Change Blindness and Visual Memory: Research and Theories

Change Blindness and Visual Memory: Research and Theories What is change blindness and what can it tell us about attention? Recent research on visual memory has shown that people have great difficulty in detecting obvious changes to an object, such as colour and size, if the change occurs simultaneously with a distraction. The term change blindness is used to describe this phenomenon and much research has been carried out to further our understanding of the condition. Research on change blindness has also produced valuable information about how our visual attention is involved in the encoding process. A variety of tests have been developed to test the prevalence of change blindness and the results show that it is a robust phenomenon. Although change blindness was studied many decades ago it is only in the last decade that research in this area has increased dramatically. Earlier research relied on using shapes or novel objects to induce change blindness and therefore some argued that the condition was caused by artificial stimuli. However, Grimes (1996) showed that more natural images could be used to induce change blindness. Using a computer screen he showed observers photographic images of natural scenes and asked the observers to remember as much of the photograph as possible for a later memory test. However, during a saccade (when observers were visually scanning one object to another in the image) the image was altered. The observers were then asked if they noticed if anything had changed to the image. Invariably, observers were oblivious to the changes even when they were ma jor ones, such as two people exchanging heads. Although previous experiments had shown the existence of change blindness, Grimes 1996 study was the first to show that individuals can fail to detect major alterations to images. Moreover, Grimes used everyday natural images thereby bringing demonstrations of change blindness closer to everyday perceptual experience. Other similar studies also showed that different distracters could be used to induce change blindness. For example, during eye blinking (O’Regan et al 2000) or by applying mudsplats in the surrounding area of the objects that were changed (O’Regan et al 1999). The fact that distractions are needed to induce change blindness suggests that attention is needed for change perception. Without distracters it is very easy for an observer to notice any change that has taken place. This led researchers to investigate the role of attention in change blindness and now there is mounting evidence that attention plays a pivotal role in the condition. For example, in change blindness tasks it has been found that attention to objects can vary depending on the objects location and this can influence whether the change is detected. This has been demonstrated by studies such as Rensink et al (1997). They developed the flicker task which involves using an original and altered image that is repeatedly shown to the observer with the two images separated by a blank screen for a fraction of a second. As with other distracters the observers demonstrated change blindness by invariably taking a long time before they noticed the change to the original image (average being 40 repeats). Another interesting finding of this study is that the observers found it easier to detect changes to objects that were the centre of interest of a scene than objects that were of marginal interest even when the changes were of equal physical salience. This has also been found in other change blindness studies. Levin Simons, (1997), for example, found the same effect when they changed movie objects during a film cut. One theory to explain this finding is that focused attention is required to detect change. This makes sense as a change of any object is always accompanied by a motion signal and therefore attracts attention to the site of change. This allows the change to be observed. However, if the signal is too weak (e.g., because of distracters such as saccades or blanking) it will fail to draw attention to the location of the change which will result in change blindness (Rensink et al 1997). Change blindness can also be demonstrated in real-life situations. Simons and Levin (1998) carried out an experiment in which members of the public were approached by an experimenter who asked for directions. During their conversation two actors carrying a large occluder would walk between the experimenter and subject. At this point the experimenter would swap places with a colleague who would continue the conversation with the subject. The findings showed that some individuals failed to notice that the experimenter had swapped places with another person even though the differences between the two were obvious, such as size and different clothes. This study was important because it showed that change blindness could occur using complex stimuli usually found in the real world. Therefore, finding change blindness can occur in more naturalistic settings counteracted some claims that it was only caused by artificial disruptions, such as the blanking-out distracter in the flicker paradigm (Simons Rensink 2005). There are several theories that attempt to explain change blindness in relation to the interaction between attention and visual perception. For example, Rensink (2000, 2001) developed his coherence theory. This theory is based on several assumptions. First, prior to