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How Do Economic Incentives Affect Social Preferences and Behavior Essay

For a considerable length of time monetary speculations have depended vigorously on the viability of material motivators (Fehr and Gachter, ...

Thursday, August 27, 2020

How Do Economic Incentives Affect Social Preferences and Behavior Essay

For a considerable length of time monetary speculations have depended vigorously on the viability of material motivators (Fehr and Gachter, 2001). As indicated by the customary trade hypothesis all individuals are solely persuaded by their own material personal responsibility. It predicts that the presentation of a punishment will decrease the event of the conduct that is dependent upon the fine. Then again it expresses that presenting a material motivating force will prompt an expansion of the conduct identified with the reward. In light of monetary hypothesis, motivating forces have gotten progressively mainstream and are utilized to build certain practices in different fields including natural strategy (Andersen and Sprenger, 2000; Barde and Smith, 1997; Baumol and Oates, 1988; Kahn, 1995; all refered to in ThOgersen, 2003), family studies (Singer, 2002) and instruction strategy (Fryer, 2011). On the opposite side, punishments have been utilized to decrease free-riding (Feldman, Papadimitriou, Chuang, and Stoica, 2006), and wrongdoings (Akerlof and Dickens, 1982). There is a lot of proof that underpins the essential reason of financial matters that motivations are viable (Gibbons, 1997; Prendergast, 1999; Lazear, 2000; all refered to in Benabou and Tirole, 2004). Notwithstanding, a huge collection of writing in brain research has demonstrated that express motivators lead to diminished inspiration and decreased execution over the long haul (Deci and Ryan, 1985; as refered to in Benabou and Tirole, 2004). Titmuss (1970, as refered to in Benabou and Tirole, 2004) was the principal who guaranteed that individuals may embrace a ‘market mentality’ when they are presented to express financial motivations. He found that paying blood givers for giving blood could really lessen flexibly. In the first place there was minimal hard proof that social inclinations influenced singular conduct, yet exact and hypothetical advances over the previous decades give the premise to more help. For instance, Gneezy and Rustichini (2000a) found that presenting a money related fine for late-coming guardians in day-care focuses prompted a critical increment in late-coming. There was no decrease in late-coming after the fine was expelled. Likewise Fryer (2011) didn’t discover proof that giving monetary impetuses to educators to build understudy execution had any impact. Incompletely on account of these discoveries, terms as trust, correspondence, blessing trade and decency have showed up in the observational examination and displaying of head specialist connections (Bowles and Polania-Reyes, 2012). This features the significance of the impact that social inclinations have on impetuses. In light of the logical inconsistencies referenced above I reason that a progressively careful investigation is required so as to comprehend the impact of motivating forces on conduct. I’ll center around the interaction among motivations and social inclinations and how this influences conduct. In this paper I will survey a few instruments that can clarify how motivators can be less compelling than monetary hypotheses foresee and how they can even have counterproductive impacts. Besides I will demonstrate the ramifications of the (non-)adequacy of motivating forces for financial arrangement. Review of past examination According to the meaning of Bowles and Polania-Reyes (2012), social inclinations allude to â€Å"motives, for example, charitableness, correspondence, characteristic delight in helping other people, imbalance abhorrence, moral duties and different thought processes that incite individuals to help other people more than would an own-material-result boosting individual† (p. 4). Fehr and Fischbacher (2002) have shown the most significant sorts of inclinations that have been revealed by the writing. I will without further ado survey them beneath. The main significant kind of social inclination is the inclination for equal decency or correspondence. An individual is proportional when he reacts sympathetic to activities that are seen as kind, and when he reacts unfriendly to activities that are seen as threatening. Regardless of whether some activity is seen as unfriendly of kind relies upon the injustice or decency of the goal and on the outcomes that are related with the activity. A second social inclination type is imbalance revultion. As indicated by Fehr and Schmidt (1999; as refered to in Fehr and Fischbacher, 2002) â€Å"inequity loath people need to accomplish a fair dispersion of material resources† (p. C3). Imbalance disinclined people show selfless conduct if the other persons’ adjustments are beneath an impartial level. Be that as it may, if the other persons’ settlements are surpassing the fair level a disparity opposed individual need to diminish the other persons’ adjustments. There are a ton of likenesses in the conduct of corresponding and imbalance loath people, since the two ideas rely here and there upon the view of reasonableness. Unadulterated unselfishness is the third kind of social