Milgrams Obedience Experiment Essay Example for Free

Milgrams Obedience Experiment Essay In the 1960s, Milgram, then a professor at Yale, recruited ordinary people through a newspaper ad offering them money to help in a project purporting to improve human memory. In Milgrams experiment two people come into the laboratory where they are told they will be taking part in a study of memory and learning. Milgram was interested in how people obey under authoritative circumstances, using fake settings to test obedience. Under any given circumstance people tend to obey authority differently. Milgram tested this theory out by putting his volunteers into a laboratory setting and having them pressing a button shocking the other person for a wrong answer . Most of Milgrams volunteers went through the experiment, not wanting to disobey the authority figure. The volunteers in Milgrams experiment were fighting their subconscious minds. The person had complete power over the other individual, whom he could punish whenever he saw fit. The subject had to decide if what they were doing was right (causing pain to another). This study suggests to me that, rightly managed, a cohesive group with an authoritative leader can find people who will do almost anything. The thing I found interesting while reading about Milgrams Obedience experiment was the deception that took place. Right from the start, the subject was deceived by the motives of Milgrams experiment. It is not an experiment on the affect of electric shocks on learning, it was an experiment aiming to see how far the subject would be willing to go, when instructed by an authoritative figure. To me his experiment seems like one a doctor would use to determine the effects of a new drug on a group of people. While some are giving the real drug others are giving placebos or fake pills. In Milgrams experiment, people are led to believe that they are shocking the other person for a wrong answer and increasing the voltage after each shock when they really were not. The button that they push to deliver that shock would be the placebo button placed there to make the  person think that they were really inflicting harm on the other person. The purpose of the study was to determine the degree to which a person will be obedient to an authoritys orders or requests if they do not agree with the requests being made. This situation occurs in many aspects of society, including the military, employer/employee situations, and most disturbingly,  Nazi  Germany. I think that this experiment shows just how sadistic one can be if one wishes to be.

