Scope and System Dynamic Modeling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Scope and System Dynamic Modeling - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that the model will be unable to tell the whole story behind the topic. Therefore, only impacts of interest are selected and included in the model. With the green house effect rising to alarming levels over the past decade, it seems worhtwhile to investigate the relationship between CO2 emission and global manufacturing in the current model. In addition, monetary relations between the multinationals and the host country which include taxation, contribution to Gross Domestic Product from global manufacturing and gross profit of the multinationals are likewise include in the model. Change in living standard and creation of employment from global manufacturing are also integrated into the model for better understanding between these global multinationals and the host country. This paper outlines that the Vensim software is used to simulate a system dynamics model of the situation being studied. Running "what if" simulations to test certain policies on such a model can greatly aid in understanding how the system changes over time. In the brainstorming phase, a ‘perfect’ model is the primary goal. Such a ‘prefect’ model will require the inclusion of every possible component with respect to the topic of interest. As a prerequisite, a causal loop diagram must be drafted before constructing the system dynamic model. A causal loop diagram is a diagram that aids in visualizing how interrelated variables affect one another. The diagram consists of a set of nodes representing the variables connected together. The relationships between these variables, represented by arrows, can be labelled as either positive or negative. The following is the first draft of the causal loop diagram.

Crime Lab Scandal Essay Example for Free

Crime Lab Scandal Essay The Effects of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab Scandal The most important quality a law enforcement officer can have and should preserve at all cost is integrity. Regardless of what discipline they are employed in whether it be investigations, patrol or forensics an officer’s credibility is their most critical attribute. Thesis: As a result of unethical, fraudulent conduct by North Carolina SBI Crime Lab Agents several individuals were wrongly convicted of major crimes such as murder and rape and sentenced to lengthy prison terms. The effects on law enforcement collectively have been a loss of confidence and an overall sense of distrust from the citizens of North Carolina in law enforcement officers and the state’s judicial process system. Possible resources: News media including but not limited to The Huffington Post and The Raleigh News Observer. Criminal Justice, Volume 27, Number 1, Spring 2012. Â © 2012 by the American Bar Association An Independent Review of the SBI Forensic Laboratory by Chris Swecker, Attorney at Law and Michael Wolf, Consultant. Specific case reports and reviews from the North Carolina Administration of the Courts (NCAOC) online records (if available). This topic relates specifically to Chapter 5, expert witnesses and Chapter 6, credibility. It will also relate to Chapters 3, 12 for discovery issues and 13. The main issue in this paper will be the focus on ethical misconduct in presenting false information, or in some cases excluding exculpatory evidence to the jury. It will also point out the unjust ramifications on innocent defendants as well as the effects such actions have on law enforcement’s credibility as an honorable institution.

