What US Census Takers Do

What US Census Takers Do Americans who, for reasons unknown, don't finish and return a Census Bureau poll can anticipate an individual visit from an evaluation taker or enumerator.What do the enumerators registration takers need to do? As indicated by Census Bureau Director Kenneth W. Prewitts April 5, 2000 declaration to the House Subcommittee on the Census, Each enumerator is given a cover of addresses around there that incorporates every one of those addresses for which we have not gotten a finished poll. Since houses without numbers and road name delivers can be hard to track down, enumerators in rustic regions likewise get maps that have the lodging unit areas spotted on them. The enumerator must go to each address in the task region to finish the fitting survey (either short structure or long structure) for the lodging unit and its inhabitants. Registration Taker Key Takeaways Registration Takers, or â€Å"Enumerators,† are workers of the U.S. Enumeration Bureau who visit the homes of people who don't finish and return a statistics survey. The Census Taker will meet any accessible grown-up individual from the family unit so as to finish the registration questionnaire.The Census Taker will make at any rate six endeavors to visit the home, contact an inhabitant, and complete the questionnaire.Like all Census Bureau representatives, Census Takers are carefully restricted by law from uncovering any data accumulated and might be fined and detained for doing as such. For each address, the enumerator must: Meeting a family unit part in any event 15 years old and finishes the doled out survey. On the off chance that the unit was involved by an alternate family unit on Census Day, the enumerator finishes a survey for the tenants who lived there on Census Day by talking a learned individual, for example, a neighbor.If the present inhabitants were not specified somewhere else, the enumerator will likewise finish an evaluation poll for them for their Census Day address.If the lodging unit was empty on Census Day, the enumerator finishes fitting lodging inquiries on the poll by meeting a proficient individual, for example, a neighbor or flat manager.If the lodging unit was crushed or in any case nonexistent under registration definitions, the enumerator finishes a survey that gives the motivation behind why the unit ought to be erased from the statistics address list, by meeting an educated respondent, for example, a neighbor or condo administrator. What if no one's home? Will the evaluation taker simply leave? Indeed, however the individual in question will assuredly be back. The enumerator must make up to six endeavors to contact the inhabitant and complete a questionnaire.If nobody is home at an involved lodging unit, the enumerator gets however much data as could reasonably be expected about how to contact the tenants from a neighbor, building supervisor, or another source.The enumerator likewise leaves a notification at the location that they have visited and gives a phone number so the tenant can call back.The enumerator at that point makes up to two extra close to home visits (3 taking all things together) and three phone endeavors at reaching the family unit before getting however much data as could be expected to finish the poll from a learned source. Enumerators are told to make their callbacks on various days of the week and at various occasions of day.The enumerator must keep up a record of callbacks that rundowns each sort of callback made (phone or individual visit) and the specific date and time it happened. Enumerators are relied upon to ge t total meetings yet should get at any rate the status (involved or empty) and the quantity of individuals living in the unit. On the off chance that the enumerator presents a survey that contains this insignificant degree of information, the team chief must check the enumerators record of callbacks for the lodging unit to verify that techniques were appropriately followed. The group chief additionally holds these cases for conceivable further follow-up to get increasingly complete information. Team pioneers meet day by day with every enumerator to get and check finished work.Crew pioneers are required to ensure that the enumerators produce quality work at a pace of 1 to 1.5 finished polls every hour relying upon the kind of zone secured. Team pioneers check each finished survey for fulfillment and accuracy.In request to forestall adulteration of the information by enumerators, a level of every enumerators work is confirmed for exactness by a re-talk with staff. This staff checks an example of every enumerators work and may likewise confirm extra polls from enumerators whose work varies fundamentally from that of different enumerators working for a similar group pioneer. An enumerator who is found adulterating information is excused promptly and all the work must be revamped by another enumerator. Thus it goes until a finished registration poll has been finished and transformed into the neighborhood statistics office for each lodging unit address in America.Like every other representative of the Census Bureau, enumerators are subject by law to serious punishments including detainment for unveiling data outside of the necessary extent of their activity. What's more, recall, noting all censusâ questionnaires is required by law.â Enumeration Taker Jobs for the 2020 Census With the 2020 Census quick drawing nearer, the U.S. Statistics Bureau is presently enlisting, recruiting, and preparing a great many individuals across the country for transitory jobs.To be qualified for every one of the 2020 Census work, you must:Be at any rate 18 years old.Have a legitimate Social Security number.Be a U.S. citizen.Have a substantial email address.Complete an application and answer appraisal questions. (Some evaluation questions are accessible in Spanish. Be that as it may, an English capability test may likewise be required.)Be enrolled as legally necessary with the Selective Service System or have a passing exclusion, in the event that you are a male brought into the world after Dec. 31, 1959.Pass a Census-performed criminal personal investigation and a survey of criminal records, including fingerprinting.Commit to finishing training.Be accessible to work adaptable hours, which can incorporate days, nighttimes, or potentially weekends.For most occupations particul arly Census Taker-candidates must:Have a legitimate driver’s permit and access to a vehicle, except if open transportation is promptly accessible; andHave access to a PC with web and an email account (to finish training).Persons intrigued by part or full-time evaluation employments may apply online at the Census Bureau’s secure Census Careers Site. The application procedure takes around 30 minutes. You should give your Social Security number, personal residence, email address, telephone number, and your date and spot of birth.

