Category: Life & Experiences 1502

The degree of the conformity is governed by elements such as the sources age and state, instantaneity, and the number of persons in the group to whom the observer was exposed, according to suggested biological considerations. Conformity is influenced by social variables such as a change in views or conduct in order to fit into a group. This change occurs in reaction to actual or imagined collective pressures, such as the pressure of social standards and expectations (Kendall, 2017). Environmental elements that impact conformity include bigger group size, consensus, strong group cohesiveness, and perceived higher group status, which have all been linked to enhanced relevance. The instant presence of a team, in my opinion, is the foundation for continuous compliance (Kendall, 2017). When people think they have something in common with the individual making a claim, they are more likely to cooperate.

If I had been a participant in the Asch, I would have complied due to peer pressure, but I would have given an inaccurate response because the answer was already evident. Peer pressure may have a significant impact on your decision-making process. According to the findings of the Asch Conformity Experiments, over 75% of those who took part in the conformity tests went along with the rest of the group at least once (Kendall, 2017). After combining the trials, it was discovered that almost one-third of the time, participants followed the wrong group response.

I would consider myself to be a conformist to the social norms of western culture. Although conformity is a neutral viewpoint, it can aid in the resolution of some societal issues. A persons desire to fit in with a social group might interfere with their capacity to make ethical or safe judgments in some circumstances of conformity. People are affected by their peers because they desire to blend in with their peers, such as coworkers they like, and do or have what they do (Kendall, 2017). I remain conformist within the spectrum that does not justify any physical violence towards others. It is vital for a group to demand some level of uniformity from its members, since knowing conformity allows you to get insight into the reasons why some people follow the group. Even though their alternatives appear to be out of character. It can also aid in seeing how the actions of other people may influence the decisions people make.

Reference

Kendall, D. E. (2017). Sociology in our times (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.

The purpose of a power snatch is to raise the bar as quickly and as heavy as possible from the ground to an overhead position. This technique is used widely in both CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting since it is foundational in both sports. Weightlifting movements such as the power clean and the power snatch involve raising the to the shoulders and then lifting it directly above the head (Suchomel et al., 98-105). The power snatch necessitates a louder impact because it requires greater momentum to fling the bar over your head effectively.

Keep your feet and hip width apart in a wide stance with your toes pointing slightly outward. Holding the bar with a pronated grip that is shoulder-width or slightly wider, perform a squat until your hips are below your shoulders (Suchomel et al., 98-105). Make the jerk and clean an alternative to hang power clean such that the bar is just above your knees when you begin the exercise.

Make an initial pull by stretching your hips and knees to their maximum potential. For this exercise, try to keep your back and hips neutral or slightly arched at a 90-degree angle concerning the floor. Focus on maintaining a straight spine as you lift the barbell. Keep your shoulders above the bar and your elbows fully extended. Raising and pushing your hips forward while slightly flexing your knees will help you elevate the bar until its just above your knees (Suchomel et al., 98-105). Maintain a flat middle foot as you shift your weight forward and bend at the knees. Once the transition is complete, the body is ready for the following round of exercises.

Catching the bar on the anterior deltoids and clavicles, similar to the posture used in the catch phase of the front squat, is how the catch phase of the power clean is performed. While flexing your hips and knees, rotate your elbows and hands beneath the bar. While gripping the bar, make sure your elbows are bent, your wrists are hyperextended, and your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Then, once youve completed the rep, swivel around the bar to release the tension on your deltoids and clavicles before lowering it gradually toward your knees.

Slowly bend your hips and knees simultaneously to put the bar back on the floor with little risk of injuring yourself (Suchomel et al., 98-105). Deviations in technique include; toe landings, not engaging your back and core before an athlete, tacking on the weight, and grabbing the bar with your arms.

It would be best to put your feet beneath the bar and your quads near parallel to where you are standing before commencing the first step of the power snatch. Make sure your arms are relaxed, and your traps extended. In the second step, all you have to do is lift the bars with your legs while keeping your arms and back straight. Keep your shoulders pointing toward the bar and your chest facing forward while completing the lift.

The development of the legs and straightening of the torso is part of the third phase (Suchomel et al., 98-105). Exercise performed with shoulders lifted but bars held extremely near to the torso. The legs are not fully stretched even though Steps 5 and 6 have a forceful upward burst. The bars motion, not the arm pull, is what causes the arms to bend, squatting to just below bar height with arms fully locked is needed for the final representative.

In conclusion, the power snatch and all of the other Olympic lifts are aimed at increasing an athletes power output. Lifting as much weight as possible is discouraged as a result. The key criteria for assessing progress should not be weight but rather acceleration. While some of the usefulness of the power clean as a strength-building exercise has waned, it is still a good option (Suchomel et al., 98-105). When incorporated into a training regimen, the power snatch and clean, on the other hand, can enhance athletic performance.

Work Cited

Suchomel, Timothy J., et al. The Power Clean and Power Snatch From the Knee. Strength & Conditioning Journal, vol. 38, no. 4, 2016, pp. 98-105.

Introduction

Recent technological advancement has greatly influenced the way people communicate and interact. Online communication is now becoming a trendy way of passing information. Having noticed this new mode of interaction, some developers have decided to take the opportunity of this new form of interaction and developed dating apps that enable people to find dating partners with a click of a mouse easily. Most of these apps have been a great success since they solve the social pressure associated with meeting a new person for the first time. Introverted people and those who lack proper communication skills frequent these sites in an attempt to find potential dating partners. Dating apps are easy to open and use, making many people frequent them. Some of the most popular sites today include; Tinder, Bumble, Plenty of Fish, Love it Out There, and the days of blind dates. People use dating sites since they are easily accessible due to the advancement of technology; however, these platforms have numerous consequences.

Why Do People Use Online Dating Sites?