An Analysis Of British Literature Essay -- essays research papers

An Analysis of British Literature Death is inevitable and what happens after death will always be a mystery to the living. For this reason, the afterlife has always been a topic which artists have chosen to explore in their works. Throughout the chronology of British literature, artists have used society's views as a basis to examine the afterlife, and look at it in new ways. The afterlife has been a theme in British Literature from the Anglo-Saxon period of Beowulf to the twentieth century writings of Dylan Thomas. The mysteriousness of the afterlife makes it a topic which artists will always be eager to analyze. During the Anglo-Saxon Period which lasted from 449 AD to 1066 AD, the popular belief of the times was that a person's life was predetermined by Wyrd, the Old English word for fate, and there was nothing which the individual could do to change his destiny. The most famous writing from this epoch is the epic poem Beowulf. Beowulf, the main character, had no fear of the evil monster Grendel because he believed "Grendel and I are called/ Together," by fate. He also displayed his faith in the beliefs of society when he told Hrogthgar "Fate will unwind as it must." When Grendel died, the soldiers "had no semse of sorrow, felt no regret for his sufferings," because they believed Grendel was destined to die, and there was no way to defy destiny. They also did not pity Grendel because they considered him to be entirely evil because it was his fate. The Anglo-Saxon's strong belief in fate led to them not fearing death as much as during other times periods in British Literature. Beowulf's strong belief in fate was a reflection in the society's pagan belief in fate. Due to the fact that the society at the time of Beowulf was pagan, they did not believe in the afterlife. The Christian revision to Beowulf illustrated a different outlook on death and the afterlife. When monks were copying the story, they realized it dealt with pagan ideals, and they incorporated Christian ideals into the text. The monks included the concept God was the ultimate one who controls fate. This was shown when Beowulf told Hrogthgar "God must decide/ Who will be given to death's cold grip." The monks also inserted the idea that there is an afterlife. When... ... in the afterlife. Throughout the chronology of British literature, artists have presented many different perspectives on the afterlife. There are views which I agree with, and there are views which I don't agree with. One of the ones which I support is John Donne's idea of death not being a terrible thing because it leads to the afterlife which is a better place. I support this idea because I have been raised in a rather religious family, and it has been instilled in me that death is not bad, and there is an afterlife to go to. I also agree with the ideas in "Ulysses" and "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" that one should struggle to make the most out of his life and to make it meaningful. This idea is very appealing to me because I believe a person should always attempt to make the most out of what he/she is given, and it is important to never give up. While I don't agree with the poems which state that there isn't an afterlife, analyzing and thinking about them has been valuable for me because it has forced me to consider my views, and to build up a stronger support of my views to counter the ideas presented in these poems.

Of mice and men †character analysis Essay

Because the boss is of higher position than George and Lennie he really makes it clear that he is by shouting and being very rude, then watching to see what George and Lennie are going to do because they can’t actually do anything. Because he’s boss and if they did do anything then they would not be able to get the job, so they just have to let it pass and ignore it. Curley is very rude as well, although he is of no higher position than them he is the boss’s son and if they do anything to him then its trouble again. The above basically means that a position any higher than any other worker is highly exploited. A man who used to work at the ranch called Bill Tenner is a good example of the way workers do not get close to each other, because he had worked at the ranch for years and three months after he left he was completely forgotten. What George and Lennie have is something special, a friendship a person they can turn to in times of need. In the 1930’s when the Great Depression was occurring friends were looked upon as a possession and possessions created jealousy and that is why friends were so rare, but George and Lennie fight through. When George is tired and doesn’t want to walk anymore Lennie helps him along. When Lennie is upset George comforts him. With the other workers no one does that for them, they’re on their own. QUESTION 1; Part E: The life the workers and George and Lennie live, involves much cruelty and isolation many unknown things go on that lie deep in the â€Å"group† but ones that stick out are the situation with crooks, because he is black he is isolated from the white people. Crooks is a good example because he is different, today he would not be different but in those days he was looked upon as a â€Å"nigger† or a â€Å"negro†. The other workers thought of him as dirty and he wasn’t aloud in the bunkhouse and he was not aloud to sit with the others in the lunch hall. All things were his own he had his own bunkhouse, his own bed, his own table and all right next to where he works, he’s isolated. Another good example is