An evaluation of the law surrounding forced marriages Essay

An assessment of the law encompassing constrained relationships - Essay Example Despite the fact that, the administration through enactment has attempted to dishearten constrained relationships, these approach measures have been inadequate in annihilating the dehumanizing practice. This troublesome in closure the custom originates from the way that the constrained marriage is profoundly established culture in the minority gatherings. As per the United Nations, Forced marriage comprises an infringement of individuals’ human rights. Constrained relationships additionally abuse the privileges of kids some of whom are constrained into relationships before they even arrive at the age of 10. Administrative reaction that truly attempts to address the issue has just been instituted as of late, yet they despite everything don't give enough cover to people in constrained relationships or under danger of being hitched mightily. In 2007, the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act) was passed where casualties could get assurance orders from courts. As of late, the Con servative government has declared designs to make constrained marriage a criminal offense. This paper basically examines administrative endeavors by progressive UK government to react to the issue of constrained relationships among minority gatherings. Besides, it fundamentally breaks down the proposed endeavor to make constrained marriage a criminal offense. ... a Nobleman could just wed a noblewoman.1 To hold and unite power honorable families energized and constrained their youngsters to intermarry. Be that as it may, with social headway these practices were vanished before any legitimate strategy could be enunciated to address the issue. No one imagined that several years after the fact an advanced British society would think about the issue of constrained relationships. In the present and the only remaining century, UK society made the primary legitimate endeavor to debilitate constrained marriage in 1949. In the Marriage Act 1949 denied relationships between parties beneath the age of 16 in area 2.2 This law was fortified in the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 in Section 11 (an) (ii) put the period of assent for marriage at 16. The 1973 Act likewise gave security to people beneath the age of 18 requiring the assent of a legitimate representative3. Under the wedding causes act an individual matured somewhere in the range of 16 and 18 has the privilege to get assent for marriage through a court request, if the legitimate delegate absurdly rejects consent4. In the 1973 Act, all wedding relationship must beginning through the free assent of the two gatherings. In Section 12, the 1973 Act denies vitiating of assent by different elements like viciousness or pregnancy. In the 1960’s UK governments rolled out further legitimate improvements to address the issue as migrant networks kept on expanding their number in the UK. In 1962, the UK marked the United Nations Convention to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration5. The show came into power two years after the fact in 1964 and was embraced by the UK in 1970. Later in 1969 the UK passed the Family Law Reform Act 1969 characterized an individual younger than 18 as a minor. Under this definition a minor

The Rudolph Family Weekend

The Rudolph Family Weekend One week ago, everyones parents were here on campus, and I mean everyones but mine. In mathspeak, for all MIT students not equal to Kate Rudolph, the set of parents of those students is a subset of the set of people who were on campus for Family Weekend last weekend. And not only that! Brothers, sisters, grandparents! Okay, I exaggerate. I wasnt the only one whose parents didnt come, but sometimes it felt that way, and I got really homesick. I realized sometime last weekend that Ive been here for what is now over nine weeks, the longest Ive ever been away from home. I know people who go home or see their parents nearly every weekend, but those people are from Connecticut or New York. The trip to Chicago just isnt worth it for a weekend. But my Family Weekend was not completely lonely. My Uncle Jim and Aunt Maura and cousins Luke, Ally, and Erin