focussed attention there is an initial stage of processing across the visual field of view. This processing produces representations of several objects in the field of view, but the representations are not stable and therefore are quickly replaced by new stimuli at their location. Second, focused attention produces a very detailed and longer-lasting representation of the object. This allows the representation of the object to be more stable which can withstand brief interruption. Therefore, a change in a focused object will be easily detectable. Third, removing focussed attention will result in the representation of the object disintegrating and returning to the unstable state it was prior to focussed attention. From the above assumptions it follows that only changes made to objects that are the focus of attention will be detected. This can explain why change blindness is a common phenomenon, because any changes to an unattended object will not be detected. The assumption that attentional processes are crucial in underlying change blindness is a common one. For example, Hollingworth and Henderson (2002) agree with the assumption. However, they propose an alternative theory of the relationship between attention and object perception. They argue that detailed perceptions are formed when we look at objects which are the focus of attention. These representations are then incorporated into a mental map and information about these visual representations is then stored in the long-term memory. Therefore, multiple fixations of a scene will result in information accumulating in the long-term memory about local objects from both the attended and previously attended areas, and this forms a detailed representation of the scene as a whole (Hollingworth and Henderson 2002). There are several differences between Hollingworth and Hendersons theory and the coherence theory that have implications about understanding the role of attention in change blindness. First, if objects change, (e.g., disappear or move) sometime after they were attended to, according to Hollingworth and Henderson they would still be mentally visible for some time after the change. Therefore, any change has a good chance of being noticed. Whereas the coherence theory predicts that when attention is withdrawn from objects the mental representation of such objects disintegrate rapidly and therefore any change will result in change blindness. Second, unlike the coherence theory, Hollingworth and Henderson assume that detailed representations of most scenes are stored in the long-term memory. Therefore, any changes made to objects should be detected several minutes later. Finally, in the coherence theory it assumed that focusing attention on an object produces a very detailed image that ca n withstand a brief interruption, such as a saccade. In contrast, Hollingworth and Henderson believe that less detailed visual representations are made when the object is the focus of attention. To date, research has not provided clear evidence to support either Hollingworth and Hendersons theory or the coherence theory (see Simons Rensink 2005 for an overview). Therefore, further investigations are required to better understand the interaction between attention and change blindness. Change blindness is a robust phenomenon that has been demonstrated in many different laboratory and naturalistic studies. The overall assumption of the findings of change-blindness experiments is that attention seems to play a major role in determining the extent of the condition. The importance of attention in change blindness appears to arise because we do not maintain a detailed representation of what we have just seen. Otherwise individuals would have little problem noticing the obvious changes that occur between images. Change blindness studies have proved a useful tool in providing information about the processing mechanisms of attention, such as we direct attention more to objects of interest within a scene. However, although studies on change blindness have increased our understanding of attention there is much debate about the exact role of attention in change blindness. Further research is therefore required to fully understand the relationship between attention and change blindness and what other factors are involved in the condition. References Grimes J. (1996). On the failure to detect changes in scenes across sac-cades. In K. Akins (Ed.), Perception (Vancouver Studies in Cognitive Science, Vol. 5. (89-110). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hollingworth A. Henderson J. M. (2002). Accurate visual memory for previously attended objects in natural scenes. Journal of  Experimental Psychology: Human Perception Performance, 28,  113-136 Levin D.T. Simons D.J. (1997). Failure to detect changes to attended objects in motion pictures. Psychonomic Bulletin Review, 4, 501-506 Mark T. Keane Eysenck W. (2005) Cognitive Psychology: A Students Handbook Psychology Press UK pages 133-136 O’Regan J.K., Rensink R.A., Clark J.J. (1999). Change-blindness as a result of mudsplashes Nature 398, 34 ORegan J.K, Deubel, H., Clark J.J., Rensink R.A. (2000). Picture changes during blinks: Looking without seeing and seeing without looking. Visual Cognition, 7, 191-211 Proctor R. Johnson W (2004) Attention: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications inc pages 212-214 Rensink R. A (2001) Change Blindness: Implications for the Nature of Visual Attention. In Vision Attention. M. Jenkin L. Harris, eds. New York: Springer. 2001. 169-188 Rensink R.A., O’Regan J.K., Clark, J.J. (1997) To see or not to see: The need for attention to perceive changes in scenes. Psychol. S 8, 368–373 Simons D.J. and Levin D.T. (1997) Change blindness. Trends Cogn Sci. 1, 261–267 Simons D.J. and Levin D.T. (1998) Failure to detect changes to people in a real-world interaction. Psychon. Bull. Rev. 5, 644–649 Simons D.J. Rensink R.A (2005) Change blindness: Past, present, and future. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Vol.9 No.1 16