Technology

Almost all people agree that the growth of online dating to meet new potential partners has been influenced by telecommunication advancements. Johnson et al. (2017) support this argument by pointing out that The growth in online dating is due in part to the advancement and adoption of new technologies (p. 60). The convenience that comes with this new technology and the reduction of the hustle of having to get out has been a big motivation for people to join these applications. Moreover, it has become a habit for many people to remain at home with their phones in the past few years. This intensified in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with technology and dating apps becoming the only way for people to achieve romance, as portrayed in media referred to as romance plots (Portolan & McAlister, 2022). Thanks to technology, dating apps are becoming the preferred means of meeting and hooking up with potential mates. This trend is more likely to increase as algorithms continue to improve and link compatible people.

They are Shy or Introverted

Regardless of their personality traits, many people have benefited from online dating platforms. Kreager et al. (2014) observe that over the past decade, online dating has become a highly visible form of mate selection (p. 388). The shy and introverted people who like to remain calm, stay in solitude and avoid awkward situations have benefitted the most. When interviewed, people categorized as introverted or neuroticism said they feel more confident interacting online than in face-to-face situations (Pernokis, 2018). Studies have shown that shyness has been a significant reason people join dating sites, especially shyness associated with younger women who want to date older men and older men who wish to date younger women (Johnson et al., 2017). Shyness has also been associated with using other social media platforms and thus can be safely agreed to be a primary reason people use online dating.

They Belong to a Certain Minority Group

Heterosexual relationships are more acceptable in most societies, unlike other forms, such as those that belong to LGB communities. For people who belong to gay communities going out and meeting potential mates in a population in which they are the minority could prove to be a hard task. However, with just a few settings on their dating apps, they could easily have their potential mates sorted out from a large, mostly heterosexual group. For this reason, more than half of the members of the LGBTQ community use dating sites (Conway et al., 2015). Unique applications have been set out that only serve the LGBTQ community. One of these apps is Grindr, which is dedicated to gay men and enables them to chat easily, evaluate potential mates and pursue inmate encounters with them (Johnson et al., 2017). Homosexual men and women have a greater chance of finding mates online due to their more broadened age category than heterosexual ones (Conway et al., 2015). For these reasons, people who belong to the LGB communities frequent dating services more than other populations.

Consequences of Online Dating

Catfishing and Scamming

Online dating, however, comes with its fine share of blemishes. One of the most significant disadvantages facing this form of dating is scamming, often executed through catfishing. This type of scam is executed by a person impersonating another person by using their pictures and social media profiles (Whitty, 2013). This type of deception is relatively new and is closely related to online impersonation and phishing (Simmons & Lee, 2020). Although some people who do this impersonation do it for fun, many of them are scammers who seek to take advantage of these web applications. Those seeking to make financial gains through these dating sites use the scammers persuasion technique model, where they follow a series of well-laid steps before finally scamming their targets (Whitty, 2013). Catfishing makes many people avoid applications and puts this form of dating at risk of total failure.

Communication Challenges

Conveying information in person and online communication are significantly different due to their nature. While traditional face-to-face communication allows a person to see the other person and gauge their emotions and feeling using non-verbal cues, online communication is more rigid, often relying on texts. Although advancements continue to be made, such as video calls, it is still hard to express feelings and emotions through online dating platforms (Smith & Duggan, 2013). Since texts are the most common way to share information on dating sites, they lack interactivity, and the question-and-answer way of communicating makes the process feel like an inquiry session (Ferri et al., 2020). Regardless of its lack of emotions, online dating has positively affected those who consider it to be useful (Sullivan et al., 2020). It should be noted that recent technological advancements which allow efficient video communications have to a large degree, helped solve this problem.

Conclusion

Dating sites are popular today since they are easy to open, and there is enough technology to support them and helps shy people express themselves, but they come with their fair share of negative consequences. The sites continued to become more popular with each technological improvement and were mainly catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sites benefit all people, particularly those whose way of dating is not very acceptable, the shy, and those with difficulty finding partners. Unethical practices such as catfishing are popular on these sites, with scammers using all techniques to gain financial gains from subscribers. Miscommunication is common when texting online, but the recent access to video calls is mitigating this challenge.

References

Conway, J. R., Noe, N., Stulp, G., & Pollet, T. V. (2015). Finding your Soulmate: Homosexual and heterosexual age preferences in online dating. Personal Relationships, 22(4), 666-678.

Ferri, F., Grifoni, P., & Guzzo, T. (2020). Online learning and emergency remote teaching: Opportunities and challenges in emergency situations. Societies, 10(4), 86.

Johnson, K., Vilceanu, M. O., & Pontes, M. C. (2017). Use of online dating websites and dating apps: Findings and implications for LGB populations. Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness, 11(3), 60-66.

Kreager, D. A., Cavanagh, S. E., Yen, J., & Yu, M. (2014). Where have all the good men gone? Gendered interactions in online dating. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76(2), 387-410.

Pernokis, D. (2018). Dating life experiences: An exploratory study of the interrelationships between personality, online dating and subjective well-being.

Portolan, L., & McAlister, J. (2022). Jagged Love: Narratives of Romance on Dating Apps during COVID-19. Sexuality & Culture, 26(1), 354-372.

Simmons, M., & Lee, J. S. (2020). Catfishing: A look into online dating and impersonation.

In Ahmed, S. L., Irshad, H.O., Demirel, I. Y. Tumer, and Duffy, V.G. (eds.) International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 349-358). Springer, Cham. Web.

Sullivan, K. T., Riedstra, J., Arellano, B., Cardillo, B., Kalach, V., & Ram, A. (2020). Online communication and dating relationships: Effects of decreasing online communication on feelings of closeness and relationship satisfaction. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 37(8-9), 2409-2418.

Smith, A. W., & Duggan, M. (2013). Online dating & relationship. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.