inclination, which is altogether different from the previous two. Charitableness can be viewed as an unlimited type of consideration (Fehr and Fischbacher, 2002), as a philanthropic individual could never make a move that diminishes another person’s result. The issue with unadulterated philanthropy is that it can't clarify contingent participation, that is, individuals need to expand their intentional collaboration in light of collaboration of others. The last social inclination type that Fehr and Fischbacher (2002) referenced is jealous or angry inclinations. A desirous or resentful individual consistently values the result of different specialists adversely. In this way the jealous individual is eager to diminish the different agent’s result regardless of whether it brings along an individual expense to himself. This happens independent of reasonable or out of line conduct of the other operator and regardless of the result dispersion (Fehr and Fischbacher, 2002). In any case, resentment can’t clarify why it is that similar people now and again are happy to help other people at an individual expense, while at times they hurt others. Over the previous decades, numerous investigations have affirmed that a huge division of people participate in proportional or charitable practices (Buraschi and Cornelli, 2002; as refered to in Benabou and Tirole, 2004; Fehr and Gachter, 2000). Subsequently, numerous people don't just think about the material assets allotted to them, yet in addition care about material assets assigned to other applicable specialists. To give an outline of the motivation impacts on inclinations, two qualifications are made: the nature and the reasons for impetuses (Bowles and Polania-Reyes, 2012). Concerning the idea of impetuses, individuals frequently react to the minor nearness of motivations, as opposed to their degree (Gneezy, 2003; as refered to in Bowles and Polania-Reyes, 2012). Be that as it may, the degree of a motivating force may likewise assume a job. Subsequently the impacts of motivations on social inclinations can be either straight out or peripheral or a blend of the two. Bowles and Polania-Reyes (2012) additionally make a differentiation between 2 reasons for motivating force impacts on inclinations. Initially, impetuses can influence the earth wherein inclinations are found out. At the point when this occurs, the inclinations are alluded to as endogenous inclinations. Second, the degree or nearness of motivating forces influence the conduct notability of an individual’s social inclinations. At the point when impetuses comprise various states, we allude to social inclinations as state-subordinate inclinations. There are three systems that make social inclinations state-subordinate. To start with, by executing a motivation, the chief reveals data about his goals, about his convictions about the objective of the impetuses and about the focused on conduct. This data may influence the agent’s social inclinations which thus influence the agent’s conduct. Second, impetuses give situational prompts to suitable conduct. At long last, motivators may prompt a swarming out of natural inspirations. The swarming out impact depends on the instinct that the nearness of disciplines or rewards ruins the reputational estimation of good deeds. This makes question inside the person about the degree to which he performed as a result of the motivating forces as opposed to for himself. This marvel is additionally alluded to as the ‘overjustification effect’ (Lepper, Greene, and Nisbett, 1973; as refered to in Benabou and Tirole, 2004). In the following piece of this paper I’ll give test proof for both endogenous inclinations and for every one of the 3 systems that make inclinations impetus state-subordinate. Moreover, I’ll give instances of tests where swarming in has been found and clarify the fundamental instruments. 1. Endogenous inclinations: impetuses modify how new inclinations are found out Preferences are endogenous if someone’s encounters lead to strong changes in inspirations and in the long run bring about an adjustment in conduct in specific circumstances (Bowles, 2008). As a rule, tests have a couple of hours length and thusly it’s improbable to reveal the systems that are engaged with the procedure of solid difference in inclinations. In spite of the fact that it’s difficult to investigate the causal instruments at work, there exist a few tests that do show a solid learning impact (Irlenbausch and Sliwka, 2005; Falkinger, Fehr, Gachter, and Winter-Ebmer, 2000; all refered to in Bowles, 2008). Gneezy and Rustichini (2000a), for instance, inspected if the presentation of a money related fine for late-coming guardians in day-care focuses would prompt decrease recently coming. In any case, the measure recently coming guardians didn’t decline, yet expanded fundamentally. Along these lines motivators prompted progressively self-intrigued conduct. All the more critically, after the fine was evacuated no decrease in late-coming guardians was appeared, implying that there was some solid learning impact going on. 2. State-subordinate inclinations: motivations give data about the vital When a motivator is forced on an operator, he may gather data about the foremost who structured the impetus. He may, for instance, construe data about the principal’s convictions with respect to the specialist, and about the idea of the ta