A Look Into Kingston :: essays papers

A Look Into Kingston Kingston has been the home to many famous reggae artists. Why do so many artists come from Kingston? Does it say something about the message of the music and or the conditions in Kingston that also encompasses trench town? Background of Kingston Kingston is located on the southern side of the island of Jamaica and is protected from the strong northeast trade winds by the vast Blue Mountain ranges. The city of Kingston stretches for more than 50 mi including 10-mi long harbor. This makes for a diverse community of fisherman as well as street vendors and many unemployed people. Kingston is the largest and one of the most diverse cities in the English-speaking Caribbean. More than half a million people populate Kingston of different decent ranging from African, Asian, European, and Middle Eastern roots. The city's tremendous growth during the 20th century has produced severe overcrowding, persistent unemployment, and violent crime. Poverty has devastated Jamaica's black majority and nowhere is this more apparent than in the ghettos of Kingston. European colonialism set up a society of racial stratification and current residents of Kingston have to deal with historic tensions between the city's black and brown residents. Kingston of today is a direct result of the organized racial and cultural segregation that began more than 300 years ago, when Jamaica was a British colony. Many of the social and political changes that have swept Jamaica since 1692 have occurred first in Kingston, often in reaction to organized political protests. The history of Kingston itself represents the legacy of slavery and the efforts by black and brown Jamaicans to find freedom and equality in a nation haunted by what's left of colonialism. Kingston was founded in the summer of 1692, after a large earthquake destroyed the coastal city of Port Royal. From the beginning Kingston was run by Jamaica's white elite, mostly sugar planters from England. The city was created to serve the social and economic interests of white planters. Residential segregation in the form of a color-class system, beginning in 1692, served to reinforce cultural separation. (Henriques, 32) During the first half of the 18th century Kingston saw an influx of Jewish merchants, white sugar planters, African slaves, and a small amount of free blacks in the colored community. Kingston served as a trading post for the Transatlantic Slave Trade and this was one of their main trades.

The Future of Management Essay -- essays research papers

Abstract Management development strategies of many organizations seemed to converge in the nineties. We thought the world would stay on a standstill when the millennium loomed. The new word on the street was â€Å"Y2K.† So what are the concerns for the current state of management development, and what we expect for the future to hold? This paper will tackle such issue. The Future of Management Companies are geared into increase in efficiency and productivity, better choice of goods, more competitive prices, faster execution and better resource allocation. What was true then, will still hold true in the future, except it just may double up. Obviously, ideas like these contributed to the call for far better business management. Method Changes in Technology This has the most impact on any businesses out there and even the ones who has not yet embraced the Internet phenomena due to accelerating the speed of change, increasing competition, and the shifting structure of relationships. According to Dessler (2003), â€Å"the managerial uses of the Internet can in a sense, get a free ride on the Internet, they can substantially reduce their communications costs by building their management systems around the Internet.† Companies who see the Internet for all its glory will not hesitate to spend to be in gear with the latest trend because in the long run, it will save them money. Take into consideration the Automatic Call Distribution (ACD). This particular technology is helping organizations of all sizes enhance customer service, improve employee productivity, increase revenue, lower costs and develop new customers and markets. Organizational Development Management and the Four Functions of Management. Management will have to keep the competitive edge through employee performance and retention. Management will gear more towards an open-minded sense of management. Management in the future does not mean a complete overhaul of what we are accustomed to now. As Antony Jay said, â€Å"management is not a new basic institution at all. On the contrary, it is a very ancient art. The new science of management is in fact only a continuation of the old art of government." In this line of thinking, I doubt that management styles and the four functions of management will completely change. It will simply evolve into somethin... ...ust. For companies to keep