Differences Between Correlation and Causation

Differences Between Correlation and Causation One day at lunch a young woman was eating a large bowl of ice cream, and a fellow faculty member walked up to her and said, â€Å"You had better be careful, there is a high statistical correlation between ice cream and drowning.† She must have given him a confused look, as he elaborated some more. â€Å"Days with the most sales of ice cream also see the most people drown.† When she had finished my ice cream the two colleagues discussed the fact that just because one variable is statistically associated with another, it doesn’t mean that one is the cause of the other. Sometimes there is a variable hiding in the background. In this case, the day of the year is hiding in the data. More ice cream is sold on hot summer days than snowy winter ones. More people swim in the summer, and hence more drown in the summer than in the winter. Beware of Lurking Variables The above anecdote is a prime example of what is known as a lurking variable. As its name suggests, a lurking variable can be elusive and difficult to detect. When we find that two numerical data sets are strongly correlated, we should always ask, â€Å"Could there be something else that is causing this relationship?† The following are examples of strong correlation caused by a lurking variable: The average number of computers per person in a country and that country’s average life expectancy.The number of firefighters at a fire and the damage caused by the fire.The height of an elementary school student and his or her reading level. In all of these cases, the relationship between the variables is a very strong one.  This is typically indicated by a correlation coefficient that has a value close to 1 or to -1.  It does not matter how close this correlation coefficient is to 1 or to -1, this statistic cannot show that one variable is the cause of the other variable. Detection of Lurking Variables By their nature, lurking variables are difficult to detect. One strategy, if available, is to examine what happens to the data over time. This can reveal seasonal trends, such as the ice cream example, that get obscured when the data is lumped together. Another method is to look at outliers and try to determine what makes them different than the other data. Sometimes this provides a hint of what is happening behind the scenes. The best course of action is to be proactive; question assumptions and design experiments carefully. Why Does It Matter? In the opening scenario, suppose a well-meaning but statistically uninformed congressman proposed to outlaw all ice cream in order to prevent drowning. Such a bill would inconvenience large segments of the population, force several companies into bankruptcy, and eliminate thousands of jobs as the country’s ice cream industry closed down. Despite the best of intentions, this bill would not decrease the number of drowning deaths. If that example seems a little too far fetched, consider the following, which actually happened. In the early 1900s, doctors noticed that some infants were mysteriously dying in their sleep from perceived respiratory problems. This was called crib death and is now known as SIDS. One thing that stuck out from autopsies performed on those who died from SIDS was an enlarged thymus, a gland located in the chest. From the correlation of enlarged thymus glands in SIDS babies, doctors presumed that an abnormally large thymus caused improper breathing and death. The proposed solution was to shrink the thymus with high does of radiation, or to remove the gland entirely. These procedures had a high mortality rate and led to even more deaths. What is sad is that these operations didn’t have to have been performed. Subsequent research has shown that these doctors were mistaken in their assumptions and that the thymus is not responsible for SIDS. Correlation Does Not Imply Causation The above should make us pause when we think that statistical evidence is used to justify things such as medical regimens, legislation, and educational proposals. It is important that good work is done in interpreting data, especially if results involving correlation are going to affect the lives of others. When anyone states, â€Å"Studies show that A is a cause of B and some statistics back it up,† be ready to reply, â€Å"correlation does not imply causation.† Always be on the lookout for what lurks beneath the data.