Whitty, M. T. (2013). The scammers persuasive techniques model: Development of a stage model to explain the online dating romance scam. British Journal of Criminology, 53(4), 665-684.

In her TED Talk, Julie Lythcott-Haims discusses important ideas about raising children who are successful without overparenting them. Therefore, the main notion that she challenges in American parenting is that there is a fear that parents have regarding the need to be involved in every aspect of their childrens life. They fear that their child cannot be successful if they do not receive the protection from them and preventing mistakes at every turn (TED Talks Live, 2015). Hovering over every happening and micromanaging every moment, and steering their children toward a small subset of professional development is an issue.

The basis of the argument is that overprotective and hovering children creates an expectation for an unaccomplishable degree of perfection that parents have never been asked to perform at themselves. Being a kid in a checklisted childhood does more harm than good because they do not have enough free time and are being constantly pushed by their parents who do not understand that their desire for kids to be happy is exhibited in a wrong way (). Therefore, happiness for young adults is not measured by their success at educational institutions.

The speakers argument can be put in action in any context because it entails parents recognizing that their children can and should be independent to become successful. They should be allowed to make their own choices with parents fearing that they will screw up. There are enough problems that adolescents and young adults experience, such as peer pressure, issues with gender identity, family struggles, and others (Linacre, 2014). Thus, kids should be given more freedom while parent should not hover but instead guide and give advice.

References

Linacre, Q. (2014). The impact of family structure on the health of children: Effects of divorce. The Linacre Quarterly, 81(4): 378-387.

TED Talks Live. (2015). How to raise successful kids  without over-parenting [Video]. Ted.

The webinar Mindful self-compassion: Heart skills for our families and ourselves in challenging times explores important strategies for finding solace after making mistakes in life. The session addresses the need for self-compassion, which is integral in establishing kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. Self-Compassion is treating oneself with empathy and understanding as one would treat another person when they have made the wrong decision in life (Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 2020). This concept faults self-judgment, considering that it promotes forgiveness and rediscovery. Self-judgment is disregarded since it results in withdrawal and self-criticism, enhancing spite and fear (Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 2020). The lessons learned, establishing resilience through compassion, and educators roles in supporting families are addressed.

Key Points Learned

Self-compassion is being able to block people from breaking the boundary in ones life by using the hand gesture rule of saying no. This ability enables one to filter out the things and people they allow in their lives, increasing well-being. Some aspects that enhance well-being include being in an environment of joy, self-satisfaction, emotional resilience, and intelligence (Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 2020). In addition, self-compassion decreases mental health problems such as anxiety and depression since it reduces shame, regret, guilt, and condemnation that come after a setback.

Additionally, self-compassion also initiates healing which is associated with improved physical health. Through self-forgiveness, an individual can adopt a healthy lifestyle and more satisfying relationships considering that they will be able to reciprocate compassion (Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 2020). This concept aligns with the principle of meditation since this also prescribes mindfulness to initiate emotional calmness and stability. Meditation encompasses compassion and taking time to redo what brings regrets in life.

The role of Mindful Self-compassion in Building Resilience in Families

Activities such as self-compassion help establish coping mechanisms since it steers mindful thoughts. Some mindful thinking about suffering is that it is a phase that will pass, and suffering is part of greatness (Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 2020). Families practicing mindfulness and compassion help one realize that suffering is a phase that will end someday (Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 2020). This reassurance helps a person persevere during adversity, which helps build resilience. Another important role of compassion is that it strengthens the hope for a better tomorrow, considering that family members learn adversities are part of future greatness. Therefore, these strategies can build toughness within families going through different situations in life.

How Educators can support Families

Educators act as advocates to help families deal with the adversities of life. Some of the mechanisms proposed include encouraging family unity during a crisis so that the family works as a unit to endure the process (Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 2020). Finding the right balance for everyone is integral to dealing with a crisis since it ensures that every member takes responsibility for others emotional status. For instance, educators should encourage families to value relations, minimize external toxins that may affect relationships, and spend time together and sometimes alone when the need arises (Brazelton Touchpoints Center, 2020). They should also encourage individual members to be entitled to some moments of peace in their lives. Therefore, anything affecting this peace should not be tolerated since it defies the concept of Mindful self-compassion.

Mindful self-compassion is an integral life skill that helps individuals focus on their feelings through Self-awareness. Some of the interventions promoted by this principle include letting go of toxic relationships, learning to forgive, and appreciating the life process. This copying mechanism also establishes a positive outlook on suffering, strengthening how people view lifes adversities. Through this concept, educators support families by encouraging principles such as the value of relations, cutting toxic ties, and choosing peace over guilt.

Reference

Brazelton Touchpoints Center (2020). Mindful self-compassion: Heart skills for our families and ourselves in challenging times (Video). YouTube. Web.

Introduction

Steroids are drugs used to reduce inflammation in the body that are synthetic copies of hormones that the adrenal glands produce. Steroids, in addition to their anti-inflammatory properties, can help improve an individuals athletic performance, which leads to their widespread use among professional athletes. This is the main argument of the supporters advocating for the use of steroids among athletes. However, the Major Baseball League was involved in a scandal involving the usage of steroids by sportsmen to improve their performance throughout the 1990s and the 2000s. This controversy is linked to the adverse effects of steroids and the harm they cause to a persons body.

Steroids

Steroids are medications that are applied to decrease inflammation in ones body. These medications are synthetic versions of hormones naturally produced by the adrenal glands. Apart from the anti-inflammatory properties, steroids can help enhance the athletic performance of individuals, which results in the widespread use of this medication among professional athletes. Between the 1990s and 2000s, the Major Baseball League has had a scandal linked to the use of steroids by athletes, which allowed them to enhance their performance. This paper will examine steroids, their effect on the body, and the Major Baseball Leagues use of steroids. Steroids are not allowed for use in professional sports due to the substantial side effects that they cause, despite the benefits of enhanced performance.