employees, the need to embrace effective leadership and good management style. The organizational culture needs to be value driven, empowering employees to have the entrepreneurial spirit. Line managers, top managers and executives need to be able to manage change in a continuous learning environment while creating and maintaining the appropriate working culture. References ZDNet. (2002). Linksys readies fast Wi-Fi alternative. Retrieved February 18, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.80211-news.com/publications/page275- 424191.html. Kirby, D. (2003). Optimizing Call Center Agent Schedules Through Automation. CRM Marketplace. Retrieved March 4, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.crmmarketplace.com/content/news/article.asp?docid={db2c0da5- ee20-4b6d-83e6-9c5806c7cad7}&VNETCOOKIE=NO Unknown. (2003). ACD Software and Phone Systems. Database Systems Corp website. Retrieved March 4, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.databasesystemscorp.com Lutz, E. (date unknown). The Principles of Management. Retrieved March 4, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.arts.ilstu.edu/theatre/class/guither/am1a.html

GLUT 4 in Muscle Cells Essay -- Biology

Hypothesis During muscle contractions cytosolic calcium and adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) levels increase. Exercise also increases GLUT 4 production, which allows more glucose to be metabolized in the muscle cell. The purpose of this study was to determine whether calcium and AMPK cause the increases in GLUT 4 production in the cell. The hypothesis regarding GLUT 4 being tested in this research article stems from related research, which showed that GLUT 4 and mitochondria increase due to repeated bouts of muscle contraction. Since raising calcium levels in the cytosol of the cell increases mitochondria, GLUT 4 is may increase as well. The hypothesis that is being tested with this research was that GLUT 4 will be increased in skeletal muscle cells due to induced increases in the cytosolic calcium levels. These calcium levels are increased in cells naturally due to exercise. Since exercise also increases activity of AMPK, the study tested the effects of increasing AMPK on GLUT 4 levels in skeletal muscle. Methodology GLUT 4 levels were determined after exposing muscle cells to the various stimuli. In order to test whether the various stimuli increased GLUT 4 muscle cells were either exposed to a single stimulus, a stimulus with an inhibitor specific of the stimulus, or no stimulus (control). Then the GLUT 4 protein levels in each set of cells could be tested in order to determine the effects of each stimulus. Various chemicals that are known to be produced in a muscle cell during normal exercise were used as stimuli. Caffeine, which produces increased cytosolic calcium, was used to simulate the normal increase in calcium in a cell during exercise. An... ... activity effect GLUT 4 protein. The results of this study show that during exercise GLUT 4 in muscle cells was increased by increases in cytosolic calcium levels as well as the activation of AMPK. The transcription factors that are responsible for "making" GLUT 4 are also increased by these two chemicals. The increases were found to be regulated by CAMK an inhibitor of calcium. This is important for muscle metabolism and effects on diabetes. The capacity for metabolism in muscle cells is enhanced with training because greater amount of GLUT 4 in the muscle cell is important to respond to stimuli. Consequently more glucose is transported into the cell to be metabolized. This GLUT 4 increase is an adaptive response to the body's greater need for energy. Ultimately this results in more glucose, which means more energy for the cell to use.

Boy Bawang

Concepts of State and Government State – is a community of persons more or less numerous permanently occupying a definite portion of territory and a government. Elements of State 1. People – this refers to the mass of population living within the state. 2. Territory – it includes not only the land over which the jurisdiction of the state extends; but also the rivers and lakes therein. 116 square miles or 300,440 square kilometers 3. Government – it refers to the agency through which the will of the state is formulated expressed and carried out. 4.Sovereignty – the term may be defined as the supreme power of the state to command and enforce obedience to its will from people within its jurisdiction. a) Internal – or the power of the state to rule within its territory b) External – or the freedom of the state to carry out its activities without subjection to or control by other states. Origin of state theories 1. Divine Right Theory †“ it holds that the state is of divine creation and the ruler is ordained by god to govern the people. 2. Necessity or Force Theory – it maintains that state must have been created through force. . Paternalistic Policy – it attributes the origin of states to the enlargement of the family which remained under the authority of the father or mother. 