuses on social behaviors, which comprise the more complex sub-scale of the instrument. Method Participants Virginia Techs Neighbors Growing Together, is a shared site intergenerational program designed to improve the lives of people across the lifespan through intergenerational collaboration involving teaching, research, and outreach. Neighbors Growing Together includes two co-located programs: Adult Day Services and the Child Development Center for Learning and Research. Adult Day Services provides activities, care, and supervision daily to approximately 15 adults (50+ years old) with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The Child Development Center provides year-round, full-day care for 41 children ages 15 months to 5 years. Through daily programming designed to nurture development, enhance competencies, and facilitate positive social interactions between the generations, Neighbors Growing Together provides high quality services to children, older adults, and their families. Children from each of three classrooms have one to two weekly opportunities to join their elderly â€Å"neighb ors† for IGP, which typically involves three children and three older adults in a variety of activities, such as gardening, art, or sensory projects. Children and adults work together in a group facilitated by staff and students from the Child Development Center and Adult Day Services. Staff partners plan and implement activities that support an overarching goal of positive interactions. Activities further target developmental goals for both generations, such as fine motor skills or cooperation. Children and adults meet in a shared space adjoining the two programs. Child- and adult-sized chairs designed to put all participants at eye level and developmentally appropriate books and art materials are provided. Procedures Phase 1: Scale development In fall 2005, four research students gathered qualitative observations of IGP involving Adult Day Services participants and Child Development Center children. Observers attended different intergenerational sessions. Each week, observers had a distinct focus, starting with holistic observation to orient the observers to the setting and proceeding to target the environment, the participants, and the facilitators. Following their weekly observations, the observers and the first and second authors discussed the observational data, focusing on the interactions between participating children and elders and factors that influenced those interactions. After observing 3-5 intergenerational sessions apiece, observers read and reviewed the IOS scale and codebook developed by Gladwell and Jarrott (2003) and closely mirroring the Play Observation Scale developed by Rubin (2001). They discussed how well the categories applied to the intergenerational context they observed and how to modify the sca le to reflect the social behaviors critical to intergenerational interactions in planned activities. Through an iterative process, the first two authors used observers notes and conversations to modify the Play Observation Scale to capture data reflecting the interactive process of IGP. Based on the observations from Phase 1, we further developed and refined the IOS (see Table 1). The scale builds on earlier observational research (Rubin, 2001) by coding participants behavior and affect and the affect of intergenerational partners with whom a target participant interacts.   The IOS was developed for live coding. It captures observations for the duration of an intergenerational activity, which tends to last 15-30 minutes. Each observer identifies 4-5 participants for observation and watches them for 1-2 minutes to become familiar with the participants behaviors before beginning to record data. He or she codes a participant for one 15-second interval, then codes the next participant for 15 seconds, followed by the third participant, etc. After the last participant is coded, the observer cycles back to begin observing participant one again. All observers in a session start coding when the facilitators begin the activity and end when the activity completes. When coding, if a behavior occurs for the majority of the coding interval, it is coded as the predominant behavior. When multiple behaviors are observed for equal intervals during a 15-second coding episode, we use the following hierarchy to code the predominant behavior most indicative of intergenerational interactions: Interactive Intergenerational, Parallel Intergenerational, Interactive Peer, Parallel Peer, Staff, Watching, Solitary, and Unoccupied. Phase 2: Establishment of reliability Video coding of the observations was introduced during Phase 2 of scale development because learning the IOS through the use of video has several advantages. When first learning the scale, observers watched a 15-second interval repeatedly to better understand the IOS behavioral scoring. The video coding procedure allowed observers to review their coding with the second author, who is experienced in observational coding. Weekly meetings were held during which observers coding was reviewed and discussed until observers reached a consensus on what behaviors constituted the IOS categories. Weekly review helped observers achieve acceptable reliability in assigning predominant codes to participants social behaviors. The video procedure enabled us to refine the IOS manual. The video coding process began with two observers who both had experience with live coding during IGP. After studying the manual, observers filmed three weekly sessions of planned IGP between the elders and each of the three classrooms of children (one session per classroom per week). The procedure for using video to establish acceptable reliability was completed in three steps. First, observers independently coded sessions in 15-second intervals and re-watched these as many times as necessary to determine the predominant social behavior. In the second step, observers more closely approximated live coding by watching the 15-second intervals on video only once to code the predominant social behavior.   