live in the suburbs of Boston, and they came into Cambridge last weekend to spend the afternoon with me. That is once they found me Aside: The Story of My Phone: At some point several weeks ago, the screen on my phone developed a giant, spider-web shaped crack. The entire screen went black, except for a little triangle at the bottom, through which I could just barely make out what was going on, and since I have the button-sequences of my phone mostly memorized I was able to continue sending (poorly edited) texts and making phone calls. An interesting side effect of this was that I couldnt tell time for about a week, because my phone usually acts as my watch. My parents back in Illinois heard about this, and came to the rescue. You see, this summer, my sister threw her phone off a roller coaster. (Where by she threw it off a roller coaster I mean it accidentally fell off the roller coaster, completely unintentionally but the first one is funner to say. (Funner. It is a word. (Also, nested parentheses!))) The amusement park found it and sent it back to our house, but not before Laura had bought a replacement phone on ebay. So the phone my parents sent to my rescue was the eBay-phone, And the eBay-phone has issues. For some reason it uses a different service than phones do now, so it is continually looking for service and runs out of charge in about 12 hours. And sometimes, even when its fully charged and says it has signal, it wont make or receive calls or texts. Which is exactly what was happening last Saturday afternoon when Aunt Maura was trying to call me! End of Aside Eventually, the Boston Rudolphs caught up with me, and I took them on a tour of my floor, Tetazoo, and then we went on a walk through the MIT campus. There were lots of Family Weekend events going on, housemaster brunches and department-sponsored events and whatnot. And what did my cousins and I end up doing? I mean, wouldn’t you rather play beach volleyball on the pedestals in Lobby 7 and teach your imaginary class arithmetic in 32-123? Thanks to Uncle Jim and Aunt Maura for the super-cute video.

The Transformation Of Gfp And E. Coli As A Result Of Pglo

THE TRANSFORMATION OF GFP AND E. COLI AS A RESULT OF pGLO INTRODUCTION One of the most imperative functions in maintaining the development of evolution is the frequency of genetic transformation: the injection of foreign DNA into another organism’s DNA. This term is defined by the actions of a vector, but more specifically by the actions of plasmids and phages. However, in this experiment we are primarily focused on the effect of the pGLO plasmid transformation of GFP on the E. coli bacteria by introducing a second chromosome or a plethora of cloned plasmids. (Bassiri 2011) The pGLO plasmid will transform the E. coli bacteria with a gene called GFP that codes for the Green Fluorescent Protein in the genetic code. GFP was discovered in the jellyfish, Aequorea victoria as a green fluorescent light emitted from the jellyfish. It was typically seen in the dark upon its activation and since then has been used in studies relating to genetic transformation. (Chalfie and Tu 1994) The majority of the studies test the many different factors that are requi red in the transformation of pGLO which will determine the functionality of GFP in the E.coli bacterium. The first experiment in transforming GFP and E. coli was completed in 1994 by Chalfie and was further refined the same year. The experiment proved the importance of using restriction enzymes, and DNA ligase in the process of transforming GFP to identify arabinose as the primary activator, and to identify the ampicillinShow MoreRelatedGenetic Transformation Of E. Coli1166 Words   |  5 PagesGENETIC TRANSFORMATION OF E. COLI WITH pGLO AS A VECTOR USING THE HEAT SHOCK METHOD Katelyn Brown, L07 Introduction: Escherichia coli is a small, usually harmless bacterium that commonly resides in human intestines. First discovered by Theodor Escherich in 1885, it has become a widely used organism in the science world. 