4. Social Contract Theory – it asserts that the early states must have been formed by deliberate and voluntary compact among the people to form society and organize government for their common good. Forms of Government a) Monarchy – or one in which the supreme and final authority is in the hands of a single person without regard to the source of this election or the nature or duration of his tenure.Monarchies are further classified into 1. Absolute monarchy – or one in which the ruler rules by divine right 2. Limited Monarchy – or one in which the ruler rules in accordance with a constitution. b) Aristocracy – or one in which political power is exercised by a few privileged class which is known as an aristocracy or oligarchy. c) Democracy – or one in which political power exercised by a majority of the people. Democratic governments is further classified into; 1. Direct or pure democracy – or one which the will of the state is ormulated or expressed directly and immediately through the people in a mass meeting. 2. Indirect Representative – or republican democracy or one in which the will of the state is formulated. As to extent of powers exercised by the central or national government a) Unitary Government – or one in which the control of national and local affairs is exercised b) Federal Government – – or one in which the powers of government are divided between two sets of organs, one for national affairs and the other for local affairs.Relationship between the executive and the legislative branches of the government a) Parl iamentary Government – or one in which the state confers upon the legislature the power to terminate the tenure of office of the real executive. b) Presidential Government – or one in which the state makes the executive constitutionally independent of the legislature. Other forms of Government a) Civil Government – one in which the affairs of the state are administrated and directed by the citizens or their representatives. ) Military Government – established and administered by a belligerent in the territory c) Constitutional Government – one in which the powers of those who rule are defined and limited in their exercised d) Despotic Government – one in which the powers of those who rule are not defined and limited in their exercised by a constitution e) Elective Government – one in which the state confers powers upon a person, or organization composed of persons chosen by qualified voters f) Hereditary Government – the state confers the powers of government upon a person in a certain family g) Coordinate Government – government according to their nature among separate departments or bodies. h) Consolidated Government – the state confides all government powers to a single body i) De jure Government – founded on existing constitutional laws of the state and has the general support of the people j) De facto Government – existing constitutional law of the state and is maintained against the rightful authority of an established and lawful government. ) Revolutionary Government – installed whether by force or otherwise, not in accordance with the procedure prescribed in an existing constitution. Source of Constitution authority 1. The Filipino People 2. A Sovereign People 3. Belief in God Article 1 – National Territory The Terrestial, Fluvial and Aerial domains of the Philippines 1. The territorial sea – it is that part of the sea extending 12 nautical miles (1 19 kms. ) from the low-water mark. 2. The sea bed – this refers to the land that holds the sea, lying beyond the seashore, including mineral and natural resources. 3. The sub-oil – this includes everything beneath the surface soil – including mineral and natural resources. 4.Insular shelves – they are the submerged portions of a continent or offshore island. 5. Other submarine areas – they refer to all areas under the territorial sea. Three fold division of navigable waters 1. Inland or internal waters – they are the parts of the sea within the land territory. 2. Territorial sea – it is belt of water outside and parallel to the coastline or to the outer limits of the inland or internal waters. 3. High or open seas – they are waters that lie seaward of the territorial sea. Article 2 – Declaration of principles and state policies Republican government – is a democratic government by representatives chosen by the peo ple at large Sovereignty – implies the supreme authority to govern.

The Theme of Leadership in the ‘Lord of the Flies’

Throughout the novel, ‘Lord of the Flies’, William Golding is able to link the many aspects of our own world through the various characters he creates. One of these aspects is leadership, which plays a vital role in the novel’s microcosmic society, as it does in our own society. Golding uses leadership to convey his ideologies about human nature. Golding believes that all humans are fundamentally flawed, that all humans are evil and are capable of inflicting evil upon others. Only the law and order of our society hold back the flaws that all humans inherently possess.Golding uses the mixed feelings that he has about leadership to reveal his philosophy about human nature and other flawed aspects of our society. The Second World War, which Golding was a part of, brought about his pessimism of human nature. He was horrified at what himself and others did during the war. He gradually learned to see all human nature as savage and unforgiving, the darkness of mans heart ; it is in all of us. The qualities of a good leader are universally accepted. The leader has to have control over his followers. He has to demand respect.The leader also has to be able to persuade his followers to follow him without taking away from his beliefs and views. A good leader also has to be able to be strong, mentally more than physically. He needs to be able to stand his ground and strongly believe in what he feels is right. A good leader also has to