Effect of Bilingualism on Ageing and the Brain

Effect of Bilingualism on Ageing and the Brain Nur’Aisyah Binte Yussof In Wiley’s journal article, he states that speaking two languages benefits the aging brain. He presents his ideas, arguments and analysis with supporting evidence from epidemiological study by Dr. Bak and colleagues from the Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh. This critical review will examine another three different articles on this issue and would evaluate its contents based on the assumption from Wiley’s article. Although Wiley had proven his point, his article might be biased and contains some misinterpretation of data coming from only one source of research to prove his point that bilingualism benefits the aging brain. Thus, the other research studies to support his ideology. In the first paragraph of Wiley’s journal article, he stated that â€Å"bilingualism is thought to improve cognition and delay dementia in older adults.† This conclusion is based on the data from the study of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 undertaken by The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, part of the cross council Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Initiative (MR/K026992/1). The results from this study indicate that those who spoke two or more languages had significantly better cognitive abilities compared to what would be expected from their baseline. Wiley, as supported by the research study determines that bilingualism has a positive effect on cognition and may slow down cognitive decline from aging. The research done proved that acquiring a second language, even as an adult may benefit the aging brain. Bilingualism allows the brain to respond more rapidly to the conditions that placed greater demands on the working memory. Stagnant use of the brain; monolinguals, would result in the brain to slow down and be more prone to effects of aging. Cognitive abilities are better when the language sphere is used more often thus, increasing the rate of brain functions. Distinguished Professor of Psychology from Penn State; Judith Kroll stated that â€Å"Bilingual speakers can outperform monolinguals (people who speak only one language) in certain mental abilities, such as editing out irrelevant information and focusing on important information.† Bilingual speakers may benefit and perform better in tasks such as multi-tasking and also have an advantage in attention and cognitive control which will have long-term benefits. Increasing use of these systems slows down aging and also deters sickness such as dementia and also Alzheimer’s. These three articles from Ellen Bialystok, American Academy of Neurology and Universtat Jaume I, acknowledged the fact that bilingualism benefits the aging brain. In the book from Ellen Bialystok; Bilingualism in development: language, literacy and cognition, she explained that bilingualism involves language proficiency which consisted of two cognitive processes, analysis of representational structure and control of attention. These cognitive processes would determine proficiency through the degree of involvement and mental representations that refers to the process of explicit structure and organization of information represented with knowledge. â€Å"Language proficiency is the ability to function in a situation that is defined by specific cognitive and linguistic demands, to a level of performance indicated by either objective criteria or normative standards.† The journal article by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) states that: â€Å"Speaking more than one language is thought to lead better development of areas of the brain that handle executive functions and attention tasks, which may help protect from the onset of dementia†. In addition, the journal article from Universitat Jaume I states that, bilinguals use the left inferior frontal lobe, the Brocas area, to respond to stimuli where executive functions are performed (such as ordering forms by colour or shape), whereas monolinguals use the right part to respond to the same stimuli.Findings are very important because they show an unknown aspect of bilingualism, which goes beyond linguistic advantages, and they also show bilinguals are more effective in responding to certain stimuli, explains researcher Cesar Avila, who ensures the research shows that bilingualism does not only have effects on the brain at a linguistic level, but that it also works differently, emphasizing the importance of introducing languages at an early age because it generates cognitive benefits. All of these sources, with supporting evidence links back to the main article that we studied, whereby it is strongly believed that bilingualism would benefit the aging brain. These articles contain similar arguments about how language and use of cognitive process are inter-related. With the brain performing cognitive processes while a bilingual person speaks, it would increase brain activities which in turn would benefit aging brain to not be vulnerable to sickness such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease due to frequent activities in the brain. In an American Academy of Neurology study, stagnant use of brain, such as monolinguals, would increase the risk of one developing a sickness four and a half years before bilinguals. Although believed that bilingualism will benefit the aging brain, cognitive functions due bilingualism, that slow down due to aging can be fine tuned and maintained in other ways as well. It is measured by the efficiency level of our brain as we age. For example, being physically active produces positive effects on many cognitive functions, such as memory, attention, information processing and problem solving. Cognitive abilities in an aging brain could still be active as it was in the youth through spatial attention which is critical in many aspects of our daily lives. According to the research from Dr Joanna Brooks, certain types of cognitive systems in the right cerebral hemisphere, are encapsulated and may be protected from aging. Thus, bilingualism would not be the only factor that would benefit the aging brain. This critical review examines the findings of Wiley and a few other research studies to determine if bilingualism would benefit the aging brain. Being supported by most studies, Wiley’s statement is credible. However, bilingualism, being the only factor would not be strong enough to benefit the aging brain. Cognitive abilities, such as the biologically organized mental structure in the brain known as the Language Acquisition Device facilitates the learning of a language and allows the rapid cognitive activity which will also benefit the aging brain. Wiley’s article misleads readers and focuses attention only on bilingualism while ignoring other factors that will also affect or benefit the aging brain. 1029 words. References: Association for Psychological Science. (2010, November 9). Bilingual benefits reach beyond communication. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101109113028.htm Bialystok, E. (2001). Bilingualism in Development: Language, Literacy, and Cognition. United Kingdom, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Concordia University. (2013, January 16). Language mixing in children growing up bilingual. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130116123641.htm Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore. (2014, July 1). The less older adults sleep, the faster their brains age, new study suggests. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 11, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140701091458.htm Ithaca College. (2013, July 15). Bilingual children have a two-tracked mind. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130715151106.htm Northwestern University. (2014, September 2). Community music programs enhance brain function in at-risk children. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140902205335.htm Penn State. (2011, February 21). Juggling languages can build better brains. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110218092529.htm Suomen Akatemia (Academy of Finland). (2014, February 5). Links explored between physical activity, learning. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140205091550.htm Umeà ¥ universitet. (2012, April 27). Maintain your brain: The secrets to aging success. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 11, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120427163335.htm Universitat Jaume I. (2010, July 7). Bilingualism associated with brain reorganization involving better efficiency in executive functions, research finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100707065139.htm Wiley. (2014, June 2). Speaking two languages benefits the aging brain. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 12, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140602101204.htm