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Improve Essay Writing Skills Using Free Resources

Improve Essay Writing Skills Using Free ResourcesNo matter where you are in your school career, you'll find plenty of resources to help you improve essay writing skills. They'll be distributed as free tips, e-books and other resources to help you put together a first draft. So how can you find the information you need to create a quality essay? Here are a few useful tips for you to take advantage of.- Your instructor can certainly help you with your personal style and insight about the student's needs. Just being able to express yourself clearly is an important part of all of this. They may have a basic writing guide that they can give you or they might even be able to suggest something better than what you're using. In any case, just make sure that your writing is coming out correctly.- Asking the student who is assigned to you to refer to your resource guide is also a great way to improve essay writing skills. You want to ask them to show you the best part so that you can see how m uch better it is. Also, be sure to consult with them often. They'll find that it's very easy to lose focus if they don't get their hands on the guide.- In addition to getting a good idea of what sort of guide would be helpful, ask a few of your fellow students about the sort of guide they like. Ask them what they think of the various guides. There will be a lot of common ground when it comes to resources.- Don't be afraid to get advice from professionals. A resource that you don't understand will not be helpful. A professional knows what to do and doesn't mind giving advice. You can also use resources of experts and instructors to help you figure out how to use your personal style, of which they know well.- You'll be able to pick up a lot of tips by using a pen and paper. Write down some ideas and make notes as you go. It's very easy to forget a great idea at this point. But don't forget to bring it to your instructor or teacher later so that you can check it out.- You may be writin g about something that you don't understand. You may be stumped, but you can take a break and use a friend's help to translate what you write for them. You can also use your resource guide to get clarification and find out what it's really about.- While all of these may sound silly, just remember that if you are having trouble with your writing, you can always use a buddy to help you. They know the writing and can use their insights to help you. Or, you can ask someone to proofread your work for you. Whatever you do, however, just be sure that you use all of the resources that are available to you and do everything you can to improve essay writing skills.

Friday, August 21, 2020

American Attack on Omaha and Utah Beaches During D Day :: World War II History

American Attack on Omaha and Utah Beaches During D Day It was 1944, and the United States had now been a functioning member in the war against Nazi Germany for right around three and a half years, about six years for the British. During that period happened a series of commitment battled with fierce assurance and force on the two sides. There is in any case, one day which hangs out in the brains of numerous American servicemen more regularly than others. June 6, 1944, D-Day, was a day in which a great many youthful American young men, who poured onto the sea shores of Utah and Omaha, became men quicker than they would have ever envisioned conceivable. Much to their dismay of the confusion and the damnation which anticipated them on their appearance. Through the span of a couple of hours, the dreams of Omaha and Utah Beaches, and the passing and demolition went with them shaped a lasting obsession in the brains of the American Invaders. The Allied attack of Europe started on the sixth of June 1944, and the American ambush on Utah and Omah a sea shores on this day assumed a basic job in the general achievement of the activity. (Astor 352) A broad arrangement was built up for the American assault on Utah and Omaha Beaches. The arrangement was so top to bottom, and complex, its depictions nitty gritty the specific appearances of troops, covering, and other gear required for the intrusion, and where precisely on the sea shore they were to land. Before the arrivals were to start, the beach front German safeguards must be satisfactorily prepared, and mollified by a mix of a monstrous battering by United States ships, and shelling by the United States Air Force. Between the long periods of 0300 and 0500 hours on the morning of June 6, more than 1,000 airplane dropped in excess of 5,000 tons of bombs on the German waterfront guards. When the fundamental shelling was finished, the American and British maritime firearms started shooting at the Normandy coastline (D' Este 112). A British maritime official portrayed the inconceivable display he saw that day: Never has any coast endured what a tormented segment of French coast endured that morning; both the maritime and air bombardments were unrivaled. Along the fifty-mile front the land was shaken by progressive blasts as the shells of boats' firearms tore openings in strongholds and huge amounts of bombs came down on them from the skies. Through surging smoke and falling flotsam a nd jetsam protectors hunching in this scene of destructions would before long perceive faintly many ships and ambush make inauspiciously shutting the shore.