believe in himself. If a leader does not believe in himself, then who will? A leader has to be assertive and does not need to back down from anything. The two main characters in this novel express some of these characteristics, one character more than the other.There are always people, when in a group, who show and possess superior leadership attributes than others. The strongest, mentally and physically, tend to have the greatest influence over others. Sometimes the strongest person is not necessarily the best choice. Autho rs, including Golding, often show how humans select the strongest person, to give us an understanding of the influence people can possess over others. Golding has two stand out characters in the beginning of the novel who each show their own, but very different leadership skills.However Golding believes that there is no such thing as a perfect leader, and that every type of leadership is flawed in some way. Golding intends to use these two characters to highlight the two types of leadership that he tries to present in the novel. The first character introduced to us is Ralph, who in my opinion is presented as the better leader. His capacity for leadership is evident from the beginning, â€Å"Shut up,† said Ralph absently. He lifted the conch. â€Å"Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things. He then proceeds to be voted as the group leader, over Jack, mainly due to the fact that he was the one that initially blew the conch, â€Å"They obeyed the summons of the con ch, partly because Ralph blew it, and he was big enough to be a link with the adult world of authority†¦. †It is obvious from the offset that Golding has made Ralph the symbol of democracy in the novel. Golding shows his feeling about democracy as describing democratic voting as a ‘toy’. The other little’uns follow Ralph as he is the only link they have left to the civilised world.At the beginning and throughout the novel, Ralph is the primary representative of order, society and leadership among the group. Ralph starts off well at attempting to make a new society; he firmly believes that the most important thing in this situation is being rescued. He creates a fire beacon, for cooking, heat and rescue. The signal fire can be viewed as a sign of hope – the hope the boys have to return to society. When the flames dance brightly, it shows the enthusiasm they hold for the idea of being rescued. However, as the fire grows dim, it reflects the attitu de of the boys and their loss of morale.The signal fire can also be viewed as the boys' link to the civilized world. As long as the fire continues burning, it suggests not only that the boys want to return to society, but also that they are still using their common sense. He understands the essentials that a society must have to keep afloat and he knows what must be done in order for the survival of the boys. He works vigilantly to keep the group's focus on the hope of rescue. It is at the second assembly that we see Ralph firmly asserting his authority, â€Å"except by me†. It is also the first time that Jack struggles with Ralph’s authority.As the tension between Ralph and Jack continues to increases, we see more obvious signs of a potential struggle for power. Although Jack has been deeply envious of Ralph’s power from the moment Ralph was elected, the two do not come into open conflict until the fourth chapter, when Jack’s irresponsibility leads to th e failure of the signal fire. When the fire—a symbol of the boys’ connection to civilization—goes out, the boys’ first chance of being rescued is thwarted. Ralph flies into a rage, indicating that he is still governed by desire to achieve the good of the whole group.But Jack, having just killed a pig, is too excited by his success to care very much about the missed chance to escape the island. Indeed, Jack’s bloodlust and thirst for power have overwhelmed his interest in civilization. Whereas he previously justified his commitment to hunting by claiming that it was for the good of the group, now he no longer feels the need to justify his behaviour at all. Instead, he indicates his new orientation toward savagery by painting his face like a barbarian, leading wild chants among the hunters, and apologizing for his failure to maintain the signal fire only when Ralph seems ready to fight him over it.However, Ralph still has his shortcomings as a leader and isn’t always perfect as Golding is trying to show. One of his first mistakes was giving more control to Jack by making him leader of his hunters. This allows Jack and the choir boys to make their own rules and encourage the choir boys to stray away from Ralph’s lead. When the beast is first introduced, Ralph doesn’t do a very good job of convincing the younger boys that there isn’t a beast on the island. He just say’s â€Å"but there isn’t a beast. † Whereas Jack assures the younger boys that if there is a beast, he’d find it and kill it.The weight of leadership becomes oppressive for Ralph as the story continues; he is dutiful and dedicated, but his attempts to instil order and calm among the boys are decreasingly successful. Golding develops Ralph's particular concerns and insecurities. By showing him worrying over his perceived failures, Golding highlights Ralph’s responsible, adult nature. Ralph's concern about his appearance, and particularly his grown-out hair, indicate his natural inclination toward the normality of civilization.Although Ralph demonstrates a more than sufficient