Effects of study habits in relation to the academic performance Essay

Introduction Education plays a vital role into every student, especially in our current situation where those who finish with degree are the only ones who has a chance of getting hired. Before even getting hired, people must first finish their studies. Students must survive through college but it is not as easy as it seems to be. They must accomplish all the tasks given in a limited amount of time that is why a study habit is needed. Study habits are the ways a student study. These are the habits that students develop while studying. They can be good ones or bad ones. Study habits are considered as one of the major factor affecting the student’s academic performance. It means that if a student possesses an ineffective study habit, he will not have a clear understanding in his subject which will most likely lead him to failure. If a student develops an effective study habits then he has a higher chance of passing. The researcher came up with this study since she herself does not have an effective study habit and always cram whenever the time to study is almost over. The researcher decided to find the effective study habits that most students prefer so that it will not be hard for them to survive through college works. Significance of the Study Through this research, students will become aware of the effects of study habits on their grades. The researcher believes this will be beneficial to the school administrators, teachers, parents, students, and to the future researchers. Moreover, the researcher believes that the student, especially the students in Section IJ will be benefiting from this study since it will provide a better understanding on how their study habits will be effective. To the School Administrators, this will help them to know and to inform the teachers on how they can effectively teach their students. To the Teachers, this will serve as a guide for them to teach more effectively in a way that all students will understand. To the Parents, this will serve as a guide for them on how they are going to help their children when studying or preparing for examinations.  To the Students, this will help them a lot not only in studying but also for their future.  To the future researchers, they may be able to use the result of the study in further research similar to what the study is. General Objective This study aims to determine the significant relationship between the different study habits and the academic performance of Section IJ students. Specific Objectives  1. To know the different study habits commonly practiced by the Section IJ students. 2. To identify the effects of the common study habits practiced by the Section IJ students. 3. To determine the significant relationship between Section IJ Student’s academic performance and study habits. Statement of the Problem This study aims to determine the effects of study habits in relation to the academic performance of Section IJ students. Sub-problems  1. What are the different study habits commonly practiced by the Section IJ students? 2. What are the effects of the common study habits practiced by the Section IJ students? 3. Is there a significant relationship between the study habits and the academic performance of Section IJ students? Scope and Limitations The study focuses on students of Section IJ so that they will be prepared more in the incoming tests. IJ students are college students that is why they are given more works than before. Having a study habit that suits them well will help finish their works faster. The researcher limits the study to the common study habits practiced by IJ students only. It does not matter whether the study habits they developed is good or bad as long as it has a good effect in their academic performance. Hypothesis There is a significant relationship between the study habits and academic performance of Section IJ students.