Candy he has a mangy old dog that he sees as a friend so the other workers are jealous. The workers say that the dog needs putting down so they kill the dog with no remorse :(, now they’re even. QUESTION 2; Part A: The dream which George and Lennie share is the most direct antithesis of all this. The dream is a dream that may become a reality, the dream is a dream which is a way of getting away from what life they have had, the dream is their only escape from the sheer horrible life they lead. The dream is of course a dream of freedom, freedom from the rules and regulations of the ranch. Freedom from the strict boundaries they are caged up in. Freedom to do what they want when they want and not have to be told to work, clean, move, shovel, drive, push and pull anything, they’ll do it when they see fit or when they can be bothered. It will be their little place to call home, and they won’t have to keep changing it either. In that era status was of large importance everyone was below and above someone, but this time THEY will be boss. QUESTION 2; Part B: Work: The two of them, George and Lennie will have the pleasure of living of the fatta the land. First they will plough the land to make it fertile for the seeds. Then they will sow the land. Then they will raise the crop like it were a field of children. Then just as the crop blossoms they will harvest the food and eat it and as they do they will feel fulfilled as if they have made it. The only work boundary they will have is the seasons (meaning if they don’t plant the crop by a certain season the ground will be too hard, wet e. t. c). They will have no one to fire them, which means they wont have to move around every other month. Both George and Lennie will have greater control, not only over the ranch but over their own lives. QUESTION 2; Part C: Home: There own place, nicer accommodation because there won’t have to be rows and rows of workers all in one room, they will have what they want. If their cold then they will get more blankets, or put more logs on the fire they wont need to ask if they can either. They won’t need a little work slip to get in and any friends they want to stay its there decision. All the food will be grown by them so just because of that it will taste better. It would taste better even if they hadn’t grown it themselves because they are only cooking for 2 unlike the cook at the ranch who had to cook for 20 so the food was not as well prepared. They can spend all the time they like on cooking it and cook what they like as well. QUESTION 2; Part D: Entertainment: When on the ranch George and Lennie only had the nearest town to go to because they were not aloud to go to any where else because it was to far from the ranch. If they had there own home it wouldn’t matter, Christmas, birthdays they could go wherever they wanted to go to celebrate whatever they wanted it did not matter it was there own life to live. QUESTION 2; Part E: Friends: On the ranch they had little friendships, and the little friend s they did have were not exactly the stereotypical friendships if either had the chance they would root out the other friend and not think twice. If they lived the dream it would be there own house so they could have who they want to stay, for example if they met someone in town they liked they could bring them back if they liked and have no hassle. Whilst on the ranch if a unfriendly worker came to work they had no authority to send them away but in there own house unwanted visitors came they could easily send them away and have no problems in doing so. QUESTION 2; Part F: Security: As we know George and Lennie are friends and they would both be living in this dream if it were made a reality, also we know that George is the brighter of the two and he looks after Lennie a great deal. The main problem the couple-face is the fact that Lennie can’t keep his hands to himself. George does his best to protect Lennie from this problem but as we know he cant always be there. When he is not then that’s when Lennie goes fiddling (Lennie’s fiddling problem is not strictly his fault its just the fact that he is so stupid that he sees something he likes and has to touch it like a child in a shop). If the dream were a reality though they would not have this problem because Lennie would be far from anywhere where he could do any harm. QUESTION 2; Part G: In the end though the dream is overpowered by the sheer cruelty of the life style, the dream for George, Lennie, Candy and Crooks has been shattered by once again Lennie. The rest of the group are doomed to an eternal life of wondering from ranch to ranch looking for work. For Lennie his life is over he has been shot in the back of the head by his, (humane? Selfish? ) Friend. So near and yet so far would be the best describing sentence for this whole book. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

Boy Pusit: Reaction Paper

