Review of Systems Theory

Abstract Over the years, the application of the Systems theory in different fields of study has escalated. It has played a pivotal role in analyzing various aspects that impact our lives as human beings. Within the field of marriage and family therapy, it has been used in conflict resolution between members of the family.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Review of Systems Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, it has helped therapists in addressing family and marital issues such as: divorce, marriage, anger, the role of the parents within a family setting, domestic violence among other issues. In this research paper, we shall analyze the history of this theory, its philosophical underpinnings as pertaining to marriage and family therapy, the main concepts behind it and its applicability in this area of study. Introduction It is a known fact that no man is an island. This statement may seem hollow but it has deep psychological meanings that may help one understand the human psyche. In layman’s terms, it simply means that humans are social beings that need each other to maintain their sanity as well as in surviving the day-to-day tribulation. From a psychoanalytic perspective, it means that the source of any psychological distress experienced by a person can generally be traced back to his/her society. To further understand how the human mind works, scholars have developed theories that try to justify human behaviors as products of their environment. The Systems theory presents one such development through which human inter-dependency can be explained. A system as defined by Connors et al (2005) refers to; â€Å"an organized collection of parts (or subsystems) that are highly integrated to accomplish an overall goal†. A system has various elements that work together towards the achievement of desired results or outputs. This means that a system must have other smaller subsystems if it is to function effectively (Herting et al, 2007). As such, if one aspect of the system changes, it is likely that the pattern of the overall system will change as well. Therefore, a system can be defined as being systemic in nature (Egiazaryan et al, 2007). This paper shall analyze the applicability of the Systems theory to marriage and family therapy. The concepts of this theory shall be evaluated to measure the extent to which it can be applied into the practice of marriage and family therapy.Advertising Looking for critical writing on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More History of Systems theory Systems theory refers to a research strategy that uses different fields of study to create a holistic understanding of a system (Gunaratne, 2008). The main aim of this theory is to analyze the core principles that govern how a system functions so that they can be applied in all fields of study (Trop, 2007). The origin of this theory can be dated back to the late 1890s. This was an era characterized by scientists who wanted to understand how complex systems worked. To accomplish this, they believed that it would be easier to divide systems into smaller pieces and later study them separately. The rationale behind this group-think was that smaller components would be easy to identify and study as compared to the whole system (Dupuis, 2010). As time went by, this approach was quickly absorbed by other scholars and it became a core research tool used in the study of sciences (biology, Physic and chemistry). However, scientists started misusing this approach by practicing reductionism (Dunst, 2009). In reductionism, scientists broke each system into smaller parts and studied them without giving due consideration to their relationship to the larger system. To solve this issue, the general systems theory (GST) was developed in early 1920’s. The scientists agreed that irres pective of the uniqueness possessed by each component within a system, they all worked together to yield the expected outcome. They therefore began to look at systems as holistic units. GST paved way to the development of new techniques which could be used in handling various issues in other areas of study. Philosophical underpinnings of the systems theory The systems theory argues that to every action there must be a reaction. According to Robbins et al (2006), Ludwig von Bertalanffy based this theory on three main philosophies: the ontology (classification of entities and studying existence), epistemology (knowledge science), and axiology (ethical and aesthetical values) of systems. The theory was formulated under the following assumptions. That all events are results of coordinated efforts between various independent elements within a given system. Despite their different properties, all systems have common patterns that can be studied with an aim of providing more insight into complex tendencies. In summary, this theory was founded on the assumption that each element in the world (no matter the size or classification), has its role to play in ensuring that efficiency prevails where desired (Kerzner, 2009)). In addition, it placed more emphasis on the fact that a ripple effect is always present in all systems. Movement to Mental Health Field Claybourne (2006) defines the human body as a system composed of 10 independent subsystems working together to ensure full functionality and efficiency. The human brain is compared to an engine from which other organs are interconnected. As such, psychologists and other researchers have over the years applied the systems theory as an effective tool in understanding how the human mind works.