Gambling addiction in today`s society Essay

Have you ever gambled in your life? We live in a world where some form of gambling is within our grasp. It can be fun, exciting, and life changing. Some gamblers may say they have control of their gambling behavior; however, a lot of gamblers do not! Most of them lose so much. They lose their jobs, money, family, and friends. Since gambling has so much potential for abuse, external measurements must be put in place to prevent abusive gambling. Did you know Hawaii and Utah are the only 2 states that prohibit all forms of gambling? Gambling is betting money on any game or event. It takes a variety of forms, from nickel-and-dime poker to state-sponsored lotteries and casinos. Different forms of gambling are legal in different parts of the United States. In the early 1900s, most forms of gambling were illegal in the United States. However, legalized gambling has been on the rise since the 1950s. Casinos are establishments where people can place bets on games. They normally offer a variety of card games, dice games, and games of chance. In 1931, Nevada became the first state to allow casino gambling. New Jersey followed in 1978, making casinos legal in Atlantic City. In 2009, legal casinos were operating in forty seven states. Today, different states have different regulations on casinos. In some states, they are still prohibited entirely. In others, casinos may only be run on the water, like riverboat casinos. Casinos also exist on Indian reservations throughout the country. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, passed in 1988, declared that Native American tribes have the right to run gaming establishments on their reservations, as long as they are in a state that permits some form of gambling. By 1998, nearly three hundred Indian-operated casinos existed in thirty one states. Casinos have generated wealth and increased employment rates among Native Americans. However, many Native Americans, especially older people, consider the casinos a threat to their traditional values and way of life. The newest form of casino gambling is the online casino, which allows players to place bets over the Internet. Online casinos raise complicated legal issues. For example, if casinos are only legal in certain parts of a state, is it legal to make online casinos available in other parts of the state? If players are placing bets on the outcome of a game in a real, legal casino in another country, does that mean they are actually gambling in that country and not in their homes? Because of these legal problems, American companies have been reluctant to invest in online casinos. Nonetheless, consumers spent about 3 billion dollars in online casinos in 2000. Further restriction on internet gambling came when Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The purpose of the law is to prevent the use of certain kinds of payment, credit cards, and fund transfers for unlawful internet gambling. Another common form of legal gambling is the state lottery. A lottery is a drawing in which people purchase tickets. A ticket number is selected at random and anyone holding a ticket with that number wins a cash prize. The first state lottery opened in New Hampshire in 1964. By 2009, lotteries were operating in forty one states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