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

The Life Of Selena Y Los Dinos - 985 Words

SELENA QUINTANILLA- PEREZ BIBLIOGRAPHY Introduction She had more than one personality; fashion designer, songwriter, spokesperson American singer, and actress. Family Being the youngest of the Quintanilla family, Selena Quintanilla was born on April 16, 1971, in Texas. Raised as a Jehovah witness, her musical abilities were evidently noticed by Quintanilla, Jr. at the age of six. She joined a band by the name Selena y Los Dinos, influenced by her elder siblings A. B. Quintanilla. B and Suzette Quintanilla, who were also band members. They often performed in Quintanilla, Jr,’s first Tex-Mex restaurant mid-1980, which was later closed after the recession caused by the 1980s oil gut. Declared bankrupt their family was evicted from their home and settled in Corpus Christi, Texas. At this hard time Selena’s family needed money to survive, prompting them to play at weddings, at quinceaneras street corners and fairs. Her popularity and demand grew resulting to her father’s action of taking her out of school from the eighth grade, despite Marilyns Greer’s, her teacher, disapproval. At seventeen, Selena earned a high school diploma from the American School of Correspondence in Chicago, and was also accepted at Louisiana State University. She enrolled at Pacific Western University, taking up business administration as her major subject. Music Awards Selena recorded her first LP record, Selena y Los Dinos, for Freddie Records. She recorded Tejano musicShow MoreRelated Selena Essays824 Words   |  4 Pages could you Imagine what it would be like to grow up as a performer in a world that didn’t even except female Tejano singers? Can you imagine how much courage and work it would take to make it to the top? That’s was Selena Quintanilla Perez had to go through. Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas on April 6th, 1971 to Abraham and Marcella Quintanilla. Abraham was a shipping clerk for a chemical company and Marcella was a housewife. Abraham being a well respected Mexican musician, who only sangRead MoreSelena: La Reina de Tejano1615 Words   |  7 PagesSelena, â€Å"Le Reina de Tejano†, was born on April 16, 1971, in Lake Jackson. She was the youngest of three children of Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and Marcela, his wife. At a young age, Abraham had a strong passion for music that he still has. During the 1950s and 1960s, him and his friends made a group called â€Å"Los Dinos† and played at nightclubs and restaurants. Even though his passion for music, he gav e it up when he got married and earned a job at Dow Chemical as a shipping clerk. From his experienceRead MoreSelena Quintanilla Essay1470 Words   |  6 Pages Selena Quintanilla was a Mexican-American singer that dramatically impacted the world of Tejano music. â€Å"Selena transformed Tejano music from a local genre performed on a circuit of small venues into an international form that expressed the aspirations of many in the latino community,† affirms The Nineties in America. She was born on April 16, 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas and died on March 31, 1995 in Corpus Christi, Texas. The St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture states that, â€Å"she [Selena] wasRead MoreSelena3119 Words   |  13 PagesBorn in Lake Jackson, Texas on April 16, 1971, Selena Quintanilla-Perez would come to be known as the â€Å"Queen of Tejano music.† With the help of different sources to provide evidence and support to my argument, the aim of this paper is to examine how Tejana singer, Selena was able to impact those around her with her career as a musician and t hrough the medium of music. Selena rose to success by continuously crossing over to different markets. She not only impacted her fans one by one, but also broughtRead MoreA Brief Biography of Selena546 Words   |  2 Pagesintroduced him to Selena y los Dinos. In Huston, Texas Shellys band was playing at a festival and A.B. Quintanilla, Selenas brother saw Chris playing guitar and liked Chriss guitar skills. During that time Selena y los Dinos was looking for a new guitarist and A.B. gave Chris his number just so Chris can call him if he was interested. Chris called A.B and set up a date to play together in the studio, since that day happened Chris joined los Dinos. Chris was never close to Selena the only interactionRead More1994: My Birth Year956 Words   |  4 Pages1994, but they did not have very interesting events so I had the choice of doing events on the year of 1994. One major event that took place throughout the world in 1994 was when Selena Quintanilla-Perez became a worldwide pop star. She started at the age of 9; her father started the group Selena Y Los Dinos (Selena and The Guys). The group s first performance was in Papagallos, the Quintanilla family s restaurant opened in 1980. Everyone who saw her, even at that young age, knew she was goingRead MoreOn march 9th, 1997, the rapper Notorious Big was shot to death in LA during a drive by shooting. On2200 Words   |  9 PagesHurricane Katrina. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 Nov. 2014. Web. 11 May 2014. A fire lit by the cult of Davidians led by David Koresh was the Waco Tragedy Branch Davidians. Koresh believed he was an angel and agent of God. Earlier in his life, he had separated from the Church of Seventh- Day Adventist Church. He slowly gained followers of 70+ people who worshipped his beliefs as well. To show the FBiI that surrender was not happening willingly, On 4/19/1993, in Waco Texas, the group of