In the third step, observers coded live sessions (scoring participant behaviors individually but observing the same participants at the same intervals) and filmed the activities, which allowed observers to review their coding at the weekly meetings and resolve discrepancies. Based on the consensus between the two coders and the expert coder, master coding sheets were developed indicating agreement on the predominant behavior for each 15-second interval of the coded sessions. Before observers could proceed to the next step in the training process, they had to achieve acceptable inter-rater reliability measured by Cohens kappa. A kappa score of .60 or higher was considered acceptable (Cohen, 1960). The kappa scores for the two observers in Phase 2 were .67 for the first step, .85 for the second step, and .81 for the live coding in the third step. Replication of reliability In Phase 3, we used the IOS video coding procedure to train four new observers. In addition to establishing that the video coding procedure would work with observers new to the IOS, we wanted to determine the amount of training necessary to achieve acceptable reliability with our 3-step process. The observers started with an introductory period where they read the manual and watched live IGP to observe the range of behaviors common to IGP. Observers attended weekly meetings where they watched IGP videos and received instruction on using the IOS. The introductory period lasted approximately 3 weeks or until observers felt comfortable with the coding, which was an additional 2 weeks for one of the observers. After the introductory period, the observers started on step 1 in the video coding procedure. Each step lasted approximately 4 weeks. At the weekly coding meetings, observers reviewed any discrepancies between their coding and the master codes determined in Phase 2. Once the observers achieved acceptable reliability in step 1, they moved on to step 2. Coding pairs were formed, and they coded live IGP during step 3, achieving acceptable kappas of .92, .69, and .75. Discussion In the current paper, we discuss the development of the IOS, a scale designed to measure young and old participants social interaction and affect during IGP.   In developing the IOS, we began with qualitative observations of IGP to refine a well-established child development observational scale (Rubin, 2001). We modified the scale for observations of elder and child participants in a typical range of intergenerational programs.   Based on two groups of observers, we present a system for training individuals to use the scale and establish inter-rater reliability.   Currently, the use of standardized measure within the field of IGP research is extremely limited, and our goal is to develop a scale to address this need. The IOS addresses several of Kuehnes (2003) recommendations for advancing   intergenerational research and evaluation.   First, the IOS is grounded in theory that shaped our view of positive IGP outcomes. Personhood theory (Kitwood Bredin, 1992) leads us to intergenerational relationships as a once common source of positive social interaction for many elders that can continue to support their well-being in late life. Contact theory (Allport, 1954; Pettigrew Tropp, 2000) elucidates necessary conditions for positive intergroup exchange, such as that between youth and elders. The conditions of cooperation and shared goals inform our expectation that the central mechanism of effective IGP is positive intergenerational interactions. The IOS captures the level of interactive behaviors between generations, thus reflecting the presence or absence of cooperation and shared goals of participants. Second, we draw from standardized measures of social interaction, namely the work of Parten (1933) and Rubin (2001).   Working from their concepts, we qualitatively looked at the behaviors seen during IGP.   We then refined the social behaviors described within Rubins scale to fit an intergenerational population and to capture levels of social engagement or interaction during IGP.   Third, we steer away from the over-reliance on attitudinal measures, moving instead to behavioral and affective outcomes of IGP. Fourth, by taking steps to develop a standardized scale, we contribute to the research tools available to IGP researchers, which increases the capacity to compare outcomes across studies, thus advancing the collective understanding of IGP. Our results establish the IOS as a replicable measure of social interactions during IGP.   The three-step process we used to achieve acceptable inter-rater reliability proved effective with two groups of observers. The process allows observers to develop a thorough understanding of the social behaviors in the IOS. Observers coding is checked against the master coding scheme to insure observers accuracy coding observed behaviors.   