Operations Management and Csr - 5727 Words

Operations Management: Why are operations the most vulnerable sector of any company when considering CSR? I. Introduction As globalization continues, the earth s natural processes transform local problems into international issues along with the development of international commercial activities. Few communities are being left untouched by major environmental issues and social problems. As one of the most active and influential elements of the human society, the business world has been required, for several decades, to shoulder more responsibility by their consumers and society in general. The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) draws more and more attention from all sectors of society, and is considered as an†¦show more content†¦Moreover, we can observe a combination of concepts from corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. 2. Operations management Operations management is the activity of managing the resources which produce and deliver products and services. A close relation with products and main services makes the operations function central to all kinds of organizations. It is one of the three cores of business, with the marketing (including sales) function, and the product / service development. Rather than an isolated island within a company, the operations function is involved in a high degree of interaction with others. For example, it has to keep in touch with product development function to assure that the firm has the capabilities to manufacture the design of a new product. For the same reason, there is a synergy between operations function and marketing that helps match the sales power with production. (Nigel Slack et al., 2010) The importance of this integrated way of working has been known for long time, but it is the development of information system that makes it possible. Thanks to s ystems like Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), companies can, on one hand, facilitate the communication with their partners and suppliers, and promote the collaboration among functions. In orderShow MoreRelatedDefining The Meaning Of Corporate Social Responsibility1600 Words   |  7 PagesResponsibility Till now, there is no concrete definition of CSR in international level, as it is difficult to identify the boundaries of CSR. Therefore, there are several definitions to describe what the CSR policy is. However, it is noted [1] that CSR meaning is different from countries to other countries and depends upon a range of factors including culture, religion, and governmental or legislative conditions. For instance, the practise of CSR in South Africa focused on matters of racial inequalityRead MoreKey Tips For A Generous Financial Donations1495 Words   |  6 PagesEfficient and effective community activity j. Disclosure of environmental and social performance (2)Environment Stakeholders a. Environmental policies, organisation and management b. Materials policy of reduction, reuse and recycling c. Monitoring, minimizing and taking responsibility for releases d. the environment e. Waste management f. Energy conservation g. Effective emergency response h. Public dialogue and disclosure i. Product stewardship j. Environmental requirements for suppliers k. EnvironmentalRead MoreCsr And Organization Performance : Csr1566 Words   |  7 Pagesto that field, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is considering as a very essential and key feature in doing business internationally (Werther Chandler, 2005). Therefore, there are numerous and wide range of studies in associated with defining CSR, figuring out the relationship between CSR and organization performance, etc. Moreover, while applying CSR as a phenomenon or as an integral part of operations, overestimate or misunderstanding of CSR is one of the significant problem (Blomgren, 2010)Read MoreEssay on Corporate Social Responsibility CSR1353 Words   |  6 Pagesresponsibility ‘Corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) means that the firm has wider responsibilities in relation to objectives and people apart from the owners or shareholders (Beal and Goyen 2005). These responsibilities are achieved when the firm adapts all of its practices to ensure that it operates in ways that meet, or exceed, the ethical, legal, commercial and public expectations that society has of business. Objectives often associated with CSR include a responsibility to manage natural assetsRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility And Corporate Sustainability Essay1658 Words   |  7 PagesSustainability in India: A case study on Aditya Birla Group Supriya Agarwal Abstract: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now a burning topic in India, which became prominent and most amplified in 2013 when companies were obligated to spend two percent of profit after tax in CSR activities set by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India. Although, the concept of CSR is not new in India and has evolved and developed very well from hundreds of years in the form of philanthropy by theRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility And Human Resource Management1474 Words   |  6 Pages Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and human resource management (HRM) continue to show increases in commonality within business operations. The need for CSR to be structured and organized within businesses is gaining attention from top managers (Carroll Shabana 2010) who want to decrease overall costs. CSR has both internal and external factors that contribute to the success of a business; internal: skills and education, human rights, labor rights, workplace hea lth and safety, due diligenceRead MoreSocial obligation of business1734 Words   |  7 Pagesbusiness should ensure long term profit and stable operation while promote applying CSR practices into their daily operation for better performance. Companies today are confronting intense pressures to address social concerns and it is undeniable that socially irresponsible businesses may lose their competitive advantage . Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Definition Since 1920s, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) started to be discussed. However, due to the GreatRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility ( Csr )1370 Words   |  6 PagesBusiness personalities, government officials, and loans are hedging more attention on the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The core issue is the appropriate responsibility of business. In as much as firms ought to obey the law, but beyond complete compliance with environmental laws, the question is whether firms have extra social responsibilities to commit part of their resources to environmental preservation voluntarily. This memo provides an exploratory investigation of the linkRead MoreWhat Are The Characteristics Of Csr Strategies And What Influence Do They Have On Financial Performance?1507 Words   |  7 PagesResearch questions The main question this study intends to answer is: â€Å" What are the main characteristics of CSR strategies and what influence do they have on financial performance?† In order to completely comprehend the task this study will focus on several sub-questions: Why organisations take it upon themselves to engage in CSR. More specifically, the study intends to determine whether organisations’ commitment to SD possesses a favourable influence on their performance and if so, the reasonsRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility : Framing Csr Within A System Of Global Ethics1470 Words   |  6 PagesJason Iloulian Professor Alina Feld Global Ethics - Final Paper May 2nd – 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Framing CSR within a System of Global Ethics Introduction The field of Global Ethics has recently emerged as its own independent field of study that engages with many of humanities most pressing ethical questions. One of the most important subsets of this field of study