Data Model and Data Flow Diagram Assignment Essay

Data Model and Data Flow Diagram Assignment - Essay Example As the customer starts selecting products, the customer is given a "shopping cart". At the end, the customer can check out the shopping cart. At this time, he will be asked for personal information as well as login information for future purposes. The personal information includes the email, gender and date of birth in addition to the usual personal information needed for online shopping. He is also asked for credit card information (PresRX accepts only Master, Visa and American Express). Since PresRX also sells prescription drugs, if the "shopping cart" for the customer contains a product that is available only by prescription, the customer must provide the physician's information as well. This information will include the physician's name, address, specialty, phone number, email, fax number and hospital/clinic affiliation (we care about only the clinic that our customer goes to). (If the physician's info is not provided, we will contact the customer and obtain the info.) The custom er can also select the shipping method: we provide overnight, standard air and standard ground. For some of the drugs that are time and temperature sensitive, the customer will not be able to select the shipping method: the shipping method will automatically be chosen. The products will always be shipped to the person who orders them. If the customer wishes to use his insurance to make the purchase, we obtain the insurance company information as well as the insurance number and we will validate it by contacting the insurance company. Once the credit card is validated, we request validation from the insurance company on the prescription, physician on the prescription and validation of the physician from the hospital/clinic (to prevent fraudulent prescriptions). This is done via an automated email sent to the clinic as well as the physician. If emails are not made available, one of the employees will fax the request. This request will contain the drug requested, the quantity ordered, date it was ordered and the customer's name, address and phone number. The insurance company is called. We do this every time the person shops. The physician's office is given access to a physician's portal where his office can approve the prescription drug order. On approval, the drug is packed and shipped to the customer. The physician's portal is available where physicians can log in to not only approve the prescription request but also to renew the prescription for their patients. We also need to obtain supplies regularly. The reordering is based on need, triggered by low stocks. The system will have to reorder from the supplier via automatic ordering. As the products are shipped to our customers, the system updates the product quantity and as soon as the quantity goes to a pre-set "low" (different for each product), the system will immediately send an order to the product's supplier. Since we handle brand items, each product will have only one supplier. For each product we receive, our employees will update the product quantities in our system. The employees doing this will be the warehouse managers and we need to know who entered which batch of received shipments. Since prescription drugs

Teaching Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Teaching Reflection - Essay Example My work placement at *****, gave me an invaluable insights into the relevant approach to teaching chemistry. The experience was extremely helpful in understanding the various methods used by teachers in helping their students understand the subject with an in-depth comprehension of concepts. My two-week placement entailed working hand in hand with the chemistry teachers in the school. I was able to observe their methods of teaching the science and I assisted in a number of areas to enable myself be more acquainted with what dissemination of scientific knowledge to secondary school students is all about. In my first week of my work placement, I was able to take charge of some class activities, whereby I was assigned a duty of assisting students with difficulties in chemistry (Ellison 2008, p.46). My interactions with the teachers offered me an opportunity to learn about developing a lesson plan that is suitable for teaching science and chemistry in precision. The plan is an extremely important step, if the teacher wants to remain relevant in the classroom. Here, an instructor starts by identifying what is going to be covered in every particular lesson. Then the objectives of the lessons are determined, so that a teacher can identify the specific behaviours and capabilities that a student should exhibit after every lesson is covered (Sanderson 2002, p.23). Most of the teacher in the school used descriptive objectives. This provides a better platform for the educator to get great feedback on his/her teaching effectiveness, and students’ progress as well. Taking time to determine what the learners already know about the subject matter would enhance the overall success of completion of a lesson. Chemistry is relatively practical lessons, and having this in mind, teachers ensured that the necessary material and apparatus necessary to be used in a particular lesson are identified in the lesson plan in an attempt to accomplish the objectives described. These mat erials are highly useful in facilitating the learning process. Thus, as observed, a lesson plan increases the efficiency of teaching practice and the quality of the students’ learning time (Dorin 2002, p.29). Varieties of teaching approaches were also evident in the school learning processes. Here I actively participated in facilitating group discussions. These activities tend to generate interest in the topic under