The master coding scheme allows for faster, more accurate training on the use of the IOS. Now that we have developed a successful process for training observers to use the IOS and achieve acceptable inter-rater, observers could be trained relatively quickly, most likely within four to eight weeks. A reliable, quick training method will allow data collection to begin at an earlier date and will allow more researchers to use the scale with confidence. An important strength of the IOS is its utility with both generations of IGP participants. Most research on individual outcomes of IGP participation focuses on one generation or the other (e.g., Middlecamp Gross 2002), neglecting the experiences of the other generation. When researchers do evaluate both age groups, they typically use non-parallel measures because parallel scales for disparate age groups rarely exist.   Not only will the IOS allow for standardized data collection across sites; it enables standardized data collection across generations. We expect the IOS to yield valuable process and outcome data for practitioners and researchers. Considering first the IOS as a source of outcome data, a program introducing or modifying an IGP could, for example, use IOS data to determine the affect and social behavior of participants during IGP with a goal of achieving high levels of positive affect, increasing intergenerational interaction, and reducing inactivity. In regards to process data, the IOS can be used in conjunction with salient outcome measures (e.g., depression or attitudes towards aging) to help interpret the effects of IGP (another recommendation by Kuehne, 2003). In asserting that IGP positively affects (or does not affect) targeted outcomes, researchers analyses would be strengthened by including data on the level of intergenerational interaction and affect that transpired among participants. For example, Seefeldt (1987) reported that children who participated in regular intergenerational visits to a nursing home h ad worse attitudes about aging than children who did not.   These findings would have been more easily interpreted if they incorporated process data such as the affect and level of interaction between children and elders.   Because these data were not included in the analyses, readers are left to speculate whether all IGP involving nursing home residents would negatively affect childrens attitudes or if the nature of the IGP in that study contributed to the negative outcomes. Seefeldt described IGP that yielded little support for intergenerational interaction (i.e., children performing in the center of the room, surrounded by the elders). She also indicated that elders were largely non-responsive to the children, suggesting that the negative outcomes may have been due to the nature of the IGP. While IGP professionals advocate standards of IGP practice (Epstein Boisvert, 2006; Rosebrook Larkin, 2003), significant variability on dimensions of IGP likely affects targeted outcomes and should be assessed. By capturing data that reflect the process of connecting generations, the IOS promotes understanding of why IGP succeeds or fails. As outlined above, the IOS provides many benefits for IGP research and evaluation. Our next step in establishing the scales value and utility to the intergenerational field entails establishing the reliability for coding occurrence of behaviors and predominance and occurrence of affect. Second, we plan to use a variety of means to establish validity, including video training to address substantive validity, expert panels to assess content validity, and statistical modeling of IOS data and related measures to determine convergent or divergent validity. Third, the scale was developed within the Neighbors Growing Together shared site intergenerational program, which involves structured programming between preschoolers and frail older adults. Generalizability is a critical indicator of validity and depends on the scales utility across intergenerational sites, populations, and programmatic approaches. Fourth, the behavior category codes are developmentally salient for pre-school age child ren and frail elders; we need to determine if the categories will be equally informative when applied to older children and well elders. Finally, the scale should be tested across cultures to support Kuehnes (2003) recommendation to take a more global view of IGP innovation. Initial indicators reveal that the IOS could become a useful tool to researchers and practitioners alike. As they seek to develop, improve, and sustain IGP while linking programming data to instrumental outcomes of interest to practitioners and funders, the availability of a standardized scale appropriate for use with young and old will prove invaluable. At a time characterized by tremendous creative energy and innovation in the intergenerational field, the IOS can capture the essence of IGP as practitioners support meaningful outcomes through intergenerational relationships. References Allen-Burge, R., Burgio, L. D., Bourgeois, M. S., Sims, R., Nunnikhoven, J. (2001). Increasing communication among nursing home residents.   Journal of Clinical Geropsychology, 7, 213-230. Allport, G. W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Camp, C. J., Judge, K. S., Bye, C. A., Fox, K. M., Bowden, J., Bell, M., et al.. (1997). An intergenerational program for persons with dementia using Montessori methods. The Gerontologist, 37, 688-692. Cohen, J. (1960). 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Shared site intergenerational programs: A case study. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 26, 239-257. Jarrott, S. E. Gigliotti, C. M., Smock, S. A.,   (2006). Where do we stand? Testing the foundation of a shared site intergenerational program. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 4. Jarrott, S. E., Gladwell, M. S., Gigliotti, C. M., Papero, A. L. (2004). Fostering intergenerational community between child adult care programs: A Results Management approach. Canadian Children, 29(2), 4-13.