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E. coli was artificially induced that became a competent bacteria when it took the pGLO DNA, so it had the ability to have ampicillin resistance and fluoresced when arabinose was present. Two tubes with E. coli were labeled to differentiate which tube the pGLO was added to, then through several steps theRead MoreTransformation Of Escherichia Coli With pGLO Plasmid1560 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Transformation Of Escherichia Coli With pGLO Plasmid April 24, 2013 ABSTRACT: This experiment focuses on genetic engineering and transformation of bacteria. The characteristics of bacteria are altered from an external source to allow them to express a new trait, in this case antibiotic resistance. In is experiment foreign DNA is inserted into Escherichia coli in order to alter its phenotype. The goal of the experiment is to transform E. coli with pGLO plasmid, which carries a gene forRead MoreBacterial Transformation ( Escherichia Coli )1050 Words   |  5 Pages Bacterial Transformation (Escherichia coli) Kadian Jones Dr. F. Redway BIO 104- Lab 3 November 11, 2014 Introduction According to Medicine.net (2012), genetic transformation is a process by which the genetic material carried by an individual cell is altered by the incorporation of foreign/exogenous DNA into its genome. Competent cells are able to accept DNA presented by experimental influence or manipulation, and the application of genetic engineering with bacteria can aid inRead MoreCode Green Fluorescent in Bacteria1169 Words   |  5 PagesTransformation is an insertion of a gene into an organism in order to change or add certain traits to the organism. Bacteria transformation is a natural process that bacteria have evolved in order to take up free DNA from their environment. Today’s lab, we are transforming bacteria with a gene that code for green fluorescent protein (GFP) Our purpose for this lab is to demonstrate how bacteria transformation performs in different conditions. The results we got form this experiment is that E.coliRead MoreLara Guvelioglu. Bi 108 E2. Nahomie Rodriguez-S astre. 04/13/17.1632 Words   |  7 PagesEscherichia coli’s Genetic Transformation Using Vector Plasmid DNA pGLO Abstract The field of biotechnology involves the concept of genetic engineering, altering the DNA/genetic material of an organism using information from a different one. The process in which bacteria can obtain this manipulated genetic information from another source is called genetic transformation. The goal of this experiment was to genetically transform Escherichia coli bacteria’s DNA by inserting the vector pGLO plasmid which codesRead MoreBacterial Transformation Is The Process Of Transferring Bacteria1172 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Æ' Introduction: Bacterial transformation is the process of transferring bacteria. This begins with genetic transformation where genes transfer from an organism to another with the help of plasmid. Plasmid contains one or more piece of DNA within bacteria. This technique is used commonly in technology specifically designed for biology usage to enhance the culture around with positive results. It is also used to solve common world problems, such as human insulin and drought resistant crops. In thisRead MoreA Experiment On Bacterial Transformation Essay1710 Words   |  7 Pageswas to attempt bacterial transformation, and alter the initial plasmid of DNA to one that expressed GFP, and was therefore able to glow under the UV light. The methodology we used to complete this process was bacterial transformation which is a widely used method where foreign DNA is introduced into a bacterium, which can then amplify, or clone the DNA. Our results were that there was growth on all of the plates except for the -pGLO plate with LB and ampicillin. The results for the fluorescence ofRead MoreGenetic Transformation Of Genetic Dna877 Words   |  4 PagesGenetic transformation occurs when an organism’s genetic makeup is altered due to the introduction of new genetic information which is then incorporated into the organism’s genome. In this lab the pGLO plasmid is introduced into E. Coli bacteria, and incorporates the genes which code for the GFP and beta lactamase to the bacteria’s genome which as a result will be modified. To test the effects of the plasmid, bacteria treated with the plasmid were grown on separate plates, the first containing LB

Understanding General Anxiety Disorder And Cognitive...