Opposing Position

The argument opposing the restriction of the use of steroids is based on the benefits of this medication and the effect that it has on muscle strength and performance. Steroids are a type of medication developed from the blueprint of a hormone that a human body produces. Steroids are synthetic alternatives of hormones that are naturally generated by the adrenal glands, which are two small glands located above the kidneys (NHS, n.d.). Steroids diminish redness and swelling when taken at more significant levels than a persons body typically generates, which is why these medications are prescribed to reduce inflammation. This can aid in the treatment of inflammatory disorders such as asthma and eczema (NHS, n.d.). Steroids also suppress the immune systems functioning, which is the bodys natural defense against disease and infection. This can help when treating autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, which are caused by the immune system attacking the body (NHS, n.d.). However, similar to any medication, steroids should be taken with caution and only if prescribed by a medical professional. Despite this, many athletes have used steroids to enhance their performance, which subjected them to substantial side effects.

Context for the Opposing Position

One reason why athletes often use steroids is the effect of these medications on their performance. Bodybuilders, among other sports professionals, who want to improve their physiques are increasingly turning to performance-enhancing drugs (Fink et al., 2018). However, as the Internet has grown in popularity and regulations preventing the sale of these medications without a prescription, the route of procurement and administration practices has become increasingly perilous. Hence, the side effects and the performance enhancement effects of steroids have been recognized by regulators and organizations overseeing sports competitions, which is why these medications are banned from public access. Athletes undergo screenings to ensure they do not use these medications.

Before the mid-1970s, anabolic steroids were unregulated and widely available from physicians and pharmacies around the world (Fink et al., 2018). The Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 was adopted in the United States, resulting in the expansion of illegal markets and underground laboratories (Fink et al., 2018). The transition from pharmacy to underground websites for anabolic steroid procurement resulted in an increase in bogus goods with low purity and the potential to threaten the health of anabolic steroid users. Thus, apart from the apparent side effects of the uncontrolled use of steroids, there is an issue of using this medication that was produced without proper governmental control. People supporting the use of steroids may appeal to the fact that these medications are now available to people from unofficial suppliers, which is more dangerous.

Underground laboratories emerged both locally and in nations with loose legal frameworks. Anabolic steroid tourism and huge networks of internet resellers arose, leading to the legalization of illicit anabolic steroid procurement (Fink et al., 2018). Furthermore, the increased circulation of anecdotal information on the Internet among anabolic steroid user forums results in increased ignorance and harmful practice. All in all, this leads to the cases of steroids misuse and peoples health being harmed due to uncontrolled use of steroids. The amounts and methods of administration advocated on these forums are based on unverified information that may be inaccurate and misleading to persons who lack a medical background and cannot obtain guidance from their physician.

Restriction of the Use of Steroids

Doping with anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is prevalent among both male and female athletes, and it is becoming a serious public health issue. The use of AAS in female athletes has been linked to side effects such as acne, hirsutism, voice deepening, and menstruation abnormalities; life-threatening side effects such as cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death have also been documented (Huang & Basaria, 2018). As a result, detecting AAS usage in female athletes is critical to ensuring fairness in competition. Moreover, the use of detection practices is vital to preserving the health and lives of these athletes because, as was discussed in the previous paragraphs, the information on steroids available online is usually misleading and not based on empirical evidence. At the same time, athletes should be taught about the negative repercussions of AAS use (Huang & Basaria, 2018). Although exogenous androgen injection has been linked to ergogenic effects, it is uncertain if endogenous hyperandrogenism is exhibited in some medical illnesses such as disorders of sexual development (DSD), congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and polycystic ovary syndrome is ergogenic (Huang & Basaria, 2018). Even among the medical professionals community, there are many gaps in understanding how steroids work and how they affect ones body.

Some studies have already confirmed the adverse effect of AAS use. Although exogenous androgen administration has been linked to ergogenic effects, it is unclear whether endogenous hyperandrogenism is seen in some medical conditions such as disorders of sexual development (DSD), congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and polycystic ovary syndrome confers any competitive advantage (Huang & Basaria, 2018). In general, more research is required to determine all the effects of AAS on the human body and particularly on the athletes bodies, considering that this medication is often used without medical supervision.

Context and Major League Athletes Steroids Scandal

Major League Baseball is one of the athletic organizations that was accused of the use of steroids. According to Palmerino (2021), Major League Baseball (MLB) is an American professional baseball league based in Midtown Manhattan, New York. Moreover, MLB is the oldest professional sports league in the United States and Canada, having been founded in 1876 (Palmerino, 2021). It is divided into two leagues, the American League and the National League, with thirty teams participating between April and October of each year. Teams compete in a 162-game season, with five teams from each league qualifying for a playoff tournament building up to the World Series Championship clash between the league champions (Palmerino, 2021). Considering Major League Baseballs long history, the league has experienced a number of crises and scandals that have jeopardized its organizational stability, one of which was linked to the use of steroids by athletes.

The MBL has had several scandals, and some linked to teams being paid to lose, while others involved the unauthorized use of medications, which has harmed the reputation of this league. According to Gonyeau (2021), data gathered over the last several years suggest that baseballs popularity has begun to fall in comparison to other sports such as football and basketball. While this problem may be ascribed to a variety of factors related to baseball, MLB has experienced several major crises that have jeopardized its place as one of North Americas main sports leagues. When the steroid and Houston Astros cheating scandals arose, the leagues popularity experienced a significant decrease (Palmerino, 2021). This shows that the publics response to the athletes steroid use is adverse, and therefore, such practices are harmful not only to the people using steroids but to the businesses that support this approach.