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Review of Systems Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In regards to the study of mental health, the systems theo ry has played a pivotal role in establishing the relationship between brain functions and the functions of other anatomical systems. Boss et al (2008) state that if an individual is mentally healthy, then other body systems are likely to function optimally but if something affects the brain system (psychological, emotional or otherwise), other systems in the body will also experience some level of change. Systems Theory as the Foundation of Family Therapy Over the past decades, Systems theory has been the foundation on which the understanding of marriage and family therapy lays (Goldenberg, 2006). The GST assumes that a system consists of independent inputs that work together to yield expected outputs (Bartle-Haring et al, 2007). The Family Systems theory has therefore branched from this general theorization of systems. This theory focuses on the fact that a family is a system comprising of interrelated members. It acknowledges that there is some level of difficulty in understanding one member of a family without considering the others. It therefore provides a strong foundation to some of the family therapy techniques (Coates et al, 2005). One of the underlying principles behind the family systems theory is that the behavior of an individual occurs in, is affected by and influences the family (Greene, 2008). As such, having a clear understanding of the family system makes it easier to understand how each individual influences it. Zastrow Kirst-Ashman (2009) reiterate that families are evolving systems governed by rules. He further states that people within a family have their roles to play. In addition, each family has a set of common and predictable behavioral patterns which affect it. Future Directions of Systems Theory As mentioned earlier, family systems theory has tremendous impacts on family therapy. It has created a clear path towards understanding the affects of trauma on individuals in the family, interventional techniques (as pertaining to drug abus e, domestic violence, anger management and communication problems affecting a family (Price McKenry, 2009). Variants of the family systems theory have also emerged which seek to address core issues that lead to functional or dysfunctional families. The communication model is one such variant that studies the communication patterns that are adopted by various families as well as the implications of these patterns to the interactions of the family members (Zastrow Kirst-Ashman, 2009).Advertising Looking for critical writing on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Possibilities of Further Application I believe that more can be done to address family and marital issues using the systems theory. For example, when addressing violence, the systems theory focuses on the factors that lead to violence within a family setting. However, I feel that more studies should be conducted towards analyzing the characteristics and behaviors of those that cause the violence. In addition, the family systems theory does not effectively address the issue of gender inequality (Taylor, 2006). In most societies men are still viewed as being superior to women. As such, there is a great difference between their influence and that of the women to the functions of the family. This inequality has been understated by the family systems theory and therefore needs to be articulated fully. Conclusion The importance of the systems theory in a family setting cannot be understated. This paper set out to review the various concepts and implications of this theory. To this effect, an overview of these attributes has been offered and viable recommendations given. The applicability of this theory to marriage and family therapy has also been discussed. However, more studies should be conducted to ensure that this theory fully addresses the issues that affect the smooth running of a family system. This will not only assist therapists in providing viable solutions for dysfunctional families but will also ensure that family values and harmony prevails even in generations to come. References Bartle-Haring, S., Glebova, T Meyer, T. (2007). Premature Termination in Marriage and Family Therapy within a Bowenian Perspective. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 35(1), 53–68. Boss, P, William, J. D., LaRossa, W. (2008). Sourcebook of Family Theories and Methods: A Contextual Approach. NY: Springer. Claybourne, A. (2006). The human body. USA: Evans Brothers. Coates, J., Sullivna, R. (2005). Achieving Competent Family Practice with Same-Sex Parents. Journal o f GLBT Family Studies, 1(2), 89–113. Connors, J. V., Richard, B. C. (2005). A Review of Group Systems Theory. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 30(2), 93–110. Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C. M. (2009). Capacity-Building Family-Systems Intervention Practices. Journal of Family Social Work, 12(2), 119–143. Dupuis, S. (2010). Examining the Blended Family: The Application of Systems Theory Toward an Understanding of the Blended Family System. Journal of Couple Relationship Therapy: Innovations in Clinical and Educational Interventions, 9(3), 239–251. Egiazaryan, G. G., Sudakov, K. V. (2007). Theory of Functional Systems in the Scientific School of P.K. Anokhin. Journal of the History of the Neurosciences: Basic and Clinical Perspectives, 16(1), 194–205. Goldenberg, I. (2007). Family Therapy: An Overview. CA: Cengage Learning. Greene, R. (2008). Human behavior theory social work practice. NY: Transaction Publishers. Gunaratne, S. A. (2008). Und erstanding systems theory: transition from equilibrium to entropy. Asian Journal of Communication, 18(3), 175 – 192. Herting, S., Stein, L. (2007). The evolution of Luhmann’s systems theory with focus on the constructivist influence. International Journal of General Systems, 36(1), 1–17. Kerzner, H. (2009). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Price, S. J., McKenry, P. C. (2009). Families change: coping with stressful events and transitions. CA: SAGE. Robbins, S. P., Chatterjee, P., Canda, E. R. (2006). Contemporary human behavior theory: a critical perspective for social work. USA: Pearson. Taylor, B. A. (2006). Gendered Training: Men and Men’s Issues in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 34(3), 263–277. Trop, J. L. (2007). Discussion of Dr. Judy Pickles’s Paper: The Perspective of Nonlinear Open Systems Theory. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: A Topical Journal for Mental Health Professionals, 27(2), 166–176. Zastrow, C., Kirst-Ashman, K. (2009). Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment. CA: Cengage Learning. This critical writing on Review of Systems Theory was written and submitted by user Marisa Tillman to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A Guide on How to Survive Summer School

A Guide on How to Survive Summer School Summer school is a great option for students who have to catch up or for those who just want to lighten their load throughout the normal semesters. These extra units might be the ones that will save your grades, but they might also bring a lot of stress and spoil your summer. If you want to know how you can survive summer school and save your happy summer, read the tips that we have found for you. 1. Take It Easy We all know that our attitude defines our behavior and mood. It can even affect your productivity and performance at school. How many times did you notice that when you’re bored, sad, depressed, or overall not interested in the subject, you just cant study well? Basically, what you always have to do is try to keep a positive approach. Even if you are not that excited about going to summer school this year, ask yourself a question: â€Å"Will anything change if you keep concentrating on the bad aspects?† You might be considering canceling all these plans for the sake of enjoying your summer, but think twice – you had a reason to go there first. Remind yourself about that reason and believe that you are not messing your summer up, as you still can have a fun time while going classes. So, just keep calm and study. 2. Get Enough Sleep This is what every person should do no matter what the time of the year is or what they do. Studying is just as hard as working, so you need to have rest in order to be productive and feel well. We know that summer is the perfect time to sit until dawn with your friends, chatting and having fun, but try to avoid it. You won’t thank yourself when getting up in the morning for classes if you had too little sleep. Its not a secret that your sleep has a significant influence on your productivity and your brain activity. If you decide to go to summer school, you need to get the most out of it. You dont want summer school to be a waste of time and effort, right? So, in order to gain knowledge and boost your grades, put a little effort into studying and a healthy sleep schedule will help you with it. Dont sacrifice your rest hours – if your assignments keep you awake in the middle of the night, you should definitely request our help. 3. Make Friends Going to summer school isnt easy. However, not having anyone to talk to while you’re there is even harder. Making friends with people from your class is a great way to make summer school less boring and tedious. You can also do your homework together – this also will help you a lot. Dont miss your chance to make great friends. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up with life-long friends. If you already have your friends going to summer school with you, make sure you are in the same class, you can ask your counselor to put you together. This will help you make it through the day. 4. Dont Push Yourself Too Much As was said earlier, you have a reason to go to summer school and you need to get the most out of it. However, that doesnt mean that you should sit all summer only studying. It means that you need to gain essential knowledge, not a headache. Everything should be balanced. Avoid running to extremes – you will only develop a negative attitude towards learning. Alternate studying and having fun. Go for a walk, go to a party, meet up with your friends, visit movie theaters or clubs – in other words, dont isolate yourself from the world. If you also need to find a summer job, check out our article with the best part-time jobs ideas. 