Nina Haber Understanding General Anxiety Disorder and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Nina Haber Hunter College, The City University of New York As many as 4% of the US population have symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in any given year, and ~6% at some time during their lives (Comer 2004.) This disorder is a personality disorder that literally takes over someone’s life. It interferes with social, occupational, and other areas of important daily functioning. In order to meet the criteria for being diagnosed with GAD, a person must have had continuous anxiety and worry that lasts for at least 6 months. It is very difficult for the individual to control the anxiety and the worry that they are experiencing. This†¦show more content†¦When it is found in children, which is rare, it is usually anxiety and worry about their competence or how they are preforming in their lives. For each individual, the worry and anxiety may shift from one concern to another. There are many different interpretations of this disorder based on different type of psychological theories. The different viewpoints include sociocu ltural perspective, psychodynamic perspective, humanistic perspective, cognitive perspective, and biological perspective, though the most influential in the treatment of GAD are the biological and cognitive perspectives. The cognitive perspective often describe psychological problems as dysfunctional ways of thinking. There are many cognitive symptoms but one major one includes excessive worry which is a key characteristic of GAD. One assumption is the maladaptive assumption. One psychologist, Albert Ellis, discussed that many people are guided by irrational beliefs which leads them to act in irrational ways. He called them basically irrational assumptions, and included that many individuals with generalized anxiety disorder have these irrational assumptions. One includes â€Å"It is awful and catastrophic when things are not the way one would very much like them to be.† So when a person with these irrational assumptions are faced with situations that are stressful they inter pret them as dangerous and they tend to worry excessively for no reason. Another psychologist, Aaron Back, discuss

A Healthy Family Questionnaire Free Essays

What types of drinks do you usually have during the day and night? I will usually have one bottle of soda half way through the day. The rest of the day is water. How often does your family seek dental care? My children and I visit the dentist every six months for a cleaning. We will write a custom essay sample on A Healthy Family: Questionnaire or any similar topic only for you Order Now My husband has cleanings every 3 months due to having soft teeth. How often do family members have bowel movements? Urinate? Me: Varies but once every 2-3 days Husband: Every morning after coffee Son 1: once every 1-2 days Son 2: every2-3 days Daughter: 2-3 times a day All except Son2, urinate every few hours throughout the day and we are able to go 8 hours at night. Son 2 has a bladder like a horse and does not urinate nearly as often. Are laxatives used in your family? Explain. We do not use stimulant laxatives very often, but on occasion Son2 will need pedialax. Mostly we just make it a point to eat a high fiber diet and drink plenty of fluids to stay regular. How does your family relax? Relaxation starts with me and my husband on one couch and the kids the other couch. During this time we are usually reading, writing, playing games or watching TV. Within an hour or two everyone migrates to the couch were my husband and I are sitting and squishes their way in. By this time I have realized that relaxation time is over and I go find something else to do. What does your family do for enjoyment? Mostly we just like to be outside keeping active. Some of our favorite activities are bike riding, hiking, baseball and hockey. When does your family generally go to bed and awaken? Do family member go to bed and awaken at different times? The children start to prepare for bed at 8:00pm by changing into Pjs brushing teeth and getting in their last glass of water or snack before bed. By 8:30pm they are in bed and they are allowed to read until they fall asleep, no more than 30 minutes though. My husband stays up until 10 and I will usually stay up until about 11:00pm. My husband gets up at 5:30am and leaves for work at 6:30. I wake up at 6:30 and start waking the children between 6:50 and 7 am. Do any family members work at night? No Are there any hearing or visual problems that affect your family members? Both my Husband and I are near sighted. I require glasses on a daily bases, but my husband only needs them for long drives when his eyes get tired. Son2 seems to have an issue with tracking, but testing is still being done. Does pain seem to be a family problem? Explain how this is managed? Son2 and I both suffer from migraines. This is managed by taking Exedrine for me or Tylenol for him and going into a dark room to rest. Who makes the major family decisions? How? All major Family decisions are discussed between any members they involve and a decision is usually agreed upon. If a no agreement is made then it is up to me to make the decision. Describe the highest education level of all family members? Me: PN certificate Husband: Associates degree Son1: 5th grade Son2: 1st grade Daughter: 1st grade Describe the general mood of your family? We are generally happy and relaxed people. We like to take life as it comes and we make it a point not to stress over the little things. How does your family deal with change? Like most