Friday, May 15, 2020

Arrhenius Acid Definition and Examples

An Arrhenius acid is a substance that dissociates in  water to form hydrogen ions or protons. In other words, it increases the number of H ions in the water. In contrast, an Arrhenius base dissociates in water to form hydroxide ions, OH-. The H ion is also associated with the water molecule in the form of a hydronium ion, H3O and follows the reaction: acid H2O → H3O conjugate base What this means is that, in practice, there arent free hydrogen cations floating around in aqueous solution. Rather, the extra hydrogen forms hydronium ions. In more discussions, the concentration of hydrogen ions and hydronium ions are considered interchangeable, but its more accurate to describe hydronium ion formation. According to the Arrhenius description of acids and bases, the water molecule consists of a proton and a hydroxide ion. The acid-base reaction is considered a type of neutralization reaction where the acid and base react to yield water and a salt. Acidity and alkalinity describe the concentration of hydrogen ions (acidity) and hydroxide ions (alkalinity). Examples of Arrhenius Acids A good example of an Arrhenius acid is hydrochloric acid, HCl. It dissolves in water to form the hydrogen ion and chlorine ion: HCl → H (aq) Cl- (aq) Its considered an Arrhenius acid because the dissociation increases the number of hydrogen ions in the aqueous solution. Other examples of Arrhenius acids include sulfuric acid (H2SO4), hydrobromic acid (HBr),  and nitric acid (HNO3). Examples of Arrhenius bases include sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH).

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Fracking A Modern Society Essay - 1645 Words