study and students are able to learn from friends. The teachers were also involved in helping out in explaining the concepts that were beyond the then understanding of the students. The teachers also had a variety of methods that they used to facilitate learning process. They give out assignments that required further reading and research on the subject matter. The main theme here was, â€Å"thinking further†. Learning partnership among student also seemed to develop a longer term learning culture among themselves (Gabel 2004, p.31). As observed, this appro ach helped weak students to learn continuously from their peers and consequently gaining much more understanding on chemistry. I also learnt that the teachers generally applied the three learning theories in identifying a suitable methods and media of teaching in the school. These include the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. The psychomotor domain is generally skill based. Here the student tends to produce a product. It entails practical instructional levels that include imitation, practice, as well as habit. The psychomotor domain steep in a demonstration, delivery as well as the first level, imitation, which simply is a return of demonstrations that are under the control of the instructor. Additionally, the practice level is a proficiency building experience, which is

Political Dynasty Essay Example for Free

Political Dynasty Essay â€Å"Propose bill of Sen. Ping Lacson for political dynasty† Due to the growing number of political dynasties, Senator Ping Lacson proposed and supported a bill that is against it. For that, I admire his determination to halt all the families that are involved in this. I also commend him for being a good follower. This was proven by Sen. Lacson when he followed already the bill even though it is not approved yet. He vows that he would retire from politics if his son, Ronald Jay, runs and wins in the 2016 polls. Political Dynasties should be stopped because of the negative effects of it in the good governance of our country. One of the effects, is corruption. For example, a senator discovered the anomalies of a congressman, he/she can easily cover it up because they are relatives. The other one is, one particular family has power all over the country thus, it results to injustices. In Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s Bill, it was observed that political dynasty shouldn’t exist in local elective only. While as Sen. Lacson’s, not only local the local but also the national position is included. I think both of them have good intentions towards this. But they need to elaborate more the clause included in the said bill. Many people/government officials doesn’t approve of this because it is not clear to them the legal definition of a political dynasty and its corresponding consequences. I also think that it would be unfair for a candidate, who may be more qualified than his family or relative already elected in a public post, to be barred from running because of his relations. It is like we are. All in all, it is good but it should be clearer for the citizens and government to agree upon it.

When Marco First Appears, Miller Describes Him as a Square-built Essay

When Marco First Appears, Miller Describes Him as a Square-built peasant of thirty-two, suspicious, tender and quiet voiced.In the Light of Marco's Role in the Play, How Helpful Do You Find this Introduction to Him? When considering this question, it is necessary to somewhat challenge it; to whom is Miller's description meant to be helpful? As "A View From the Bridge" is a play, and therefore presented to an audience, we must presume that the description's intended use is to instruct an actor developing his character which is to be conveyed to an audience. Marco's role becomes more important throughout the play. In fact, his role assumes a certain duality. In one respect, he is the victim of Eddie's betrayal; he declares: "That one! [Eddie] He killed my children." In another respect, he is employed by Miller as a tool in the finality of Eddie's fate as his murderer. This increasing significance of Marco's role is not at first glance anticipated by Miller's introductory description as physically he appears to the audience as rather solid and the simplicity of the physical description helps to establish Marco as an initially somewhat simple character. However, the instructions that refer to Marco's emotions are more complex; "suspicious" and "tender"might appear contrasting, especially when juxtaposed contextually. However, with a Sicilian male typical attitude, they seem more compatible. Marco is reduced to tears at the prospect of sending his family money, and later will commit the arguably transgress act of murdering a man who had been his host, so acute is his anger on behalf of his starving, dependent family: "My wife- My wife- I want to send right away maybe twenty dollars." Marco almost ... ...ene is seen as a good man who is in charge of his family, and Marco, a "simple" Sicilian, who just came to America and was invited into the family by Eddie himself, is very exciting for the audience. It is therefore obvious in this scene that Marco is "suspicious" of Eddie. Furthermore, Marco's role as the tool Miller uses for Eddie's downfall, could not occur if Marco was not "suspicious". In conclusion, Miller's introductory description is only helpful to a limited degree both because of the nature of the text (it is a play) and because Marco will endure such great betrayals that they will change his character and actions. However, Miller gives the audience ideas about what sort of man Miller is describing, enabling the audience to anticipate the contrasts he may be serving to accentuate, such as the difference in attitudes between Rodolpho and Marco.