â€Å"BOY PUSIT† A REACTION PAPER IN SOCIAL STUDIES II SUBMITTED TO: MARIO DE LOS REYES SUBMITTED BY: JOHN PHILIP L. MALICDAN I. INTRODUCTION In Masbate, the children of Sitio Paradahan can already be found by the seashore before sunrise, preparing to take home their biggest catch of the day. These children spend more time catching squid to survive, than going to school and study for their future. The money they gain from catching squids is merely enough for them to eat to survive. These particular children travel out to sea and free dive to find squid to catch.In Manila, a kilo of squid costs around P200, but in Sitio Paradahan, the squis only sell for a cheap price of P60. With the cost of nets and gasoline, there is barely enough for everyone involved in the fishing group. After a full day at sea, each child goes home with less than thirty pesos (P30) income for their hard work. But for the overworked children, this is more than enough for the day. Sandra Aguinaldo meets Ja meson and Romnick, two graduating elementary students whose dream is to finish college.But their chances of even reaching high school are slim. Their work as squid catchers has caused them to be frequently absent from school. The squid catchers are torn between studying for a better future and providing for themselves and their families. II. SUMMARY The day starts early for a group of children at a remote coastal village in Masbate, an Island province in the central Philippines. Even before dawn breaks, several children and a few adults line the seashore, busily preparing their boats and nets for a day of squid fishing.I-Witness' Sandra Aguinaldo meets three boys — Jameson, Estoy, and Jason — who at a very young age were taught by their fathers to dive for squids. The residents largely depend on the sea to make a living. There are no concrete roads, water comes from deep wells, and there is no electricity. Everyday, they set out to sea. A boat’s crew is comprise d mostly of children. The adult stays in the boat while the children do the diving. The kids wear improvised goggles and fins made of wood that are fastened to their feet by strips of rubber.Diving in with the children, reporter Sandra Aguinaldo experiences just how exhausting the job is. The kids lure the squids into the nets by making noise hitting the water’s surface hard with their arms or getting rocks underwater and throwing them hard at the water’s surface. They then dive as the net closes in to secure the squids that were trapped in the net. Children are considered important in these diving operations because they work fast and don’t tire easily. In a day, they make an average of 20 dives.Most of the time however, they catch just a few not even enough to shoulder their families expenses in a day. The children say they still have time to go to their classes, walking for hours through tall grasses along hilly landscapes to reach school. Their elementary sc hool teacher, Melchor Rojas, though, says most squid catchers report to school only once or twice each week. Squid fishing takes up the time and when harvest or planting season, there are the teacher reports even fewer students.Of the few squid divers who are his students, Rojas expects less than half would be able to pursue higher education. The kids parents themselves seem resigned to the fact that they would never be able to send their children to school. For these children, education remains uncertain, but they maintain high hopes. Given a choice, they prefer to attend school in order to finish their education rather than spend their time at work. Every summer, the number of child squid catchers rises because they are also saving for the coming school year. III. REACTION I for one, feel lucky that I am not in their position.I pity them because they are already working at a very young age just to survive; they also have to frequently absent themselves just to catch more squid for their needs. Although they are like this, I idolize them for being so industrial and hardworking. I think they deserve better livelihood than their current situation. IV. CONCLUSION/LESSON The lesson learned here is simple. Be humble in working for the sake of you and your family. We must also be contented for what we have because God himself will guide us to a better future if we remain faithful and pray.

Johnson Johnson

Johnson Johnson JOHNSON JOHNSONJJ presents us a very unique situation in that it has been able to maintain a decentralized organization even in the face of very rapid growth. The issue at hand, is in fact, managing further growth of the organization while still maintaining the unity of JJ.The success of the corporation has developed by following fundamental philosophies that have guided JJ since its inception. At the core of this philosophy we find three main components: firstly, the company's credo, which emphasizes the adherence to ethical principles of behavior, secondly, avoiding to become "a large and ponderous organization", and lastly, long term commitmentHowever, we find there are new emerging problems that threaten the current integrity of the company's structure. Namely, we find there are operational problems creeping up to the executive committee level. JJ would like to keep its executive committee from dealing with operational issues; yet, on the other hand, there exists the problem of too many existing layers of decision making between the operating manager and this committee.English: Minsk CIS executive committee building vi...ANALYSISA Visionary CompanyIn our view, JJ fits into the category of a visionary company, such as premier in industry, widely admired, made an indelible print in the world we live in, multiple products and life cycle. Nevertheless, we would like to add to the list, the characteristic of adapting successfully to the environment and the demands for growthJJ started as a company focused on the sale and manufacturing of medical pharmaceutical, surgical, and antiseptic specialties and analgesic goods in 1887. In 1982 the expansion of their products has grouped them in four major categories: consumer; professional; ethical pharmaceutical; and industrial. The key to this enormous expansion has been the success of each new product launched, from which we can induce, they have been able...