5. Take Online Classes If Possible Some summer schools offer online courses which are very convenient for students who want to visit other places in summer. Moreover, it might give you a chance to sleep as long as you want without having to get up early and going for classes. Online classes are arguably not as good as regular classes because you dont have an opportunity to interact with your teacher and classmates as much. However, students who are diligent, organized, and disciplined can do very well in online learning. 6. Establish a Schedule Establishing a schedule is very important for any student. It helps to adjust to a studying routine and trains your brain to be more productive needed. If you have an established schedule throughout your regular semesters, you probably know how convenient they are. So, you might keep following the same schedule in summer. Going to bed at the same time every day helps you fall asleep quicker, while eating your meals on time helps your digestive system to function better. So, create a schedule that will allow you to study, dedicate time to hobbies, eat, and rest. Get an app that will help you schedule your studies and track your assignments – you will definitely find them useful. We have an article that will help you to pick the most convenient app. Wrapping Up Summer school isn’t always something that you â€Å"want to do.† Often, they are something that you â€Å"have to do.† However, even if you have to go to summer school, you dont have to feel bad about it. Summer classes help you stay focused and disciplined, in other words, keep you attentive and ready to learn. Even if its hard for you to imagine that you might enjoy summer school, just give it a try. You might spend your time there learning, while also making a lot of friends. The way you spend your summer mainly depends on how you treat it. Surviving through your summer school might turn into truly enjoying it.

Literacy Narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Literacy Narrative - Essay Example Furthermore, learning a language amounts to the spread of literacy and fluency in yet another aspect and, thus, is helpful mainly to communicate with people. As a student from China, learning the English language did pose a few problems to me, however, gradually, I was able to catch on very well though not without a few eventful incidents and memories to remember the process by. â€Å"Many who today hear me somewhere in person, or on television, or those who read something I’ve said, will think I went to school far beyond the eighth grade. This impression is due entirely to my prison studies.† (Malcolm X) Malcolm X, the renowned leader of Black America, has been an inspiration along my journey of learning English. His quote suggests that everything is possible, even teaching oneself an alien language. As I signed myself for some English speaking lessons, I felt excited knowing that I would be providing myself the opportunity to delve into another road in life and learn a number of new things which could help me somewhere in the future. Also, I retain a keen interest in reading and, thus, learning a new language means having twice the literature material, if not more, to read and gain knowledge and information. Initially, my enthusiasm knew no bounds as my instructor began teaching me the fundamentals of the English grammar; however, soon I became weary and began to lose interest. With time, it was becoming frustrating to learn the language because I would often trip on my grammar and make silly mistakes; I would forget what certain words meant and where and how to use them in sentences; and I even got annoyed at myself for not being able to understand accents of the English speaking people living abroad. However, my dream of studying abroad in an English speaking environment kept me going and soon I realized just how funny the language was. I began to understand laughter-causing things like homonyms and puns, not to forget mentioning beautiful pro verbs and idioms that I began to make use of in my daily speech. My teacher was impressed with me as I took to reading books for children in English to begin with. My class was full of fresh zeal, both children and adults alike, trying to master the English language through skits, plays, dialogues, songs and poems. But for my teacher, I would not have been so fluent in the language today; he made sure that we signed up for participating in English plays, watching English movies and listening to English music while singing along in order to strengthen whatever knowledge we had, and to also make sure that we would not make silly mistakes while learning. I recall watching the film ‘My Fair Lady’, which is about a young girl trying to learn the sophisticated form of speaking in English in order to impress people from high society and make them believe that she fitted in there. That film gave me the motivation to open my books and practise my speech more and more because it helped me believe that I, too, one day, could be as polished in the language as she was. With time, I realized that watching English movies with their subtitles was one of the best ways to learn new sentences and how to use them in speech. Also, my teacher urged us to watch the news in English so that it would also help us keep in touch with current affairs from around the world and we would be able to