Ethnic Groups and Racism Essay

I. INTRODUCTION Race and ethnicity are important concepts in the field of sociology and are ones that are studied a great deal. Race plays a large role in everyday human interactions and sociologists want to study how, why, and what the outcomes are of these interactions. A race is a human population that is believed to be distinct in some way from other humans based on real or imagined physical differences. Racial classifications are rooted in the idea of biological classification of humans according to morphological features such as skin color or facial characteristics. An individual is usually externally classified (meaning someone else makes the classification) into a racial group rather than the individual choosing where they belong as part of their identity. Conceptions of race, as well as specific racial groupings, are often controversial due to their impact on social identity and how those identities influence someone’s position in social hierarchies. Ethnicity, while related to race, refers not to physical characteristics but social traits that are shared by a human population. Some of the social traits often used for ethnic classification include: nationality tribe religious faith shared language shared culture shared traditions Unlike race, ethnicity is not usually externally assigned by other individuals. The term ethnicity focuses more upon a group’s connection to a perceived shared past and culture. II. CONTENT/ CREATIVE REPORT  DEFINITION OF RACE AND ETHNICITY Race is a socially defined category, based on real or perceived biological differences between groups of people. Ethnicity is a socially defined category based on common language, religion, nationality, history or another cultural factor. Sociologists see race and ethnicity as social constructions because they are not rooted in biological differences, they change over time, and they never have firm boundaries. Example: White The distinction between race and ethnicity can be displayed or hidden, depending on individual preferences, while racial identities are always on display. THE SOCIOLOGICAL MEANING OF ETHNIC GROUPS AND RACISM The classification of people into races and ethnic groups carries deep implication on the social and political life of different racial and ethnic groups. These classifications led to the notion of racial superiority and racial inferiority, culturally advanced groups and culturally disadvantaged, the use of derogatory undertones and parody, apartheid policy, discrimination and prejudice, and stereotyping of groups of people. Ethnic conflicts have been regular process within the same territorial borders and among the nations of the world. Ethnic conflicts have been pervasive and dangerous because they cause massive humanitarian suffering, civil wars, and destabilizing effects. Sociologically, â€Å"race† refers to a group of people whom others believe are genetically distinct and whom they treat accordingly. This term is commonly used to refer to physical differences between people brought about by physical characteristics of genetic origin. This commonness of genetic heritage may be manifested in the shape of the head and face, the shape and color of the eyes, the shape of the nose, lips, and ears, the texture and color of the hair, the skin color, height, blood type and other physical characteristics. Among the significant racial categories studied by early social scientists were the Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Negroid, and the subgroups of primary and derived races. Racial differences are seen as physical differences singled out by the community or society as ethnically significant. It is preferable to refer to ethnicity or ethnic groups rather than race for its historical and biological connotations. An ethnic group represents a number of persons who have a common cultural background as evidenced by a feeling of loyalty to a given geographical territory or leader, a feeling of identification with and unity among historical and other group experiences, or a high degree of similarity in social norms, ideas and material objects. Members of ethnic groups see themselves as culturally different from other groups in the society and are viewed by others to be so. SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF MEMBERSHIP IN RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS Membership in racial and ethnic groups influences people’s social status and roles as they interact with others. Physical characteristics, especially skin color and certain distinctive cultural traits, complexes, and patterns, become badges for social and economic status. Frequently, they establish a person’s or groups position in the social stratification system and make up the foundation for prejudice, discrimination, and other forms of differential treatment. Furthermore, when an ethnic group becomes a target of discrimination, such group may utilize the unique physical or cultural traits as the rallying force for promoting common loyalties and enhancing collective action. When people’s definition of physical characteristics greatly affects their relationship, such definitions generally become interlinked with cultural differences. A classic example is the white man’s justification of his technological, economic, political and military superiority. Examples are such ideologies as the God-chosen race, the white man’s burden and more recently, the apartheid policy. Since the early days of the United States, Native Americans, African-Americans and European-Americans were classified as belonging to different races. But the criteria for membership in these