intelligence, he also worries that he lacks Piggy's genius, â€Å"if only I could step inside that fat head of his†. Ralph eventually understands the importance of thought and how it can help him as a leader, â€Å"thought was a valuable thing, that got results†¦ †. The second type of leadership that Golding conveys through a character is the Dictator, Jack. Ralph treats all the boys with dignity and tries to work with them for the betterment of the society. On the opposite side of the scale, Jack does not treat any of the boys with the dignity that Ralph does.In chapter three Golding writes, in comparing Jack’s and Ralph, â€Å"They walked along, two continents of experience and feeling, unable to communicate. † This shows how Golding is trying to tell us how Ralph and Jack†™s motives are completely different; one is focused on hunting and the other on the society. Jack immediately shows qualities of a good leader, but are different qualities than Ralph shows. Jack has a very commanding presence from the beginning; he arrives on the island having some success in exerting control over others by dominating the choir with his militaristic attitude.At the first assembly he believes that he should be chief, â€Å"I ought to be chief†, but is humiliated when he loses the vote to Ralph. Jack is chauvinistic, stating that, â€Å"I agree with Ralph. We've got to have rules and obey them. After all, we're not savages. We're English, and the English are best at everything. So we've got to do the right things. † Golding believes that Nationalism and chauvinism are the causes of wars on our society and is putting this across in the microcosm. This is a hint that there would be eventually conflict on the island.Golding also uses the theory of Darwini sm to relate to Jack, as Jack puts down the weaker in society, Piggy and Simon, like most dictators do. Jack represents evil and violence, the dark side of human nature. He is the character that regresses the most throughout the novel. It starts with him hunting in the Jungle, when Golding uses animal imagery to show his regression, ‘ape-like’ and ‘half naked†¦walking on all fours’. Jack attempts to dominate the group, rather than working with Ralph to benefit it.The conch does not mean anything to Jack, for him, the conch represents the rules and boundaries that have kept him from dominating others. Their entire lives in the other world, the boys had been moderated by rules set by society. The dictator in Jack becomes dominant in his personality during the panic over the beast sighting on the mountain. In trying to put Ralph down, he uses his rhetorical skills to twist Ralph's words. In defence, he offers to the group an excuse that â€Å"He'd never have got us meat,† asserting that hunting skills make for an effective leader.Jack assigns a high value only to those who he finds useful or agreeable to his views and looks to silence those who do not please him. Denouncing the rules of order, Jack declares, â€Å"We don't need the conch any more. We know who ought to say things. † As Jack strives to establish his leadership, he takes on the title of â€Å"chief† and reinforces the illusion of station and power by using the other boys ceremoniously as standard bearers who raise their spears together and announce â€Å"The Chief has spoken. Jack works closely with Roger, as Ralph does with Piggy and Simon, to help him form his new dictatorship at Castle Rock. Though Roger does not possess any sort of leadership skills, he does have a forced authority over others. This role is no game for him, though; by the night of Simon's death, Jack has clearly gone power-mad, sitting at the pig roast on a large log â€Å"pa inted and garlanded . . . like an idol† while â€Å"power . . . chattered in his ear like an ape. † His tribe addresses him as â€Å"Chief,† indicating a form of more primitive tribal leadership.Jack’s leadership in the macrocosm would not work, it would just lead to war. Whereas on the island Jack promises food and fun, so everybody follows him. Jack’s savage, primitive society murders the two outcasts, Piggy and Simon. The next on their list is Ralph, who is finding himself running away from a line of Jack’s group across the island. In the midst of the chaos, the forest is set on fire. As Ralph is running away, he unselfishly thinks, ‘The fools! The fire must be almost at the fruit trees- what would they eat tomorrow.Even though Jack’s tribe is hunting him down, all he cares about are the others. At the end of the novel, a naval officer comes onto the island. When he asks who is in charge, Jack steps forward and then steps back . He finally realizes that what he was doing was wrong and cowers away from the naval officer, thinking that Ralph would take all of the blame. Ralph loudly proclaims the he is the leader. They had all finally come to realize what they had done. They soon discovered that if they had followed Ralph, none of this would have happened. hen the naval officer appears on the island, all the boys who were moments ago behaving savagely, come to a halt and suddenly return to their senses. This suggests that the appearance of the naval officer symbolizes the return of both adult supervision and civilization. Ralph was the best leader in the novel, he puts the society over himself at all times. Jack has the better leadership skills, but chooses to use them for the wrong reasons. The fact that he came to be the leader was because of humanity's sinful tendency towards savagery.