Summary of findings Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Summary of findings Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The study was guided by the theoretical framework defined under the Technology Acceptance Model and the Innovation Diffusion Theory. TAM incorporated perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, intention to use, and usage behaviour (Khosrow-Pour, 2006). On the other hand, Innovation Diffusion Theory enumerates stages through which innovation diffusion is introduced into society – awareness, early adoption by innovators, assessment and endorsement by opinion leaders, and finally acceptance by the general public (Baran & Davisi, 2011). In the study, findings reveal that the users of IFR in Saudi Arabia belong to the investors, businessmen and the professional class, who comprise the opinion leaders of the Saudi Arabian society. Reliance upon IFR and regular patronage of financial reports in company websites by this class of society constitutes the penultimate stage when the public would generally come to rely on IFR. It is even likely that this has already occurred at present. Analysts, students, academe, join the small investors in sourcing these reports, confident in their truthfulness and reliability because of compliance with standards specified in disclosure regulations (GPDS) enforced by the SOCPA, the international accounting profession as well as the government. As for perceived ease of use (facility), usefulness (relevance), intention to use (confidence) and usage behaviour (adaptability), respondents indicate that they experience relative ease of access to IFR (Table 7), ease of locating the IFR (Table 1 4), ease of comparing IFRs of different companies (Table 15), and that website contact was effective as a rule (Table 9). Reports were presented in convenient formats (Table 8), namely PDF and Excel spread sheet, which increases the usefulness and facility by which the information may be put to use. The information is proven reliable by the inclusion of the audit report and signature with the online version (Tables 10 and 11). These elements contribute to a heightened sense that the IFR data are created in the form and with the substance and reliability that engender trust and confidence in the information and the system that made it possible. From the perception study conducted in the course of this research, there is an apparent consensus among IFR users that financial information published in company websites have attained the level of trust and confidence investors have formerly reserved for the hardcopy audited financial statements issued by external auditors. They agree that t he web copy’s counterpart is complete, reliable, useful, and important to performance (Items 8, 9, 10 and 16 of Table 13, and Item 6 of Table 20). However, they likewise agree that the IFR disclosure might be influenced by politics, the internal auditor (despite the fact that audited financial statements are generated by external auditors), the ownership structure, and the company board (Item 13, 18, 19 and 20), all of whom have vested interests in the image of the company which may be projected by the IFR. This is an interesting pragmatism displayed by the investor respondents, to realize the possible existence of conflicts of interest in the preparation and publication of the IFR, and yet to repose trust and confidence in it. The reason appears to be anchored upon the reliance of the public on the government’s surveillance mechanism and the political will of a bureaucracy that aims to play a more significant role in global trade and economy. This reliance is undersco red by the exceptionally strong agreement among investors that they rely upon the IFR specifically to

Problems of farmers in present day of Life Essay Example for Free

Problems of farmers in present day of Life Essay We think of farms as always being there. Food will always be grown. Our countryside will be full of cows and crops just like it always has been. The fact is that this may not be true. Farmers are faced with the growing costs to run their farms. These costs include taxes, insurance, and regular farm costs. When we visited a farm, the farmer said that this was one of his main concerns. and not the weather conditions like we thought. Farmers are being offered big money to sell their farms. Companies that are building lots of houses and condominiums buy up farm land so that city people can move into the country. They break up the farm land into smaller pieces of land. In the picture on the right, you will see an example of how housing developments are gradually taking over valuable farm land. With more people traveling and moving into the country, more roads need to be built. Roads take up land, too. Many times the land is farmland. So, the farmer is offered lots of money to sell their land. The high taxes and farm costs make this look good to farmers. Another big threat is roads that go around cities. These are called loops or bypasses. These use up farm land, parks, and green spaces edging our cities. This has had a terrible track record over the past few years, although many mayors and members of Congress now want to build more. As a nation, we should stop giant highways and promote new transportation that helps the economy and the environment. We interviewed former Congressman and former head of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority Neil Gallagher who said, New Jersey used to make awful smells that would spread across the area from a major pig farm in Secaucus. A plan