races were radically different. For Africans, the government considered anyone with African appearance to be purely African. Native Americans, on the other hand, were classified based on a certain percentage of Indian blood. Finally, European-Americans had to have purely white ancestry. The differing criteria for assigning membership to particular races had relatively little to do with biology; it had far more to do with maintaining a group’s defined roles and position. Racial and ethnic membership leads to a sense of people-hood. By this, we mean a sense of identification with a relatively small segment of the world’s population- those who by virtue of common ancestry or heritage we consider â€Å"our own kind†. Erich Fromm wrote in 1941: â€Å"The identity with nature, clan, religion, gives the individual security. He belongs to, he is rooted in, structuralized whole in which he has an unquestionable place. He may suffer from hunger or suppression, but he does not suffer from worst of all pains- complete aloneness and doubt.† PATTERNS OF ETHNIC GROUP RELATIONS People who occupy a subordinate status are usually called a minority group. What determines a minority group is not the unique racial or ethnics traits nor their great number but the relationship of different groups in the society of which they are a part. A minority group, then is one that, because of the power of differences among the groups, is singled out for unequal treatment in the society. A minority refers to a group which, because of physical and cultural characteristics, occupies a subordinate position in the society and subjected to collective discrimination, in some cases, even segregation, oppression, slavery, peonage, military subjugation, religious persecution, and economic, political, educational, and social suppression. The patterns of ethnic group relations include the following: 1. Patterns of Racism a. Prejudice and discrimination Racism – is behavior that is motivated by the belief that one’s own group is superior to other groups that are set apart on the basis of physical characteristics Structural racism refers to inequalities built into an organization or system. An example of structural racism can be seen in recent research on workplace discrimination.[37] There is widespread discrimination against job applicants whose names were merely perceived as â€Å"sounding black.† These applicants were 50% less likely than candidates perceived as having â€Å"white-sounding names† to receive callbacks for interviews, no matter their level of previous experience. Prejudice – prejudged negative attitude or opinion about a group without bothering to  verify the merits of the opinion or judgment The relationship between prejudice and discrimination is complex. Robert Merton’s study and typology of the relationship between prejudice and discrimination Four patterns 1. Unprejudiced nondiscriminatory – integration 2. Unprejudiced and discriminatory – institutional discrimination 3. Prejudiced and nondiscriminatory – latent bigotry 4. Prejudiced and discriminatory – outright bigotry In his study, (1974), Bulatao listed impressions on some ethnic groups by respondents from five Philippine cities: Ilocanos and Chinese were viewed as most industrious, serious, thrifty; Tagalogs, progressive; Bicolanos and Cebuanos, humble, friendly, warm, and peaceful; Warays, lazy but strong; and Ilongos, proud and extravagant. b. Discrimination refers to the act of disqualifying or mistreating people on the basis of their group membership or on ascriptive rounds rationally irrelevant to the situation. Whereas prejudice is a state of mind, discrimination is actual behavior. Prejudice and discrimination work hand in hand to create and sustain racial and ethnic stratification, (Jarry J. 1987) THEORIES OF PREJUDICE Light gives the following explanations on the origin of prejudice: 1. Economic Theory- assumes that racial prejudice is a social attitude transmitted by the dominant ethnic majority class for the purpose of stigmatizing some group s as inferior so that the exploitation of the group resources will be justified. 2. Symbolic Theory- asserts that prejudice arises because a racial or ethnic group is a symbol of what people hate, fear, or envy. 3. Scapegoat theory- maintains that human beings are reluctant to accept their mistakes for their troubles and failures so they look for an ethnic-minority to shoulder the blame. 4. Social norm theory- asserts that ethnocentrism is a natural development of group living. Hatred and suspicion for the out-group are the standard and normal way of doing things, particularly in dealing with people. c. Stereotypes are often simplified and unsupported generalizations about others and are used indiscriminately for all cases. A few examples are Ilokano, â€Å"bantay kuako† (heavy smokers) and â€Å"kuripot† (stingy); Pampangueno, â€Å"dugong aso† (dog blood or traitors); Batangueno, â€Å"balisong† (knife-wielding); Bicolanos, â€Å"sili† ( pepper or hot people). 2. Patterns of Competition, Conflict and Domination When ethnocentric attitudes are coupled with intergroup competition for territory and scarce resources, an explosive social situation may arise. When two groups both strive for the same things- and they perceive their respective claims to be mutually exclusively and legitimate- the stage is set for conflict. In modern societies, the state has become the vehicle that enables one group to dominate and keep the other group subordinate. In sum, competition supplies the motivation for systems of stratification, and ethnocentrism directs competition along racial and ethnic lines, but power determines which group will subjugate the other (Noel, 1972; Barth and Noel, 1975). 