One of the most contentious issues in professional sports history is the usage of steroids and other performance-enhancing substances (PEDs). According to Preiato (2019), the usage of these medications provides people, particularly athletes, with various advantages in terms of strength, power, muscular endurance, and improved recovery from workouts, which essentially boosts the ability of these athletes to perform. However, as was previously discussed, steroids carry a number of hazards, including the risk of infection and addiction, among others (Preiato, 2019). The Anabolic Steroids Control Act was approved by the United States Congress in 1990, making steroids a prohibited substance in the United States. Since then, unless they were prescribed by a physician (Axisa, 2022; Bates, 2022). There was no regular drug testing for Major League Baseball players at the time, during the 1990s, and thus, there was no incentive for the players to observe the regulation. For example, Jose Canseco, a known steroid user, led the American League with forty-four home runs in the 1991 MLB season. Three years later, the leagues slugging percentage had risen to.424, its best level since 1930 (Palmerino, 2021). These were unmistakable indications that the league was experiencing a steroid problem as the results of their athletes were remarkable. In 1996, seventeen different players hit at least forty home runs, which is still an MLB record (Palmerino, 2021). The public began to pay attention to the league and its regulations, causing backlash and demands for the leadership to impose rules that would allow monitoring the use of unprescribed medications by athletes.

Conclusion

In summary, this paper presents the arguments that justify the use of steroids by athletes and the position justifying the need to restrict the usage of this medication. In particular, the example of the Major Baseball League shows the public backlash that the use of steroids by athletes causes. Moreover, there are various side effects that uncontrolled use of steroids leads to, which is why these medications cannot be used without prescription in the United States. People who support steroid use may point to the benefits that this medication provides in terms of endurance, muscle strength, and performance.

References

Axisa, M. (2022). Why MLB has stopped testing players for steroids during the owner-imposed lockout. Web.

Bates, D. (2022). Major League Baseball has stopped testing players for steroids. Web.

Gonyeau, M. (2021). Why baseball is losing popularity across the nation. Web.

Fink, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Hackney, A., Matsumoto, M., Maekawa, T., Nakazato, K. & Horie, S. (2019). Anabolic-androgenic steroids: Procurement and administration practices of doping athletes. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 47(1), 10-14.

Huang, G. & Basaria, S. (2018). Do anabolic-androgenic steroids have performance-enhancing effects in female athletes? Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 464(15), 56-64.

NHS. (n.d.). Steroids. Web.

Palmerino, J. (2021). Examining the strategies in response to rises in Major League Baseball. Clark. Web.

Preiato, D. (2019). Are steroids bad for you? Uses, side effects, and dangers. Web.

Introduction and Background

The growth of the internet has resulted in a revolution in business models. Since the emergence of the World Wide Web, many business structures now comprise mobile, electronic, and social elements (Puschmann and Alt, 2016, p. 93). The consumption behaviours have also changed and new trends and concepts such as sharing economy have emerged. The sharing economy is different from the traditional economy because it is based on sharing and using services and products among consumers. Many terminologies have been associated with this emergent phenomenon, including gig economy, platform capitalism, collaborative consumption, and peer-to-peer economy among others (Acquier, Daudigeos, and Pinkse, 2017, pp. 1-2; Zhu, So, and Hudson, 2017, p. 2219; Frenken and Schor, 2019, p. 122). The marketing function has also been thoroughly revolutionised by the sharing economy majorly because marketers have to keep up with their customers. The implications for marketing and have been extensively studied, some researchers claim the drawn conclusions remain unclear (Eckhardt et al., 2019, p. 1). Considering the effect of such a massive change in consumer behaviour, further research into the subject is needed where the future of the economy is assessed.

One of the critical concerns for marketers is customer satisfaction with the services and products offered in the sharing economy. Airbnb is one of the most popular brands in the peer-to-peer economy, specifically in the hospitality industry and accommodation sector (Lalicic and Weismayer, 2018, p. 80). Several case studies on consumer behaviour among the users of Airbnb have been published. The focus of the proposed research is to explore the development of the sharia economy from the perspective of consumer satisfaction and using Airbnb in Singapore as the case study. To accomplish this study, the key questions should be answered, including why consumers of Airbnb want to consume the services again and why they remain loyal. Additionally, the question of what their levels of satisfaction are with the various characteristics of Airbnb needs to be explored.

Literature Review

Airbnb has been extensively studied because of its popularity and the hype around the sharing economy. However, it is important to acknowledge that not all studies focus exclusively on consumer satisfaction. Additionally, it can also be argued that many concepts can be used to highlight or insinuate how happy consumers are with the company. The focus of this literature review is to acknowledge what has been done so far and to chart the course for the proposed research. Much of the literature explores the experiences of the users. For example, Sthapit (2018, p. 3) finds that value co-destruction has been a feature of Airbnb because of poor customer service. The concept of value co-creation is used in instances where stakeholders in a transaction mutually create scenarios that benefit all involved. Value co-destruction is the reverse situation arising from failed attempts in value co-creation. Therefore, Sthapit (2018, p. 3) can be viewed as one of those researchers finding some consumers dissatisfied with the services of Airbnb.

Poor customer service has emerged as a common theme among some researchers. In addition to the findings of Sthapit (2018, p. 3), other scholars find that Airbnb customer service is poor. The result has been the creation of distrust towards the company (Sthapit and Björk, 2019, p. 245; Sthapit and Bjørk, 2020, p. 1; Sthapit, Björk, and Barreto, 2020, p. 1; Ahmed, Ragheb, and Tantawi, 2020, p. 189). Other scholars have focused on the antecedents of customer experience and satisfaction. For example, Liang, Choi, and Joppe, (2018, p. 41) find that transaction-based satisfaction affected experience-based satisfaction. Such results indicate that the transactional value of the Airbnb services has a direct influence on consumer experiences and, hence, customer satisfaction. According to Lee and Kim (2018, p. 1346), satisfaction with services and customer engagement at Airbnb was influenced differently by the utilitarian and hedonic value of the services. Therefore, it is evident that Airbnb has been the subject of scrutiny from scholars.