families there is an adjustment period whenever things change, but we all seem to handle it well. My husband and I try to keep the kids informed of any changes so they know what to expect. Explain your family responsibilities for house hold chores? Each child has a list of six chores in which they are responsible for every day. Each of their chores has a different degree of difficulty depending on their age. The chores can be small like put away your back pack, sneaker and coat when you walk into the house or bigger chores for my 10 year old would include taking out the trash or emptying the dishwasher. My husband and I fill in the gaps of what the kids missed or are not old enough to do. Explain discipline in your family. How are family members rewarded? Describe any aggression or violence that occurs in your family. I am the one that disciplines the children and decides on punishments. A punishment usually includes me revoking privileges or sending them to their room for a period of time. Spankings are not out of the question in my home, but they almost never used or needed. Family members are reward with praise and on occasion a special treat like a movie night or ice cream. The only aggression or violence you will see in my home are my children fighting. I usually let them work it out, but if they are hurting each other or the argument is lasting too long I will step in. Are contraceptives used? Yes Are parents comfortable answering questions and explaining topics related to sexuality to their children? Yes I discuss these thing with my children separately because they are all different ages they require a different degree of explanation. How does your family cope with major stressors? When we are stressed we just like quiet time to think or relax. I often warn people when I come in the door if my day was not good and I just need a few quiet minutes to distress before being asked 100 questions. Who copes with stress the best? That would have to be my husband. He just takes everything as it is and doesn’t really let anything bother him. What does your family want from life? That’s an easy one, to be happy. We don’t have a big house or fancy cars and it is not because we could not afford them if we needed them. We have tried having both parents work full time and we had plenty of money and much nicer cars, but we were always tired and we never spent any time together. We have found that we prefer to work less, have less and spend more time together. That is what makes us happy. What rules do your family hold most important? The one rule that we hold most import in our home is to show respect to everyone. Describe what your family does to try to stay healthy. To try to stay healthy we have a few simple rules in our house. For nutrition you must try everything on your plate before you are done eating. It does not matter if they are carrots and you know that you don’t like them, taste buds change, so maybe you will like them today. Deserts are rare in my house, but when they are offered you are not eligible for dessert unless you finish your dinner, including the vegetables. For exercise we do not have a formal routine, but we encourage outdoor activities as much and as often as possible. Television and game time is limited to one hour per day in our home and the time must be earned. The children receive a ten minute token for each chore that they complete and they can cash their tokens in after there home work has been completed. From whom does your family seek health care? When? My family seeks health care from our family doctor’s office. We receive our well care physicals each year and any immunization due at that time. We will also seek Health care if we have an illness that does not clear up with in a week. We have very few visits to the doctor’s office each year because most illnesses can be treated at home with rest and fluids. How to cite A Healthy Family: Questionnaire, Papers

The Emotion of Sports Performance and Motivation free essay sample

The field of psychology is increasingly expanding and becoming incorporated into other fields of study. From the study of behavioral economics to the burgeoning field of media psychology (with its emphasis on the effects of advertising, especially on children), literally anything that can be thought of is a possible venue for the probing, empirical analysis of various strains of psychological theory. And why not? There are currently 54 different divisions of the American Psychological Association. Not all are actual theoretical perspectives posited by psychology—such as behaviorism or social psychology—some are merely fields of interest within which a psychological focus has been found to be academically useful, or clinically rewarding, or medically necessary. Such is the case with sports and exercise psychology (division 47). For a variety of reasons—the economic impact of the billions of dollars a year professional sports industry, the growth of empirical evidence suggesting exercise is good for us (both physically and psychologically), as well as the influence of sports on childhood development and academic achievement and socialization (as a negative correlation to school violence)—sports and psychology are increasingly mixing. We will write a custom essay sample on The Emotion of Sports Performance and Motivation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This paper will take a look at the theoretical and scientific ways psychology is being used to explain and enhance sports performance from the parallel points of view of personality, motivational theory, emotion, and social cognition; all under