3. Economic and Political Subjugation The economic takeover of one nation by a more powerful one and the subsequent political and social domination of the native population is called colonialism. If the takeover of one nation is trough the military superiority of the more powerful one for the purpose of territorial expansion and establishing colonies, it is termed as military colonialism. On the other hand, if the economic takeover is made through the great technological superiority of the more powerful one, the institutionalization of their businesses in their former colonies, the control and domination of most of a colony’s natural resources, the imposition of trade policies and economic treaties favorable to their side; the establishment of outlets for their surplus capital; the need for more cheap labor, raw materials, and markets to fuel their growing economy, the process is termed neo-colonialism or economic imperialism. 4. Displacement and Segregation of the Native Population Economic and political subjugation of a minority population by a more powerful group is not the only pattern of conquest that occurs when  different racial and ethnic group meet. Displacement of native population can be made possible through the influx of powerful settlers or invaders with their vastly superior weapons. It is typically found in areas rich in natural resources and similar in geography and climate to the homeland of the invading group. Displacement takes the following forms: a.) by attrition, that is, numbers of the weaker group may die of starvation or disease either deliberately or not; b.) by population transfer; and c.) by genocide- deliberate and ruthless extermination of the weaker group. Segregation involves the enactment of laws and/or customs that restrict or prohibit contact between groups. Segregation may be ethnic or racial or based on sex or age. 5. Patterns of Accommodation and Tolerance Interracial and interethnic accommodation can be carried out through miscegenation or amalgamation- the intermarriage of members of the majority and minority groups. This can result in the blending of their various customs and values and the creation of a new cultural hybrid. This involves a cultural and biological blending in which the customs and values of both groups are to some extent preserved and their biological characteristics appear in the offspring. 6. Patterns of Acculturation and Assimilation Acculturation and assimilation are two very important concepts in sociology and anthropology that describe cross cultural effects on both minorities as well as majorities in societies that are multi ethnic and multi cultural in nature. Assimilation is a broader concept as described by sociologist Jean Piaget and refers to the manner in which people take new information. There are many people who think of the two concepts as same and even use them interchangeably. If you belong to a minority community in a country and retain your own culture but cannot remain isolated and are affected by the majority culture in such a way that you adapt to some aspects of the majority culture, the process is referred to as acculturation. Assimilation is a process whereby people of a culture learn to adapt to the ways of the majority culture. There is a loss of one’s own culture as a  person gives more value to the cultural aspects of the majority community in the process of assimilation. What is the difference between Acculturation and Assimilation? †¢ Meeting of cultures always produces results in terms of changes in both the cultures, and acculturation and assimilation refer to two important and different changes in these cultures. †¢ Assimilation refers to the process where some of the majority community’s cultural aspects are absorbed in such a manner that the home cultural aspects get mitigated or lost. †¢ Acculturation is a process where the cultural aspects of the majority community are adapted without losing the traditions and customs of the minority community. †¢ Minority culture changes in the case of assimilation whereas it remains intact in the case of acculturation. 7. Patterns of cultural Pluralism or Ethnic Diversity Cultural pluralism refers to the coexistence of different racial or ethnic groups each of which retains its own cultural identity and social structural networks, while participating equally in the economic and political systems. (Light, 1985) In pluralistic society, each group retains its own language, religion and customs, and its members tend to interact socially primarily among themselves. Yet all jointly participate in the economic and political systems and live in harmony and peaceful â€Å"coexistence†. A prime example of such an arrangement can be found in Switzerland. There, people of German, French, and Italian heritage preserve their distinct cultural ways while coexisting peacefully and equally. No one group enjoys special privileges or is discriminated against. ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE PHILIPPINES Ethnic groups in the Philippines are classified according to certain physical, cultural, linguistic, religious and geographic criteria. A. According to distinctive physical traits 1. The Negritoes who are regarded as the aborigines of the Philippines. 2. The Indonesian- Malayan stock which is predominant among the Filipinos. 3. The Chinese who make up the largest national group. 