Schizophrenia and Dopamine Hypothesis Essay Example

Schizophrenia and Dopamine Hypothesis Essay Example Schizophrenia and Dopamine Hypothesis Essay Schizophrenia and Dopamine Hypothesis Essay Yale Alexia Abnormal Psychology 2013FA-PSY-241-1 Tuesday/Thursday 9a. m. 10/9/13 Schizophrenia And the Dopamine Hypothesis INTRO Men will always be mad and those who think the can cure them are the maddest of all. (Volaire, 1759) Schizophrenia, aka the cancer of psychology, has become a vast mystery for psychologist. It accounts for 80% of long-term hospital stays. Even with the conveniences of modern technology we still have yet to be able to discover the true cure for the disorder. There are several unique biological, environmental, and developmental factors that help influence the likelihood of obtaining Schizophrenia. One major influence making its way into spotlight is Dopamine. Multiple studies have shown that an abnormal level of the neurotransmitter Dopamine can indeed be related back to a significant increase in ones likelihood of being diagnosed with Schizophrenia (Creese, Burt, Snyder, 1976). Thus creating the dopamine hypothesis. There are numerous facts that help support the dopamine hypothesis as a significant cause to being diagnosed with Schizophrenia. The main supporting factors for the dopamine hypothesis include evidence from illicit drug use, neuroimaging, and a roup of drugs called phenothiazines. DEFINED Schizophrenia is a mental disorder in which your personal, social, and occupational lives deteriorate as a result from its characteristics that lead to a breakdown of cognitive, emotional, and motor responses. Symptoms of Schizophrenia usually begin to appear during young childhood. The most common symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking/speech, social withdrawal, and loss of motivation and Judgment. There are three different categories that symptoms can be classified into: positive symptoms symptoms that appear to be in excess of ehavior, emotion, and/or bizarre additions to normal thoughts; negative symptoms symptoms that are in deficit when compared to normal thoughts, behaviors, and emotions; and lastly psychomotor symptoms symptoms dealing with unusual movements or gesturers. Both positive and negative symptoms are typically common, however, one or the other types will typically dominate patients (Keefe Eesley, 2012). ETIOLOGY The etiology of Schizophrenia is commonly attributed to genetics, but environmental factors such as, developmental complications and drug use, that also influence the occurrence rate. Finding an individuals main cause of the disorder can often prove challenging because of the difficulty in telling the separation between the effects of genetics and the environment (Picchioni, Murray, 2007). Having a first- degree relative will set you at a 6. 5% chance of being diagnosed with the disorder. It is thought that there is most likely numerous genes that go into play when it comes to Schizophrenia. There are no known major affecting genes that cause this disorder, but more likely a number of genes with their own small effect and unknown expression. This creates much difficulty when trying to pinpoint the specific related enes (McLaren, Silins, and Hutchingson, 2010). It is believed that people with Schizophrenia are more likely to be born during the winter or spring, if they live in the northern hemisphere. This is thought to be because, while pregnant, Mothers are put at an increased risk of viral exposure to the womb, by things such as infections and hypoxia. Stress and malnutrition can also lead to a slight increase in the risk of the development of Schizophrenia later on in life. As either a child or an adult living in an urban environment, especially when living in poverty, has been found to largely increase your chances of being diagnosed ith this disorder. Having a positive social life and living with supportive parents has been shown to increase the overall well being of the patient (Picchioni, Murray, 2007). The last major factor that influences the diagnosis of Schizophrenia is drug use. Around half of the people who are diagnosed with Schizophrenia also use and abuse drugs and or alcohol. Amphetamines, cocaine, and marijuana are thought to be the major contributors (Picchioni, Murray, 2007; McLaren, Silins, and Hutchingson, 2010). These drugs especially, are associated with the dopamine hypothesis, which will be iscussed later on in greater depth. Other drugs, such as alcohol, may possibly be used as Just a way to cope with the depression, boredom, and loneliness that often follow along with the disorder. RATE/INCIDENCE Approximately 1% of the worlds population is affected by this disorder. That means over 24 million people worldwide have had Schizophrenia at some point in their lives (Van Os J Kapur S, 2009). However, this rate can vary up to threefold according to geographical location. It is 1. 