Some studies presented contrasting results regarding customer experiences and satisfaction with Airbnb. For example, Li, Hudson, and So, 2019, p. 410) find that home benefits, authenticity, personalised services, and social connections are the major dimensions that influence both consumer experience and future purchase intentions. Additionally, Mao and Lyu (2017) have established that there are certain aspects, including unique expectation and familiarity have a positive influence on repurchase intentions among Airbnb customers. With such conflicting views, it is important to explore the concept further to reach better conclusions. The rationale is that the sharing economy continues to grow as businesses perceive is as a strategic platform for profitability (Altinay and Taheri, 2018, p. 180). The trends in consumer behaviour such as the preference for sharing over ownership can be viewed as the key driving forces behind the sharing economy.

Most importantly, the sharing economy is quickly spreading globally and most countries are already embracing it. Airbnb has become a global brand, which has been facilitated by the internet and social media. However, demographic differences across the countries, as well as varied business environments, means that each market could behave differently in terms of the adoption of sharing economy. The case of Singapore has not been explored, which adds to the research gaps that need to be filled.

Methods

The research on customer satisfaction with the sharing economy will be a quantitative study. The rationale is that the key variable, customer satisfaction, can be quantified. The scientific nature of quantitative studies makes them more credible. Appropriate measures of satisfaction with Airbnb services will be developed. Currently, the COVID-19 has made movements difficult and restricted. Therefore, the main mode of data collection will be surveys, which can be conducted online. A sample of 500 current and former users of Airbnb services in Singapore will be used as a representative of the population. Since the population has been specified, random sampling can be used, which will have the effect of eliminating researcher bias.

Several quantitative data analysis approaches will also be deployed in proposed study. First, descriptive statistics will highlight the demographic profile of the respondents. Additionally, descriptive statistics will be used to express the levels of satisfaction with Airbnb among the respondents. There are several antecedents of consumer satisfaction that will be included in the data collection. Therefore, further statistical analysis will include the use of regression and correlation analysis to establish the relationship between the variables. In regression analysis, the relationship between the independent and dependent variable is examined. Correlation analysis focuses on all the variables, meaning relationships between the antecedent variables can also be explored. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) will be used to undertake these statistical analyses.

Reference List

Acquier, A., Daudigeos, T. and Pinkse, J. (2017) Promises and paradoxes of the sharing economy: an organizing framework, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 125, pp. 1-10.

Ahmed, G., Ragheb, M. and Tantawi, I. (2020) Motives and barriers of Airbnb users: Findings from mixed-methods approach, The Business and Management Review, 11(1), pp. 186-198.

Altinay, L. and Taheri, B. (2018) Emerging themes and theories in the sharing economy: a critical note for hospitality and tourism, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(4), pp. 180-193.

Eckhardt, G. et al. (2019) Marketing in the sharing economy, Journal of Marketing, 83(5), pp. 1-23.

Frenken, K. and Schor, J. (2019) Putting the sharing economy into perspective, in O. Mont (Ed.). A research agenda for Sustainable Consumption Governance. Lund: Elgar Research, pp. 121-135.

Lalicic, L. and Weismayer, C. (2018) A model of tourists loyalty: the case of Airbnb, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 9(1), pp. 80-93.

Lee, S. and Kim, D. (2018) The effect of hedonic and utilitarian values on satisfaction and loyalty of Airbnb users, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(3), pp. 1332-1351.

Liang, L., Choi, H. and Joppe, M. (2018) Exploring the relationship between satisfaction, trust and switching intention, repurchase intention in the context of Airbnb, International Journal of Hospitality Management, 69, pp. 41-48.

Li, J., Hudson, S. and So, K. (2019) Exploring the customer experience with Airbnb, International Journal of Culture and Hospitality Research, 13(4), pp. 410-429.

Mao, Z. and Lyu, J. (2017) Why travellers use Airbnb again?: An integrative approach to understanding, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management travellers repurchase intention, 29(9), pp. 2464-2482.

Puschmann, T. and Alt, R. (2016) Sharing Economy, Business and Information Systems Engineering, 58(1), pp. 93-99.

Sthapit, E. (2018) My bad for wanting to try something unique: sources of value co-destruction in the Airbnb context, Current Issues in Tourism, 22(20), pp. 2462-2465.

Sthapit, E. and Björk, P. (2019) Sources of distrust: Airbnb guests perspectives, Tourism Management Perspectives, 31, pp. 245-253.

Sthapit, E. and Bjørk, P. (2020) Interactive value formation: drivers and outcomes from Airbnb guests perspectives, Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, pp. 1-19.

Sthapit, E., Björk, P. and Barreto, J. (2020) Negative memorable experience: North American and British Airbnb guests perspectives, Tourism Review, pp. 1-15.

Zhu, G., So, K. and Hudson, S. (2017) Inside the sharing economy: inside the sharing economy the adoption of mobile applications, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29(9), pp. 2218-2239.

Locomotor skills consist of physical activities such as running, jumping, walking, climbing, and others; therefore, they need to be visually confirmed. Thus, video recording is a primary way of observing and documenting locomotor skills in the specific areas of the classroom during the whole day or at a particular time. Video recording equipment can be attached to different surfaces or even the ceiling, depending on the classroom size, visibility zone, and the presence of obstacles. Therefore, this plan requires the availability of small and light cameras with sufficient integrated data storage to record and keep the information during the whole day. This is necessary to keep the video recording equipment undisturbed and ensure the continuous recording process without interruptions, as the relevant material can be overlooked if the process is paused during the day. Moreover, the quality of recording equipment should be sufficient to observe the application of locomotor skills in detail.