The problems we face as a modern society often puts us in a standoff between what is right and what is possible. Energy production, specifically the use of the Earth’s natural resources, is at the top of the list of contested subjects, with hoards of advocates and opponents on either side. One of the newest methods of natural gas energy production is a process called Hydraulic Fracturing, or fracking. This process uses large drills to create tunnels down into the earth’s crust and then introduces thousands of gallons of water and various chemicals to create horizontal cracks. Sands are pumped down next to hold the cracks open. Through these cracks, piping is inserted to collect the natural gas which is held inside. Repeated fracturing by oil and gas companies occurs as the resources are depleted. I poured over many articles and news reports in order to find out the truth about fracking. Proponents state that fracking is much less invasive than other fuel mining such as coal, and much less dangerous than nuclear. In fact, it does use much less energy to perform hydraulic fracturing than any other fuel resources available. However, after reviewing many studies on the effectiveness of fracking and reading reports of fracking issues, I feel that the use of fracking as a method of natural gas production is a grossly negligent process that has no place in modern society. The risks of improper fracking are known, the oil and gas companies arrogant, and the government is stuckShow MoreRelatedThe Importance of a Secure Energy Supply for the Future826 Words   |  3 Pages1.1 Introduction Secure energy supply is vital to our modern world. As the economy and world population grow, the consumption of energy is larger than ever. Energy shortage is one of the most concerned social and economical issues to our society. Both industrial and domestic lives rely on the energy provided by energy sources from one form or anther. Petroleum, coal and natural gas are the most produced and used energy sources. Mining technologies are required to obtain the raw materials of theseRead MoreBusiness, Sustainability And The Natural Environment1617 Words   |  7 PagesNon-profit organizations look beyond institutional goals, and instead, try to find a shared vision that works for everyone in the society. Our society needs to stop consuming as if we have an infinite planet; we have to have integrity for the world we live in because the natural resources that have been sustaining us will not last forever. Companies need to evolve with the modern age and changing consumer market. For examp le, Netflix never thought they would produce their own shows, however, with the changingRead MoreThe Effects Of Fracking On The Climate And Societies Across America1101 Words   |  5 PagesThe Consequences of Fracking 1. Introduction Fracking, does it have more consequence or benefits? Well first let me explain what fracking is. Fracking is formally known as (Hydraulic Fracturing), an exceedingly confrontational procedure commonly used today to extort oil and natural gas from the earth. Many exponents of fracking congratulate the encouraging economic impacts and job creations. But they fail to recognize the effects fracking have on the climate and societies across America. OneRead MoreThe Consequences Of Fracking . Introduction:. Fracking,1130 Words   |  5 PagesThe Consequences of Fracking Introduction: Fracking, does it have more consequence or benefits? Well first let me explain what fracking is. Fracking is formally known as (Hydraulic Fracturing), an exceedingly confrontational procedure used for the extraction of oil and natural gas. Many exponents of fracking congratulate the encouraging economic impacts and job creations. But they fail to recognize the effects fracking have on the climate and societies across America. As stated by, AlexanderRead MoreThe Invention Of Our Modern Day Fracking1299 Words   |  6 Pagescase of any treatment polluting an aquifer – not one.†(â€Å"Shooters-A Fracking History†). This statement may lead you to believe there is no need for concern, but there is a big pink elephant in the room. Arguments against these statements would prove futile, at a first glance, but understanding the true cost, to the environment and our safety could prove more valuable than the money earned. The beginnings of our modern day fracking process reside in a U.S. Patent No. 59,936, issued to a Col. EdwardRead MoreFracking And Its Effects On The Environment1443 Words   |  6 Pagesdependence comes with hidden costs other than carbon emissions? Would you still want this opportunity in your area? This is what experts and passionate amateurs alike have been debating about fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing.. Although it has the potential to be a very lucrative process, presently fracking is far too detrimental to the environment, for example Southern Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest, for any environmentally conscious human being to be supportive of until there is a largeRead MoreFracking : A Better World Essay1289 Words   |  6 PagesIn today’s modern times, we exist in a world of constant change as we seek to achieve greater heights and advance as a society to better the world around us. The vision of a better world differs individual to individual as some view economic growth and the development of a decaying energy sector to be symbols of a better world. To others, a better world is to create a habitat that can sustain our population and basic needs for a healthy lifestyle. One such advancement made in recent years that hasRead MoreHow Water Usage Is Affecting The World And The People Within Societies1732 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world and the people within societies. Additionally, I elaborate on the conflict brought upon by water and how the future of the world looks like if we fail to act. I also explore the stances of the authors in these modules and how their texts relate to one another in leading the way to a sustainable world. Introduction Core 1 being an interdisciplinary writing class discussed a wide range of topic from astronomy to soil. Most relevant to the modern world Core 1 touched upon the conceptRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing And Its Effects1500 Words   |  6 Pagesthis, opponents of fracking cite environmental harms including various pollutions and contaminations. Like in the example with the mother and her children, â€Å"fracking† has the potential to contaminate drinking water (Banerjee, 2015). Although fracking can be beneficial, do its benefits compensate for the serious environmental impacts it could have? This paper seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What is hydraulic fracturing? 2. What are the environmental impacts of fracking? 3. What are the economicRead MoreThe Effects Of Hydraulic Fracturing On The Environment1695 Words   |  7 Pagesresources, noise pollution, air pollution as well as contributing to land movements such as tremors and earthquakes (Boudet et al. 57). According to Boudet et al. (58), fracking presents challenges that prompted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to commence investigations into the environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing. Fracking is a capital-intensive project that usually involves the clearing of lands, transportation of water resources, construction of critical infrastructures such as roads