4 times more likely to occur in males than females and usually appears earlier in life for men. People who have biological elatives are at a heightened risk of obtaining Schizophrenia (Coon Mitterer, 2007). Having an identical twin or being the child of two parents with the disorder puts you at an 46%/48% chance of developing the disorder. DIANOSIS Observing ones behavior, as well as listening to the patients past reported experiences, is the most common method of diagnosis. According to the DSM-Vto be diagnosed with Schizophrenia, over a one-month period, you have to experience at least two separate symptoms long enough to become abnormal. At least one of these symptoms has to be delusions, hallucinations, or disorganized speec h. In the evelopment of Schizophrenia there are three different stages: acute, residual, and prodromal stage (Barnett, 2009). The first stage of Schizophrenia is the prodromal stage. This stage refers to the year before the illness appears in which people start showing signs of the disorder. Often they start to isolate themselves from friends and family and have decreased motivation or bunted emotions. The second stage is the acute stage. In this stage someone will start experiencing psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, or overly disorganized behavior. This stage shows that the person has fully development the disorder. The third and final stage is the residual stage. This stage is very similar to the prodromal stage. People who are in this stage do not appear psychotic but they may still have strange beliefs and or other negative symptoms such as low energy or lack of emotions (American Medical Network, 2009). TREATMENT To help manage Schizophrenia patients are most often prescribed antipsychotic medications, usually along with psychological help and social support groups (Van Os J, Kapur S, 2009). Since the 1950s, when deinstitutionalization came about, long hospital stays have largely become a thing of the past, although sometimes they do till occur; which depending on the severity of the disorder, can be either voluntary or involuntary. Most antipsychotics reduce the positive symptoms in around 1-2 weeks. So that will get rid, or at least help control, all of the extra crazy sights and sounds. However, there is no significant improvement when it comes to the negative symptoms as well as most of the cognitive dysfunctions (Tandon, Keshavan, Nasrallah, 2008). As long as the patient stays on the medication they should have a largely decreased chance of relapse. Beyond 2-3 years research shows that the antipsychotics may become inconsistent with the significance of the benefits. Based on the costs, benefits, and risks of the medication, a person diagnosed with Schizophrenia would be prescribed with one of two different classes of antipsychotics; either typical, or atypical antipsychotics. Both classes have an equal dropout and relapse rate so it is very debatable as to which class is better than the other. As with many major medications there are separate negative side effects that are associated with the two classes. Antipsychotics in the typical class, such as Haldol, Thorazine, and Prolizin, often have a high rate of extrapyramidal side effects; he major one being tardive dyskinesia (TD)- causing involuntary movements most often affecting the facial region. Patients may not even notice these movements. The newer medications in the atypical class, such as Abilify, Risperdal, and Seroquel, have a much lower risk of TD, but patients will often have a significant increase in body weight gain. Also, if given at too high of a dosage, patients may experience social withdrawal as well as have body tremors/movements that get very close to resembling Parkinsons disease (National Institute Of Mental Health, 2006). PREVENTION Schizophrenia is a disorder with no reliable distinctions for the development of the disease (Cannon, Comblatt, Mcgorry, 2007). This creates an issue for early detection and prevention. There is indecisive evidence as to the effectiveness of early interventions to prevent Schizophrenia (Marshall, Rathbone, 2006). While still in the prodromal phase, it is uncertain that attempting to prevent Schizophrenia is of any benefit and therefore as of 2009 is not recommended. After a year, cognitive behavioral therapy is able to decrease the chance of