Jaws

The film ‘Jaws’, was made in 1975 and is a thriller set on a small American town called Amityville. The film is about a man-eating great white shark that terrorises the seas of Amityville and it’s public who swim in it. Steven Spielberg directs this nail-biting thriller. ‘Jaws’ is set on the 4th of July, which is an American Independence day. This film will keep you on the edge of your seats. This essay will show how Spielberg creates tension and suspense throughout the film. One of the most famous techniques used in the film ‘Jaws’ was the music. At the start of the film the screen is dark and the music begins. The pitch is low and the tempo is slow, as the sequence goes on the tempo starts to speed up and the pitch gets higher. When the tempo of the music speeds up it is like the heartbeat of the shark, which is getting faster because the shark is getting excited about something. At the same time the audience get nervous about what the shark is preparing to do. This sequence is used throughout the film to make the audience aware that the shark is about to attack. Before the first attack is about to happen there is a lot of chatter, firelight and mouth organs being played. This makes it a good contrast to the scary scene that is about to happen. When the girl runs off with the drunken boy the scene starts to get darker and quieter as they go further and further away from where all the people are. The girl runs into the water and the drunken boy lies down on the beach. The camera then points at the girl who is all alone in the water and there is no sound or light at all which makes the audience think that something bad is about to happen. This is really helpful to build tension and to begin putting fear in the mind’s of the audience, through the contrasts in the setting and in the changes in the music. As well as the use of music in this film Spielberg similarly uses camera techniques to scare the audience. Before the second attack the camera shows a mid shot at the boy and the women who are close together which makes the audience think that the relationship between these two people is like mother and child. While Brody watches the sea Spielberg uses mid shots, medium close ups and close up shots to show that Brody is getting more anxious. Then there is a point of view shot which is shot under water were the audience can see everyone’s legs. This creates a sense of dramatic irony where the audience know that something is underneath their feet but the people in the water don’t. As the second attack starts Brody realises suddenly what is happening and the camera zooms into his face. The camera also starts to show lots of flashing images of people panicking and the boy being eaten. This scares the audience because they have just witnessed an innocent child being eaten. This keeps the tension up in the film which makes the audience think that if it can kill an innocent child, how much further will it go. Another way Spielberg builds up tension is by how he portrays the shark. In the first attack he doesn’t show the shark; this makes the audience think and imagine what is lurking under the waters. He also shows how strong this shark is when in the first attack the creature attacks the girl and swings her from side to side and eventually pulls her into the water. Also into the second attack the creature eats the little boy and rips his Lillo to shreds. Throughout the film Spielberg reveals the shark bit by bit. Spielberg also shows real shark footage (when he films the attack in the cage) to make it look real and scare the audience, the audience is eager to see the shark which is another reason why he filmed it using a real shark. On the last attack the shark jumps onto the boat, the audience find it amusing because throughout the film they’ve been getting scared of a model shark. When the shark bites the girl you can from her face immediately that she is in pain she also shows this because she screams hysterically which makes the audience think what is happening to her. Spielberg avoids the shark at this point because it’s so early in the film and if he shows it at this stage then the audience will realise that it’s only a model shark and there would be no point watching the film. Another reason why he didn’t show the shark at this stage is because he wouldn’t have caught the audience out at the nd. So instead he used the characters’ reaction to show the power and the strength of the shark. Finally the way the story progresses will add to the tension of the film. Spielberg films the first two attacks together so throughout the film the audience will except an attack at any time which will make them always feel tense. The 4th of July is an American Independence Day which is a public holiday for everyone. It is summer and all the people are at the seaside having a good time. Spielberg chose this scene because there are more people in danger which leads to a dramatic affect. This attack also involves Brody’s son, which keeps the audience tense because we know who Brody’s son is. The more you know about a character the more the more tense you will feel about them when they are being attacked. For example the last section of the film when all the main characters are under attack in this scene, the fact that we know more about the characters makes every moment tense when the shark circles around them. Overall, the most tense moment in the film is the scene when the shark is attacking the cage. This scene is particularly scary because Spielberg used a real shark to film this scene which looks bigger and scarier, and the way it bent the cage bars really showed how strong the shark is. This is what I think is the most tense scene and is the scene that made most of the audience tense. These are the most important techniques that Steven Spielberg used to build tension and suspense in the audience’s minds.