The cameras should be attached to the surfaces from which they will provide the maximum visibility and turned on prior to the daily classroom routine to catch as much material as possible. After the classes, the equipment can be detached, and data can be transferred to other devices for further use. Wearables of a different sort can also help observe and document the application of locomotor skills. According to Duking et al. (2018), wearable sensors allow high-resolution monitoring of a variety of relevant psychophysiological markers of internal and external load; minimally or non-invasive collection of data; rapid evaluation of this data; measurements in a variety of different settings. If it is possible to make the observed subjects wear the relevant devices in the classroom during the day, then even more specific and valuable data on the application of their locomotor skills can be gathered.

Reference

Düking, P., Achtzehn, S., Holmberg, H-C., & Sperlich, B. (2018). Integrated framework of load monitoring by a combination of smartphone applications, wearables and point-of-care testing provides feedback that allows individual responsive adjustments to activities of daily living. Sensors, 18(5), 1632.

Higher Ground is a daily dining attraction on Melbournes western outskirts. The previous power stations vacant brick structure was occupied to build six new connecting levels that wrap around the circumference to create a suite of compact stacked platforms. The existing site lacked essential building utilities, necessitating a sophisticated and thoughtful integrative fit-out to accommodate a kitchen and restrooms and meet hydraulic and mechanical requirements in an environmentally friendly way. In addition, the fit-outs allow the volumes spatial features to be viewed and experienced from every seat (Higher Ground, 2020). The rich and tactile palette includes painted steel, black fiberboard, terrazzo, cork, stone, and solid woods to define and anchor each environment. Layers of vegetation, rugs, furniture, and lighting adorn the levels, providing consumers with various seating alternatives.

Higher Ground stretches the limits of what people think of a café experience. Breakfast at the restaurant include slow-cooked market fish. Cured kingfish, a charcuterie variety and charred brussels sprouts are among the small plates available. Waiters dress up in uniformed shirts, and they look elegant with long hair is pulled back in a bun. Customers comfort and perceptions are also influenced by lighting, as their biological, physical, and emotional states will differ depending on whether the illumination is more subtle or brighter. The roofs are fifteen meters high, providing plenty of natural light (Higher Ground, 2020). A lengthy stainless-steel bar is also available for preparing coffee and exotic teas and dispensing wine and cocktails.

The restaurants interior is attractive; uncovered brickwork and green marbles are used throughout a multi-level room with an elevated area, an open kitchenette, and a spacious mezzanine with couches, tables, and a bar. The modern construction interventions are meant to conflict with the original brickwork and concrete features (Higher Ground, 2020). The stairwells in midnight blue are represented as bold symmetrical steel forms confronting the towering columns that support the residential complex above. The interior colors of a restaurant should be selected in accordance with the theme and concept of the establishment to attract clients.

Clients will find that unique location where they feel most at ease, whether nestled up on a couch, situated at a bar, or seated at a table in the middle point of the floor. Each sitting in the eatery has a different view up to the vaulting white wooden ceiling, out through the large ancient arched windows, back to the open kitchenette, up to the balcony-like topmost level, and the centre bar and the old brick shell (Scruby, 2017). The space is furnished with mismatched interior decoration ranging from pastel pink and mild olive-green sofas to oak stools and mahogany armchairs to create diverse dining situations.

Metal storage shelves, sideboards, and tables are lined with leafy pot plants. Several tiny trees are strewn over the area while the old brick walls and plumbing are kept exposed, but painted steel, terrazzo, cork, and stone are used to complement them. The restaurant specializes in breakfast and lunch, and the dishes are prepared using high-quality ingredients and served to a high degree. Moreover, the food provided at the venue follows a theme of refreshing green and brightly colored products, which complements the spaces cooling color palette with plants. The personnel are susceptible to customer requests, and considering how occupied they are, they provide prompt service (Scruby, 2017). The menu offers a wide variety of options for customers.

Reference List

Higher Ground (2020).

Scruby, M. (2017) Intimate volume: Higher Ground. Architecture AU. Web.

The Architecture of the Athenian Acropolis

The first scene to hit my eye is the Parthenon with a base ground resembling a rectangle. The temple has ionic columns sculpted by the people from Pheidias. Acropolis is a hill at the center of Athens city where the Parthenon is built. Before Parthenon, the initial plan included building a structure at the facade held in place with six columns. The architects aimed to surpass the temple of the god Zeus to make it a vast Doric temple in Greece. A total of twenty-five columns held the temple at the facade and flank. It is fascinating having columns of eight by seventeen, which even todays constructions have not used. Even though the structure of the columns was uncommon and, in some thoughts, not workable, the architects succeeded in proportioning them at each corner by calculating dimensions and ratios to use through the application of a formula developed by two Italian known by the name Sicily at the end of the sixth century.

The architects finished furnishing the building in 447 AD, precisely after the Pericles order of fifteen years before. Another fantastic architectural work is the Prian marble, a sculpted temple older than the Parthenon because it was built in 415 AD. The constructs of Parian marble have Doric columns, each corner having six columns and thirteen columns on the other side (Hurwit and Jeffrey, 2021, 138). The construction of both Doric temple columns and Parian marble applies the knowledge used in the construction of Pentelic marble, the most noticeable temple in Greece in the 5th century BC. When Parthenon was built, it was declared the center of religious matters in Greece. One of the distinguishing decorative features of the Parthenon is the Ionic frieze, typical only in Athens. The sculpture was designed round at the top of the temple walls, running fifty-seven meters in length.

The sculpture of the Ionic frieze was designed by Pheidias primarily as a sign to show respect to the goddess Athena. Even though the temple of Hephaistos was also designed with an Ionic frieze, it was a Doric comprising triglyphs. Hephaistos temple was considered Theseuss temple because it housed the remains of heroes who lived in Athens in the past. The architectural work of the Greeks made them famous worldwide as architectural engineers who later influenced various constructions in different parts of the world. For instance, the replica of the Parthenon found in Nashville is clear proof of the influence of their work around the globe. Nashville is the capital city of Tennessee State in the United States of America.