psychosis in those patients that re of high risk of obtaining the disorder (Stafford MR, Jackson H, Mayo-Wilson E, Morrison AP, Kendall T, 2013). Another preventive measure, that is widely accepted, is staying away from drugs that are thought to be able to cause the disorder, such as meth, coke, and marijuana. This preventive method is also known as the Hugs Not Drugs method (Hugsnotdrugs. com, 2013). PROGNOSIS Schizophrenia can become extremely disabling. Being ranked as the 3rd highest disabling condition in the world, placing Schizophrenia higher up on the list than blindness and paraplegia (Ustun, 1999). Studies have shown that people who are iagnosed more at risk to commit suicide. However, this higher risk of suicide is not significant being as low as only 4. % most likely; most commonly occurring at the beginning of facilitation when they are undergoing extreme stress (Hor k, Taylor M, 2010). Although life expectancy has increased in recent decades, people with Schizophrenia on average have a 12-15 year decrease in life expectancy compared to the normal population. There are three major factors that contribute to the lo wer life expectancy: a lazy/low activity life style, obesity, and smoking cigarettes (Van Os J, Kapur, 2009). Of people diagnosed with Schizophrenia, about % have a continuing disability and problems with relapses. About 17 million people in the world are living with a moderate or severe disability from the disorder. However there are patients that do recover completely and many others are still able to function well in everyday society. Very often people with Schizophrenia are also heavy smokers. Anywhere from 80-90% of Schizophrenic people smoke cigarettes. This is very significant compared to the 20% of people who smoke from the general population. When Schizophrenic people smoke, they tend to smoke very heavy and hard as well as ypically only smoking cigarettes with high nicotine content (APA, 2002, pg. 304). Excess tobacco smoking will of course lead to a higher health risk that contributes to the lower life expectancy. There has yet to be an exact solid answer as to why Schizophrenic people more commonly smoke cigarettes. DOPAMINE D2 The Dopamine hypothesis is a model that states that certain factors, which of whom have been known to create abnormally excessive levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, have been linked to a significantly increased risk of being diagnosed with Schizophrenia. These abnormal levels of dopamine result from eurons firing too often that make use of dopamine as a neurotransmitter. This causes an uneven shift in the two-way communication within the brain, and sends too many messages at once, in turn producing symptoms that are common to Schizophrenia (Grace, Abi-Dargham, 2011). As more and more studies are being completed, this hypothesis is continuing to provide an evolving basis to help psychologists understand as to how this disorder originates, and how to create better treatments for patients. This theory however, does not solely hold excessive dopamine levels as an absolute and complete explanation for Schizophrenia. The ver activation of the D2 receptors seem to also be a widespread effect of abnormal chemical synapsis. This theory obtained further support during the mid-1970s when Creese made the connection that antipsychotic drugs had a significant ability to block dopamine D2 receptors (creese, Burt, snyder, 1976). METHAMPHETAMINES In recent decades Amphetamines, especially crystal meth, have become widely popular with the more deviant of our societies. There are of course many negative repercussions that affect ones health with the abuse of methamphetamines. The worst of which, is methamphetamines highly addictive properties. When dministered Methamphetamine at significant dosages, the drug becomes neurotoxic specifically to dopamine neurons (Cruickshank, Dyer, 2009). The connection wasnt made until 1966 when Rossum proposed that the hyperactivity of dopamine transmission could responsible for the disorder of Schizophrenia (Rossum, 1966). Rossum also looked back a few years and used Carlsson and Lindqvists research on mice, finding that dopamine plays an important role in the functioning of the extrapyramidal motor system (Carlsson, Lindqvist, 1963). In a study that reviewed hospital records of patients, that were diagnosed with drug dependence/abuse, and dmitted between 1990-2000, they found that people who were hospitalized for methamphetamines had 1. 