the watchful eye of Freudian psychoanalysis. There is, of course, a reciprocal relationship between the reasons for, or why we need sports activity, and the motivation towards a qualitatively enhanced sports performance. The initial impetus for man to engage in sports may have been be to simply play at sports for leisure or diversion, but upon closer examination its clear there’s something more which drives our seeming obsession for sports (and this includes the growing fanaticism of spectating, as well). Freud looked at sports during his time from his by then typical psychoanalytical point of view and found, what else (? ), sex†¦; or at least what he felt were the attempts by education institutions to curb the urge in children by substituting repetitive play (Holowchak, p. 697). This repetitive play serves as the foundation for the more formal adult world of competitive sports which then becomes standardized (though at lesser levels of difficulty) for children in a full circle process that, curiously, blurs the line between origins and necessity. Nonetheless, Freud believes this sort of adult play (sport) is at once an attempt to relive the unfettered, carefree days of childhood, while simultaneously using them (games) as a way of releasing pent up tensions and anxieties—both from sexual repression and the conscious seeking out of the pleasure principle. Play is pleasurable because it essentially mimics sexual movement while substituting for it in a socially acceptable way. Play becomes sport when the obstacles introduced by the participants are re-imposed repeatedly in order to allow for their usurpation in order to increase the psychic energy being built up solely for its ultimate—and very pleasurable—release (Holowchak, p. 698-99). Regarding the motivational forces that compel us to turn play into competition and equally—and instinctively—strive for greater and greater rewards (measurable goals and feelings related to victory and status), Freud believed in certain â€Å"drives† (Holowchak, p. 701) that serve as a spark and a conduit for, ultimately, all human behavior—including the play/sport dialectic. As with all psychoanalytic theory, the basis of drives is compelling (fascinating), but nebulous, to say the least. Unless, of course, one views those drives through an evolutionary prism. I’ve always had the gut feeling that many of Freud’s ideas piggybacked—to one extent or another—on the backs of Darwinian evolutionary theory and biology. In this case, the drives Freud speaks of are what Darwin would more simply refer to as survival mechanisms. Those mechanisms run the gamut from reproductive instincts to psychic survival processes which, in the latter, take the form of play, games, and ultimately, sport. I recently watched an episode of a program on Animal Planet detailing the attempts of an animal biologist to get two orphaned lion cubs to hunt by using a rag doll version of a mammal of some kind as substitute prey. He would drag the doll around the yard and the cubs would chase after it and pounce in playful abandon. He then took a piece of meat and dragged it around the yard—when the cubs were good and hungry—in the same fashion in an attempt at operant conditioning that, hopefully, would transfer to the wild (the goal was to eventually release the cubs). Similarly, human beings play games that serve multiple functions which are equally necessitated by basic needs (in the case of the cubs, hunger and survival). For human beings those needs are as complex as the human mind itself and every bit as deserving of study—even if it is just a game. Martin Luther said, â€Å"Feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving†¦;† and feelings—emotions—are also supremely multifaceted, slippery, transient, and as predictable as they are unpredictable. Feelings register virtually instantly through our autonomic nervous system which includes virtually every major organ in the body and leads to everything from clenched jaws to hairs standing up on the back of your neck. In any sort of performance—specifically sports—these physiological markers are many times kicked into high gear and being able to control and funnel them into an appropriate response that maximizes that performance takes skill learned through practice. But not all negative emotions hinder performance, just as not all positive emotions enhance it (Kouli, Bebestos, Kamperis Papaioannou, p. 108). Similarly, studies have shown that despite repetition of a particular task in a sports setting, being able to demonstrate fluency—even supremacy—of that task in a non-competitive situation (i. e. , practice) is no predictor of the athlete’s triumphalism in a real game situation. As Philadelphia 76er guard Allen Iverson once said emphatically, sarcastically, and repeatedly (ad nausea), â€Å"I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and yet we’re in here talking about practice. Not the game, but practice. Not the actual game that I go out and die for†¦and play every game like it’s my last, but practice. Practice. We’re talking about practice. Not a game, but practice†¦. † When dealing with the emotions evoked by the sometimes high drama of athletic competition, another factor must also be kept in mind: the context of an actual game and its attendant emotions are a two-way street. Emotions are a factor both before and during a game, and during a game the roller coaster of emotions can mediate and facilitate either failure or success because your emotions are not only having an internal biological effect on you, they are having a reciprocal social effect on your teammates, the other team, and the