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Acupuncture An Alternative free essay sample

To support the life of an ailing individual and to relieve pain, the application of formal and conventional medical practice is not alone that can help. The application of complementary and alternative medicine may also relieve the patient of such sufferings. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), National Institutes of Health has defined complementary and alternative medicine as â€Å"a group of diverse health care and medical systems, practices and products that are not presently considered to be part of the conventional medicine† (House Select, 2006 p.10). There is a distinction between the complementary medicine alone and alternative medicine alone. Complementary medicine is applied jointly with the conventional medicine such as the use of aromatherapy in reducing the patients pain after undergoing a surgery while alternative medicine is applied as a substitute for conventional medicine such as the use of special diet to treat cancer instead of following the physician’s recommendation to undergo surgery or chemotherapy. The NCCAM classifies complementary and alternative medicine into five major categories. They areà § 1.Alternative Medical Systems that are built upon absolute systems of theory and practice that have often developed before and apart from the conventional medicine of the U.S.A. Some of these are homeopathy, hydropathy and naturopathy as well as the Chinese traditional medicine and Ayurveda. 2. Mind-Body Interventions that use a variety of procedures intended to enhance the minds capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms such as meditating, praying, mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets like art, music, or dance. 3.Biologically Based Therapies that use substances found in nature like herbs, foods, and vitamins. These kinds of therapies include dietary supplements, herbal products, and the use of other so-called natural but non-scientifically proven methods like the use of shark cartilage to treat cancer. 4.Manipulative and Body-Based Methods which is based upon manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of the body like massage and chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation. 5.Energy Therapies that include the use of energy fields. It is divided into two subcategories, the biofield therapies and the bioelectromagnetic-based therapies.   Biofield therapies are intended to affect energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the human body such as the application of pressure and/or manipulation of the body by placing the hands in, or through   these fields, i.e., qi gong, reiki, and therapeutic touch. On the other hand the bioelectromagnetic-based therapies entail the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current or direct-current fields. According to NCCAM, Acupuncture is an â€Å"energy medicine involving putative energy fields†, or the biofields. (Energy Medicine, 2004) II. What is Acupuncture, Its Philosophies, Purpose, and Treatment Principles? Acupuncture can alleviate prolonged pain, discomfort, and anxiety, and end severe dependence on a medical system so huge and impersonal that each patient feels like a forgotten cog in a machine.  (Cargill, 1994, p. 3) That is what Acupuncture can do according to Cargill. But what is it? NCCAM defines Acupuncture as â€Å"a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical points on the body using a variety of techniques, the most common of which is the penetration in the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are either manipulated by the hands or by some electrical stimulation†. (An Introduction) The philosophical basis behind Acupuncture for traditional practitioners is the â€Å"qi† (Birch Felt, 1999, p. 88) or the so called vital energy. Qi flows through the twelve major energy pathways called meridians, each of these is connected to specific internal organs of the body or organ systems and â€Å"three hundred sixty-five to two thousand acupoints† (Freeman Lawlis, 2001, p. 311). This qi is blocked when there is imbalance of yin and yang, â€Å"two opposing and inseparable forces†(An Introduction), in the body thereby causing illnesses. Acupuncture can relieve the ailment by unblocking the qi through the insertion of needles at specific anatomic points in the body. Simply stated, the purpose of Acupuncture is to heal or therapeutic. Some healing results of acupuncture, according to research, include alleviation of low back pain, headache, pain from osteoarthritis, neck pain, musculoskeletal and myofascial pain, organic pain, and pain before and after surgery. It has also been used for the treatment of postoperative and chemotherapy-induced nausea, neurologic dysfunction, gynecologic and obstetric conditions, asthma, and substance abuse. With Acupuncture, illness or sickness is prevented while better health is restored. III. Brief Summary and Evolution of Acupuncture Acupuncture evolved from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Earliest evidence regarding this practice can be found in the text, â€Å"The Yellow Emperors Inner Classic (Huang Di