Ancient City of Petra

I was amazed at how Petra was carved from the face of rock when I saw it for the first time. It is a creative work in Jordan that I have never succeeded in unraveling the skill used to develop such a carving. The carving is enormous, and the aerial view provides a significant figure from the ground. The pictures and videos create the exact images of Petra deep in my mind, with only questions about how it was carved. At half of the video, I noticed that the rock is composed of different colors that enabled every creature to see it afar due to its unique nature in the area. Despite Petra city being encompassed by desert areas and rugged terrains, it had well-established water management structures that enabled it to model and maintain its beautiful architecture. The city looks extremely beautiful and is a suitable human residence. Many historians and archaeologists refer the Petra city using the word rose since the building blocks are rose in color. Our textbook shows a relationship between the Palace of Shapur I and the act of using blind arcades. However, there were many Roman architectures, such as sculptures in the treasury built with relief columns and intricate capitals. One of the standard interactive monument features in the older Nabataean kingdom is Petra city seems surrounded by rocks that are much harder to break in case of a surprise attack. The scenery is remarkable, especially how the whole set of carvings starts from the stones through sheets and then ends at the washbasins. Several arts across the entire city, including peoples homes, temples, sculptures, and tombs. The skills have different meanings depending on where they have been placed. For example, home carvings have different meanings from temple carvings. Sculptures were primarily used as decorations in areas where they were applied.

Limestone is excellent scenery with unique quality art of carvings that the artists of the ancient city of Petra carved in the whole world. The Corinthian columns with porticos dominate the treasury and always glow red. The arts are rough and tumble because of their age, but they still look attractive to the eye. The style employed in carving modern columns for government houses such as courts is accredited to the carvings in various buildings of Petra.

Caves at Lascaux

The virtual tour to Lascaux Cave in Montignac exposed me to various historical paintings, such as animal and human paintings though there were very few human paintings. The tour analysis is self-explanatory, with illustrations that were worked on with much care and high precision to ensure the real-life picture of the cave is attained online. Real-life situations are more convincing due to the beauty of experience and touch. Some of the beautiful sceneries are not easily noticeable by an adventurer when there is no clear view of sceneries. The images that portrayed the cave pictures were back in the 19^th century. In 1963, people were restricted from accessing the cave after human activities threatened the paintings existence. The site was kept as a tourist attraction site. I realized that their animal paintings were so many throughout the tour compared to other images without explanation or clarification. Some of the most repeated animals in the photographs are oxen, horses, and deer, but the horses sometimes look like donkeys.

There is a bird painted next to another painting in the cave that looks like a young girl, the only painting of a human being across the entire cave. There was a massive painting of oxen that measured sixteen feet high on the wall in the Oxen Room. The Oxen Room is the most oversized in the cave and is considered sacred. The paintings show two groups of oxen facing each other, separated by a distance of twenty meters, and the big oxen standing between the two groups. The big oxen seem to make peace between the two oxen, which is perhaps why the room is considered sacred.

On the other hand, the painting of an ox, deer, and horse in a single illustration and a separate chamber conveys that the three animals were mainly slaughtered for meat and clothing. But out of the three animals, an ox was the most useful to them since it was helpful in household activities like plowing the land. It is worth noting that even though this cave painting scenery seems more of a hunting activity, it had a different use other than that, like religious matters. Some animals were mainly hunted for food, even though the cave paintings provided scanty information about animal hunting because it was against the divinity of the cave. The pre-historic art of animal paintings had a strong spiritual connection with animals that was emotional and helped both humans and animals survive harmoniously. In addition to animal and human relationships, some, like owls, cast a spell on human beings.

Pyramids at Giza

There are many big limestone blocks on the plateau where three towers of pyramids are built. Alongside buildings were small pyramids used as residents by queens, and others were used as tombs for the rich who wanted to be buried among the rich because it was the burial place for the kings, too, but the poor were not allowed to come near them or even touch their walls. Sphinxes of massive stones supported the small tomb pyramids. The three more enormous pyramids serve as the prominent memorials of the past generations during King Khufus rule, which was inherited by his son, King Khafre. Finally, his grandson, Menkaure, was a king in Egypt during the 4th rule of the dynasty. Statues of the three kings stand diagonally at the bank of the River Nile while facing the sun.

Today, the pyramids have significantly gained a different color due to climate changes, which attracted massive sandstones that have colored their khaki. Initially, they were covered with pure and white material at the top, which was smooth like glass that constituted gold capstones to make them shinier. Possibly, the gold-like capstones fixed at the apex of the pyramids were taken away by thieves many years ago. Of the three pyramids, only one that has remains of king Khufu remains in a tomb built on the right side where the structure of the tallest man in Egypt is. The statue took the artist more than twenty years to construct. One pyramid comprises more than 2.3 million blocks flaked from big limestone blocks, and it is four hundred and eighty-one feet tall. Between the two pyramids is the pyramid used by Khafre as his palace. On the pathway leading to the tomb where Khafre was buried, there is a greet sphinx, a creature with a body that looks like a lions, but the head resembles a mans.

During ancient times, the sphinx was believed to be used by the god Ra to bring favor after one dies. The sphinx stands in an inclined position guarding the pyramid with its paws facing the primary entrance side of the pyramid. Many Egyptians and historians from different parts of the world believe that king Khafre created the structure and placed it near his pyramid. The pyramid belonging to Menkure is slightly smaller, but its chambers are more elaborate than Khafres. Pharaoh was believed to connect people with gods and be responsible for all matters revolving around religion.

Work Cited

Hurwit, Jeffrey M. 12. The Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. Periclean Athens and Its Legacy. The University of Texas Press, 2021. 135-146.