5-3x more likely chance of being diagnosed at the end of the study with Schizophrenia (Wood, 2011). This statistic of diagnosis being up to 3x more likely to occur with meth use should alone be able to make the effects very noticeable. Since methamphetamines create an influx of dopamine levels, you can easily make the connection that dopamine and Schizophrenia are closely related. During an interview in 2004, Dr. Heather Keizer, a psychiatrist, referred to methamphetamine as the on switch for Schizophrenia (Cudworth, 2005). She also described how even after they (the clinicians) could get the patient cleaned up, and eliminate the drugs from their system but theyd still be psychotic. Often within the year she would diagnose them with Schizophrenia. Again this provides substantial evidence that methamphetamines effect on dopamine is responsible for numerous diagnosis of Schizophrenia. CANNABIS Cannabis has a similar affect on dopamine levels, in turn making it plausible to relate the use of the drug to Schizophrenia. The percentage of people who have been diagnosed Schizophrenia and make use of cannabis is higher than that of the eneral population (Lynch, Rabin, and George, 2012). A whopping 25% of patients with Schizophrenia can be diagnosed with either cannabis abuse or dependence. Information from several cohort studies provided addition evidence of dopamines link to Schizophrenia. Their findings showed that when compared to nonusers, people who used cannabis had a 40% more likely chance of psychosis. This risk was also dose-related, showing that psychotic symptoms had up to a 200% increased chance of appearing in users who made use of cannabis on the regular (Lynch, Rabin, and George, 2012). Again this goes to show that drugs affecting dopamine levels have a significantly obvious relation to an increase in diagnosis of Schizophrenia. If we look at the classical study, started in 1969 of a little more than 50,000 Swedish conscripts, we can have a glimpse at some of the more extreme links cannabis has to Schizophrenia. They found that if you used cannabis more than 50 times, you were nearly SEVEN times more likely to eventually develop Schizophrenia (Andreasson, Allebeck, and Rydberg, 1987). This statistic shows how even a small cannabis consumption can have adverse effects and has more than enough power to shock ny associate of mine that regularly uses cannabis; as well as making them prone to question thetr sanity. PHENOTHIAZINES Phenothiazines are the largest of the five 5 major classes of neuroleptic antipsychotic drugs. Theyre known for their antipsychotic properties and are often associated with severe side effects. These antipsychotics have been found to antagonize dopamine binding, specifically at the D2 dopamine receptors (Creese, Burt, and Snyder, 1976). This effect causes a reduction in the positive psychotic symptoms that people with Schizophrenia experience. So yet again you have a substance influencing Schizophrenia by affecting the brains dopamine receptors. These findings lead to the eventual usage of other antipsychotic classes that included drugs such as Haloperidol. Patients with Schizophrenia are almost always treated with a prescription of antipsychotics, and why is that? Because they work; and the reason they have been proven effective at combating the symptoms of Schizophrenia is because they influence and block dopamine receptors. Which of course helps support the legitimacy of the dopamine hypothesis. NEUROIMAGING Neuroimaging is used as a research tool to measure certain aspects of the brain nd specific mental functions. This comes in use when observing the effects of drugs on the brain. This method came about in the early 1980s and made many improvements on our knowledge of how substances affect our body. This came in use in providing evidence for the dopamine hypothesis, when it was used during a study done in 1986. By comparing neuroimages of a normalized control group to that of people diagnosed with Schizophrenia, they were able to indicate to effects of amphetamines on the brain. They found that people diagnosed with Schizophrenia had increased levels of dopamine, especially in the striatum, when compared to non- sychotic individuals Oacobs, Silverstone, 1986). These images prove that over activity of dopamine is directly linked to being diagnosed with Schizophrenia. CONCLUSION Schizophrenia is an extremely damaging disorder, in which psychologists still have much to learn about the etiology and treatments. In the United States alone, the disorder cost the country nearly $63 billion in 2002 (Wu Eq, 2002). In recent decades studies have conclusively shown that excessive activity in D2 receptors is definitely associated with the onset of Schizophrenia. 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