Nei Jing), a collection of 81 treatises compiled between 206 BC and 220 AD†Ã‚  (Freeman Lawlis, 2001, p. 316) However, Freeman and Lawlis further noted that â€Å"the oldest surviving classical text dedicated entirely to acupuncture was written sometime in 282 AD by Huang-Fu Mi† entitled, The Comprehensive Manual of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing). This book contains the combined classical concepts concerning the theories and teachings of acupuncture points, channels, and the cause of illness, diagnosis, and therapeutic needling  (Freeman Lawlis, 2001, p. 316) It was in 618 AD when the practice reached its peak in China with the foundation of the Imperial Medical College. During this period, the practice was spreading its influence over other Asian nations such as Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. Acupuncture attained maximum refinements at the end of the sixteenth century. Although it was in 1971 when Acupuncture became popularly recognized in the United States of America (USA), awareness about this therapeutic practice has been introduced in the country long before this period. The first records and studies of the practice became known to the Americans in 1825 in the publication of Morands Memoir on Acupuncturation, a document translated from French by Franklin Bache. However, it was in 1971 when the New York Times correspondent James Reston note down his experience about Acupuncture describing how medical professionals in China utilized needles to alleviate his pain after he have undergone surgery. Currently, the NCCAM reported that in the USA Acupuncture is being widely practiced by thousands of   related medical practitioners such as physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners mainly for alleviation and avoidance of pain and for other health purposes. In fact it was reported that in 2002, the survey showed that 8.2 million of the American adults have made use of Acupuncture. IV. Hazards of the Practice and Its Licensing and Regulatory Requirements The NCCAM provides in its website that the use of Acupuncture has a relatively lower account in terms of health problems and complication despite the huge number of treated individuals in America. Generally the negative complications resulted from the use of inadequately sterilized needles causing serious undesirable effects, including infections and punctured organs. Moreover improper needle placement, patient movements, or a defective needle may cause to tenderness, discomfort, soreness and pain during treatment. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates acupuncture needles. These needles should be used by licensed practitioners only and need to be manufactured and labeled according to the required standards on   sterilization, nontoxic quality, and must be labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only. Public hearings held   on April 25, 2006 in Asheville, and on September 27, 2006 in New Bern in North Carolina have acknowledged issues regarding the following safety measures in alternative medical practice: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Practitioners Training, Qualifications and Credentials of Acupuncturists b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consumer Protection of patients c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Insurance Coverage of patients for possible health problems and side effects d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An Oversight- Regulatory Board to regulate and control the practice ensuring public safety. Finally, for public awareness the NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information on CAM and NCCAM, as well as publications and searches of Federal databases of medical and scientific texts in service to the American nation regarding alternative medicines. References An Introduction to Acupuncture. (2007). NCCAM Publication No.  D404, NCCAM, National Institutes of Health. Retrieved 15 May 2008 from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/ Birch, S. J., Felt, R. L. (1999).  Understanding Acupuncture. New York: Churchill Livingstone. Retrieved May 15, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=100223449 Cargill, M. (1994).  Acupuncture: A Viable Medical Alternative. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Retrieved May 15, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=81902256 Energy Medicine: An Overview. (2004). NCCAM Publication No.  D235, NCCAM, National Institutes of Health. Retrieved 15 May 2008 from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/energymed.htm Freeman, L. W., Lawlis, G. F. (2001).  Mosbys Complementary Alternative Medicine: A Research-Based Approach. St. Louis, MO: Mosby. Retrieved May 15, 2008, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=100735773 House Select Study on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Final Report to the House of Representatives 2007 North Carolina General Assembly. (2006). Retrieved 15 May 2008, from http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/documentsites/legislativepublications/Study%20Reports%20to%20the%202007%20NCGA/Complementary%20and%20Alternative%20Medicine.pdf