then was made by Governor Al Driscoll to run a highway through New York State to the crossing of the Delaware River to take out the traffic on Highway Number 1. In order to build these roadways, all the roads had to connect and pass through Secaucus which had to be the hub of the highway. In order to do this, the government had to buy all the pig farms in Secaucus. Mr. Gallagher remembers that several laws were passed: A new organization was formed called the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Creation of an organization that would buy the farms at a fair price. Allowing the turnpike to sell bonds to raise money to buy the land and  build the road. The bonds would be paid for by the tolls that were collected on the turnpike. [Two thirds of the money came from out-of-state drivers.] The result of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority closing down the farms was that we lost the farm land, and the new use of that land resulted in the greatest economic boom that the state of New Jersey had ever seen. The road itself created all new jobs throughout the state and in Secaucus itself. Let’s use the New Jersey Meadowlands sports complex as an example. This land became some of the most valuable land in the metropolitan area when the Meadowlands [including Giant Stadium, the race track, and Continental Arena] was built where pig farms used to be. Mr. Gallagher feels that, â€Å"Sometimes the price of progress is finding a better use of land that benefits more people at the expense of a more rural and quiet way of life. The threat to farming had to be raised for the people of the state. This is one example, but a balance does have to be set from nature and a growing society.† Many people would agree with Mr. Gallagher’s statements and many others would not. No matter where you stand on the loss of valuable farmland to development, you need to always be concerned about the future of our farming communities.

Pearl Harbor not a surprise Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction – Pearl Harbor was vulnerable to attack because of the obstruction of defense and warning. I. Signs of Japan’s intent to attack II. Politics involvement A. War support B. Eight-step plan III. Neglected warning signs near Pearl Harbor soon before the attack A. Midget subs B. Radar detecting The attack on Pearl Harbor has been known to be a complete surprise. Whenever one thinks about it, they consider that it was. They may think that it was a total surprise except for a few small warning signs that our government seems to have ignored. Children are taught that Pearl Harbor is the "Surprise Attack on Pearl Harbor" in school. It has gone into history as this. Even the president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, said in a speech soon after the attacks it was, but he was lying. Franklin D. Roosevelt, in fact, and a few select top armed forces advisors working closely with him are directly responsible for the â€Å"surprise† of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many opportunities to prevent and defend the attacks upon Pearl Harbor were never taken. The United States government knew well of Japan’s intent to attack Pearl Harbor well before the occurred. The attack may have been a surprise to Pearl Harbor, but it sure wasn’t to Franklin D. Roosevelt and few select top armed forces advisors of his. An investigation after the attack revealed that the intercepting station received at least forty-three different decoded messages that had clues to the attack. The president had at least four intelligence officers under direct orders from Roosevelt. They had decoded the Japanese code and had been monitoring their communications before the attack. They knew all about news of the planned attack. In 48 hours before the attack, LTC Clifford M. Andrew, was told to burn forty file cabinets of top secret information on Pearl Harbor so no investigation could seek out the truth which was labeled top secret and destroyed. Why did Franklin D. Roosevelt hinder any warnings to go though to Pearl Harbor? He knew that most of American society before the Pearl Harbor bombing believed in the idea of isolationism. The only wa... ...he attack started, many soldiers thought it was a drill and nobody took action right away. There may have been a positive side to the attack. Overall, Roosevelt did many things considered wrong and abusive to his right of presidency. However, had he not, the United States may never have entered the war. And certainly we would not have been as united in our stand against evil, for the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor made Americans sympathetic for our striped men and women, causing more help from the mass majority of Americans, eventually leading to victory in World War II. Had Nazi Germany won, no one knows the extent of evil that would have been caused. Even though Franklin Delano Roosevelt did many wrong things, his reasoning was good, and we were victorious. Yes, in its self, December 7th 1941 was known mostly to be a day that will â€Å"live in infamy,† for the destruction of part of America’s military power, many lives lost, and the start of the war for the U.S. To sum this report up, December 7, 1941 should be better known for the day that will â€Å"live in infamy† because of the obstruction of warning or basic defense that would have certainly saved many lives and military property.