4. The Americans and the Spaniards, and a few other Europeans who came as  colonizers. B. According to cultural standpoints 1. Cultural minorities or cultural communities 2. Muslims 3. Christian groups C. According to linguistic groupings PANAMIN reports that there are about 87 ethno linguistic groups in the Philippines-e.g., Tagalog, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Ilonggo, etc. D. According to religion 1. Roman Catholics 2. Muslims 3. Aglipayans 4. Protestants 5. Iglesia ni Cristo 6. Buddhists 7. Jehovah’s witnesses 8. Other religious sects. E. Muslims of Southern Philippines The Muslims make up the largest single non-Christian group. They have nine ethno-linguistic groups, namely: 1. Taosug 2. Maranao 3. Maguindanao 4. Samal 5. Yakan 6. Sanggil 7. Badjao 8. Molbog 9. Jama Mapun From the Spanish regime to the present, Muslim and Christian intergroup  relationships have been characterized by animosity and suspicion. This has been expressed in the Muslims’ ongoing resentment of Christian settlers and attempts at secession to form an independent Mindanao. Muslim revolutionary groups the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Bangsai Moro Liberation Front (BMLF) want Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan to secede from the Philippines. THE CULTURAL COMMUNITIES AND THE CHRISTIAN FILIPINOS The non-Christian Filipinos now known as cultural communities make up 10% of the total national population. They have maintained their culture in their clothes, art, religion, ethnic dialect, customs, traditions and other superficial differences. There are 77 major ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines. III. GROUP REFLECTION Within sociology, the terms race, ethnicity, minority, and dominant group all have very specific and different meanings. To understand the sociological perspective on race and ethnicity, it is important to understand the meanings of these concepts. An ethnic group is a social category of people who share a common culture, such as a common language, a common religion, or common norms, customs, practices, and history. Ethnic groups have a consciousness of their common cultural bond. An ethnic group does not exist simply because of the common national or cultural origins of the group, however. They develop because of their unique historical and social experiences, which become the basis for the group’s ethnic identity. For example, prior to immigration to the United States, Italians did not think of themselves as a distinct group with common interests and experiences. However, the process of immigration and the experiences they faced as a group in the United States, including dis crimination, created a new identity for the group. Some examples of ethnic groups include Italian Americans, Polish Americans, Mexican Americans, Arab Americans, and Irish Americans. Ethnic groups are also found in other societies, such as the Pashtuns in Afghanistan or the Shiites in Iraq, whose ethnicity is base on religious differences. Like ethnicity, race is primarily, though not exclusively, a socially constructed category. A race is a group that is treated as distinct in society based on certain characteristics. Because of their biological or cultural characteristics, which are labeled as inferior by powerful groups in society, a race is often singled out for differential and unfair treatment. It is not the biological characteristics that define racial groups, but how groups have been treated historically and socially. Society assigns people to racial categories (White, Black, etc.) not because of science or fact, but because of opinion and social experience. In other  words, how racial groups are defined is a social process; it is socially constructed. A minority group is any distinct group in society that shares common group characteristics and is forced to occupy low status in society because of prejudice and discrimination. A group may be classified as a minority on the basis of ethnicity, race, sexual preference, age, or class status. It is important to note that a minority group is not necessarily the minority in terms of numbers, but it is a group that holds low status in relation to other groups in society (regardless of the size). The group that assigns a racial or ethnic group to subordinate status in society is called the dominant group. There are several sociological theories about why prejudice, discrimination, and racism exist. Current sociological theories focus mainly on explaining the existence of racism, particular institutional racism. The three major sociological perspectives (functionalist theory, symbolic interaction theory, and conflict theory) each have their own explanations to the existence of racism. Functionalist theorists argue that in order for race and ethnic relations to be functional and contribute to the harmonious conduct and stability of society, racial and ethnic minorities must assimilate into that society. Assimilation is a process in which a minority becomes absorbed into the dominant society – socially, economically, and culturally. Symbolic interaction theorists look at two issues in relation to race and ethnicity. First, they look at the role of social interaction and how it reduces racial and ethnic hostility. Second, they look at how race and ethnicity are socially constructed. In essence, symbolic interactionists ask the question, â€Å"What happens when two people of different race or ethnicity come in contact with one another and how can such interracial or interethnic contact reduce hostility and conflict?† The basic argument made by conflict theorists is that class-based conflict is an inherent and fundamental part of society. These theorists thus argue that racial and ethnic conflict is tied to class conflict and that in order to reduce racial and ethnic conflict, class conflict must first be reduced.