crowd (which is either magnified or diluted depending on whether you’re playing a home or away game—the infamous â€Å"12th man† at Qwest Field in Seattle, WA is a case in point). The key emotion that comes into play in most studies of athletic competition—be they individual sports like tennis, or a team sport like soccer—is confidence. But even confidence has subjective determinants and modifiers that ultimately show it has only a moderate, though positive, relationship to winning (Kouli, Bebestos, Kamperis Papaioannou, p. 108). When measured after a game, barometers for confidence are typically higher than when measured before a game. This brings up the two-way street concept again; it seems as though, when it comes to confidence, success on the pitch influences state of mind much more than that same state of mind acts as a predictor of the aforementioned success (Kouli, Bebestos, Kamperis Papaioannou, p. 108). Also, as the KBK P study points out, again, on p. 108, the specific kind of emotions, such as optimal-pleasant, optimal-unpleasant, and dysfunctional-pleasant, actually have a positive correlation on confidence, and only dysfunctional-unpleasant have a negative effect. Moreover, confidence can lead to cockiness, which can also lead to a state of mind whereby the athlete doesn’t take his or her opponent seriously. This can result in â€Å"lack of alertness, focus, and/or carelessness. † The trick then, is to harness the optimum performance enhancing states of mind (while avoiding physical injury, of course) on your own so as to block out other negative performance modifiers; to get in the zone, so to speak (Harmison, p. 5). The cognitive and behavioral skills needed to accomplish this task can be learned (also according to Harmison). The type of sport being engaged in also has a mediating impact. Individual sports, like extreme sports, for example, typically appeal to performers that are extroverts who have a high degree of openness to experience (Tok, p. 1106). So here we see that personality plays a key role in both the absorption and application of the specific emotions needed to maintain optimal performance standards. As Harmison points out, p. 8, â€Å"†¦emotion serves two primary functions: mobilizing and organizing energy. † Again, this is a dual process. Emotions can help or hinder in the mobilizing/organizing process. Players who already have a leg up on mastering that skill—by virtue of their personalities—will be better able to focus on this learned task; as well, they will be able to better gage and apply the required amount of intensity needed to complete the assignment. Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis is another elite athlete who comes to mind when thinking about this phenomenon. If you’ve ever seen Lewis’s pregame ritual, you know it hasn’t changed in close to 15 years of NFL competition. He literally works himself, and more importantly—for this ultimate team sport—his teammates into a quasi-religious/spiritual frenzy (indeed, Lewis is an ordained minister) that has made the Ravens pro football’s top defensive team (along with the equally mighty Pittsburgh Steelers) over the past decade—and got them a Lombardi Super Bowl trophy in 2001. The Tok study also verified that when it comes to personality, those who score higher on the neuroticism scale of the Big Five personality traits were less likely to participate in individual extreme sports. This suggests that people with a greater ability to stay calm, cool, and collected in the eye of the storm are also the people who can summon the needed winning states of mind and keep control over them in order to accomplish their goals. External factors (crowd, noise, internal mind frame, social connections to teammates—if applicable, among others) are all part and parcel of the endeavor of athletic competition. But one key motivating factor for performance hasn’t yet been mentioned. Simply put, coaching has been found to be a correlational factor in the success and continuation of performers in athletics—especially team sports. And the younger the athlete, the more, it would seem, because of developmental issues as well, a coach would have an impact on his/her players. As David McClelland has pointed out, â€Å"The need for achievement is the spark that ignites economic growth, scientific progress, inspirational leadership, and masterpieces in the creative arts (from Weiten, p. 315). † McClelland could also easily have included elite sports in that pantheon of human creation. Sports are above all, a metaphor for the human struggle in all of those other areas. And nowhere does that metaphor hit closer to home than in the hierarchical, yet symbiotic relationship between a player and his/her coach. The perceptions an athlete has of the job being done by their coach in creating the optimal practice and game environment is a key—but certainly not the only—component of victory in athletic competition (Ntoumanis, Taylor Thorgersen-Ntoumani, p. 213). The reason coaches get fired many times has more to do with these perceptions than with actually winning. The level of talent on the team, and the coach’s perceived ability to harness that talent as well as bring out the latent talent in a team and fuse it into a cohesive unit that functions as one is constantly being evaluated—by peer coaches, management, and, most importantly, the team itself. One component of that constant evaluative process is measurement of players’ â€Å"behavioral investment† in the game, practice, and the team. This is the social-cognitive view of motivation used by Ntoumanis, Taylor Thorgersen-Ntoumani in their study.