Learning Theories Amongst Young Adults

Introduction The concept of ‘learning' has been embedded In each and every one of us from the daddy were born. Since, the beginning of man, learning has been incorporated Into our very nature whether we are conscious of It or not; from learning how to control fire to noticing how that fire provides us with warmth and security to ward of wild animals. Learning as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is the activity or process of gaining knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something'.Over the years, psychologists have come up with different theories on how we learn. Marketers have taken these theories and applied them to gain a better understanding of how consumers learn and behave, in order to develop better marketing strategies to satisfy the needs and wants of consumers. This is commonly known today as consumer behavior. The rapid increases of millennial consumers over the years have Intrigued marketers to further understand and analy ses this new breed of consumers. Hence, to understand their behaviors Is to understand how they learn and process Information.There are many ways to learn and along with that, many different learning theories. In this research, I will be focusing on three mall learning theories related to young adult learning and what are the implications of these theories to marketing. Learning Theories of Young Adults & How Marketers Apply Them To analyses how young adults learn, we have to first understand the term young adult'. In actuality, there is no definition to the term; however it is widely used these days to describe an individual who lies within the transition period between the adolescence to adulthood period.The term is also typically used to better categorize his segment of individuals in researches, studies and even marketing. According to Erosion's Stages of Development, the young adult stage ranges between the ages of 18-35 years (Erikson, 1968). Due to the advancements of this ev er-changing society, learning today Is not the same as It was 20-30 years ago. The exposure to technology from an early age has altered the way these ‘dealt natives' think and process information compared to previous generations before them (Presents, 2001 Thus, the towards understanding how young adults' learn. Knowledge is perception – Socrates.Learning is no longer Just a passive assimilation of knowledge (Pigged, 1968), which is passed down from teacher to student. As Benjamin Franklin once said, â€Å"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn†. The conventional student-teacher or teach me' methods of learning can no longer be applied to the young adults of this generation. Instead, the use of a more active learning method such as cognitive learning is more relevant today. Cognitive learning is a theory that defines learning as a behavioral change based on the acquisition of information bout the environment' (Mossy, 2009).There are three main branches of cognitive learning; the iconic rote learning, vicarious learning and reasoning or analogy learning. Iconic rote learning The first area of cognitive learning we will be looking at is Iconic rote learning. Iconic rote learning is defined as learning the association between two or more concepts in absence of conditioning (Neal, Sequester, Hawkins, 2002). The essence of this concept is repetition, where the intended concept is repeated over again to engage the attention of the intended target.On the surface, this concept might seem similar to hat of the classical conditioning method which also involves repetition. However, this concept differs from classical conditioning because of the absence of a stimulus- response mechanism, a direct reinforcement or reward involved. The aim of iconic learning is Just to boost the attention and promote awareness off concept to associate its key attributes. Young adults today are faced with a â€Å"continuous partial atte ntion† syndrome, where there is an overload of information from the use of technology (Coleman, 2013).It is difficult to teach a young adult today in a classroom, specially with the use of smoothness, laptops and gadgets, while simultaneously trying to receive information from the speaker or teacher. Moreover, young adults have the tendency to be distracted by the thought of needing to check their text messages or notifications from social-media circles. This attachment to technology is the reason why the transfer of an intended information or concept, has to be extensively repeated to obtain the constant attention or awareness of the intended person, in order for learning to occur.Herbert Simon, a Nobel-winning economist rote â€Å"Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention†. Therefore, marketers who understand this theory, apply it to their marketing strategies to attract the attention of young adult consumers. Advertisers use mediums such as televis ion commercials, Youth ads, and print media to create