Differences Between an Initialism and an Acronym

An initialism is an  abbreviation that consists of the first letter or letters of words in a phrase, such as EU (for European Union) and NFL (for National Football League).  Also called an alphabetism.   Initialisms are  usually shown in  capital letters, without spaces or periods between them.  Unlike acronyms, initialisms are not spoken as words; they are spoken letter by letter.   Examples and Observations ABC (American Broadcasting Company, Australian Broadcasting Corporation), ATM (Automatic Teller Machine), BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), CNN (Cable News Network), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), HTML  (HyperText Markup Language),  IBM (International Business Machines Corporation), NBC (National Broadcasting Company)Some names that began as initialisms have evolved into brands independent of their original meanings. For example, CBS, the American radio and television network, was created in 1928 as the Columbia Broadcasting System. In 1974, the name of the company was legally changed to CBS, Inc., and in the late 1990s, it became CBS Corporation.Similarly, the letters in the names SAT and ACT no longer represent anything. Originally known as the Scholastic Achievement Test, the SAT became an Aptitude Test in 1941 and an Assessment Test in 1990. Finally, in 1994, the name was officially changed to SAT (or, in full, SAT Reasoning Test) , with the letters signifying nothing. Two years later, American College Testing followed suit and changed the name of its test to ACT. Initialisms and Acronyms My favorite current acronym is the DUMP, a term universally used in Durham, New Hampshire to refer to a local supermarket with the unwittingly unfortunate name the Durham Market Place. Initialisms are  similar to acronyms in that they are composed of the first letters of a phrase, but unlike acronyms, they are pronounced as a series of letters. So most people in the US refer to the Federal Bureau of Investigation as the FBI...Other initialisms are PTA for Parent Teacher Association, PR for either public relations or personal record, and NCAA for National College Athletic Association.(Rochelle Lieber, Introducing Morphology. Cambridge University Press, 2010) [S]ometimes a letter in an initialism is formed not, as the term might imply, from an initial letter but rather from an initial sound (as the X in XML, for extensible markup language), or from the application of a number (W3C, for World Wide Web Consortium). Furthermore, an acronym and an initialism are occasionally combined (JPEG), and the line between initialism and acronym is not always clear (FAQ, which can be pronounced either as a word or as a series of letters).(The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th ed. The University of Chicago Press, 2010) CD-ROM CD-ROM is an interesting mix because it brings together an initialism (CD) and an acronym (ROM). The first part is sounded letter by letter, the second part is a whole word.(David Crystal, The Story of English in 100 Words. St. Martins Press, 2012) Usage The first time an acronym or initialism appears in a written work, write the complete term, followed by an abbreviated form in parentheses. Thereafter, you may use the acronym or initialism alone.(G. J. Alred, C. T. Brusaw, and W. E. Oliu, Handbook of Technical Writing, 6th ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2000 AWOL In AWOL--All Wrong Old Laddiebuck, an animated film by Charles Bowers, a woman presents her calling card to a soldier and it reads Miss Awol. She then lures him away from camp without permission. The film is silent, of course, given the 1919 date, but the calling card indicates that AWOL is pronounced as a word, making it a true acronym and not just an initialism.(David Wilton and Ivan Brunetti, Word Myths. Oxford University Press, 2004) Pronunciation: i-NISH-i-liz-em EtymologyFrom the Latin, beginning