a link between the brand and its key benefits to consumers through iconic rote learning. For example, the extensive repetition and occurrences of a Cataracts advertisement, associates the brand to premium coffee.Once consumers have made the connection between Cataracts and premium coffee, consumers will cognitive processing. The presence of these commercials can even be made on digital platforms such as tablets and smoothness through downloaded APS (applications). Hence, with the right amount of exposure and occurrence, marketers will be able to capitalize on the ‘distraction' of technology to learning and use it to their advantage when marketing young adults through infiltrating popular internet mediums such as Backbone and Youth. Vicarious learning Vicarious learning, also known as observational learning (sometimes called modeling or imitation) is simple learning by observing others and copying their behavior Fletcher and Gorton, 2007). Often used in conjunction with Bandanna's social learning theory, made famous by the ‘Boob doll' experiment; considers that children learn complex social behaviors by copying the behaviors of adults. Later on, Bandeau acknowledged that learners also play an active role in the learning process by only choosing models which are consistent with their own personal beliefs and values which produce desired outcomes (Bandeau, 1989).Androgyny, also known as the study of how adults learn, was made popular by Malcolm Knowles who believed that adults are self-directed, goal-orientated and bring life experiences and knowledge to their learning experience (Knowles, 1989). Hence, it is clear that Bandanna's theory not only applies to only children but to young adults as well because they only model those who align with their own prior beliefs and knowledge, to reach a desired goal or outcome. Thus, marketers who understand these learning theories apply them to their marketin g strategies to reach young adult consumers.For instance, popular Swedish retailers H&M use David Beckman (a famous footballer and celebrity) as their brand ambassador and spokesperson for their clothing line. Young adults who identify and look to Beckman as their role model will tend to imitate him; including what he wears in this case. Analytical or reasoning learning Analytical or reasoning learning can be defined as â€Å"an inference process that allows consumers to use an existing knowledge base to understand a new situation or object† (Hawkins and Motherboards, 2010).In analytical learning, critical reasoning based on existing understanding and knowledge is used together with new information or concepts in the learning process. This is common in young adults as they incorporate life experiences and pre-existent knowledge to their learning experience, as mentioned earlier based on the androgyny study (Knowles, 1989). Simply put, this theory of learning helps young adult s use a pre-existing knowledge of something that they familiar with, to learn something that which they are not familiar with.Typically, high-involvement products involve more reasoning thinking because consumers are motivated to learn about products that they are interested Marketers who understand this theory use it to reach young adult consumers. An example of this is the purchase of high-involvement products such as smoothness. Users in Malaysia were between the ages of 25 to 34 (Enterprise News, 2011), hence falling within the young adult category (Erikson, 1968).The consumer behaviorism model suggests that a typical consumer goes through four stages before purchasing a product; recognition, searching for information, evaluation of alternatives and finally, the purchase decision (Kettle and Keller, 2012). Therefore, in the purchase of a smartened, young adults in Malaysia use analytical or reasoning learning to acquire as much information about the smartened when comparing betw een brands and prices.Hence, marketers in the smartened industry, should market their smoothness based on emphasizing on the unique specifications and restorability of price in order to gain a comparative advantage over competitor brands. If the product attributes align with a previous knowledge or experience, then the young adult will be motivated to learn more about the smartened and eventually decide to purchase it. Conclusion Young adults have become the main target market of marketers. Hence, it is critical to understand how they think, behave and learn.In this assignment I highlighted who young adult are and analyses the different cognitive approaches to learning when it comes to young adults which include; iconic rote, vicarious and analytical learning. These learning theories have a direct impact on the decision-making process of young adult consumers in purchasing items. I have also given real life examples which illustrated and describe the appropriate marketing strategies to not only reach but significantly affect and influence the way young adults purchase products.