Oppositional Defiance Disorder Children And Young People Essay

Oppositional Defiance Disorder Children And Young People Essay Oppositional Defiant Disorder is classified in the DSM-IV-TR as a disruptive behavior disorder. An Oppositional Defiant Disorder child displays an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, aggressive, and disobedient behavior toward authority figures. Children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder are usually in constant trouble at school, have difficulty making or keeping friends, do not follow adults requests, blames others for their mistakes, are easily annoyed, and loses their temper at the drop of a hat. In the United States Oppositional Defiant Disorder is thought to affect about six percent of all children; with the majority of them coming from families in the lower class. One study stated that about eight percent of children from low-income families were diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The disorder is often observed by the time a child is six years old but no later than a childs preteen years. With this disorder boys also tend to be diagnosed more often than girls in the preteen years. However, it is equally common in males and females by adolescence. Recently, it has been discovered that girls may show the symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder differently than boys. Girls with this disorder may show their ferociousness through words rather than actions and in other indirect ways. For example, girls with Oppositional Defiant Disorder are quicker to lie and to be uncooperative; while boys are more likely to lose their temper and argue with adults. It has also been estimated that about one-third of the children who have this disorder also have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children who have Oppositional Defiant Disorder are often diagnosed with anxiety or depression as well. Diagnosis Part of childhood is arguing with your parents or defying authority from time to time, especially when the child is tired, hungry, or upset. Some of the behaviors associated with Oppositional Defiant Disorder can also occur because the child is undergoing a transition, is under stress, or is in the midst of a crisis. This makes the behavioral symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder sometimes difficult for parents to distinguish from the stress-related behaviors. In order for a child to be diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder they have to be extremely negative, hostile, and defiant in a constant pattern for at least 6 months. This behavior also needs to be excessive compared to what is typical for a child at that age and disruptive to the family, school environments and usually directed toward an authority figure. An example of an authority figure would be parents, teachers, principal, or coach. The child also has to exhibit during these six months four or more of the follow ing behavioral symptoms that are associated with Oppositional Defiant Disorder; frequent temper tantrums, excessive arguing with adults, aggressively refusing to comply with requests and rules, often questioning the rules, deliberately annoying and upsetting others, often touchy or annoyed by others, blaming others for their mistakes, frequent outbursts of anger and resentment, or often spiteful or vindictive. Also, the disruption must cause significant amount of damage to the childs academic, occupational or social functioning and cannot occur only during a Psychotic or Mood Disorder episode. Lastly, the child cannot be diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder if they meet criteria for Conduct Disorder, if the individual is eighteen years of age or older or meet criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder. Case Study My best friend has a son with Oppositional Defiant Disorder. His name is Radon. Radon is ten years old and attends the fifth grade. Radons day usually starts out with arguing about what he can and cannot bring to school. His mother and his teacher have now made out a written list of what these things are. Radon was bringing a computer to school and telling his teacher that his mother said it was alright. At first his teacher wondered about this, but Radon seemed so believable. Then Radon brought a little knife. That led to a real understanding between the teacher and Radons mother. Radon does not go to school on the bus. He gets teased and then retaliates immediately. Since it is impossible to supervise bus rides adequately, his parents and the school gave up and they drive him to school. It is still hard to get him there on time. As the time to leave approaches, he gets slower and slower. Now it is not quite as bad because for every minute he is late he loses a dime from his daily allowance. Once at school, he usually gets into a little pushing with the other kids in those few minutes between his mothers eyes and the teachers. The class work does not go that badly unless he has an episode as his mother put it. Then he will flip desks, swear at the teacher, tear up his work and refuse to do anything for the rest of the day. The reasons for his outbursts seem so trivial, but to him they are the end of the world. He is not allowed to go to the bathroom by himself and at times this bothers him so he flips his desk. He was told to stop tapping his pencil, so he swo re at the teacher. These types of things happen throughout the day according to his mother. Recess is still the hardest time for Radon. He tells everyone that he has lots of friends, but his mother says that if you watch what goes on in the lunch room or on the playground; it is hard to figure out who they are. Some kids avoid him, but most would give him a chance if he wasnt so bossy. The playground supervisor tries to get him involved in a soccer game every day. He isnt bad at it, but he will not pass the ball, so no one really wants him on his team. After school is the time that make his mom seriously consider foster care. The home work battle is horrible. He refuses to do work for an hour, then complains, break pencils, and irritate her. This drags thirty minutes of work out to two hours. So, now she hires a tutor. He doesnt try all of this on the tutor, at least so far. With no home work, he is easier to take. But he still wants to do something with her every minute. Each day he asks her to help him with a model or play a game at about 4:30. Each day she tells him she cannot right now as she is making supper. Each day he screams out that she doesnt ever do anything with him, slams the door, and goes in the other room and usually turns the TV on very loud. She comes up, tells him to turn it down three times. He doesnt and is sent to his room. After supper Radons dad takes over and they play some games together and usually it goes fine for about an hour. Then it usually ended in screaming. He is then sent to bed and the day star ts all over. Since I talked to Radons mother about him he has had a very difficult time at school. He is now being home tutored by the after school tutor that he had before. The school has found him to be a threat to the staff and other children. The incidents that lead to this were that he destroyed the principals office, threated to kill two staff members, and three children. The mom does not want him put into a school for children with behavioral disorders as she feels it will just make him worse. Radon is now seeing three different people to help with his disorder. One is a social worker, one is a psychiatrist and the other is an anger management specialist. The school continues to work with her and if all goes well he will be transitioned back into the school next year. She still has problems with him at home. Causes There are many different theories that try to explain Oppositional Defiant Disorder. There is the psychodynamic theory that interprets the aggressive and defiant behavior as an indication of a deeply-seated feeling of lack of love from the parents, the inability to trust and an absence of understanding. The behavioral theory suggests that Oppositional Defiant Disorder is caused by a dysfunctional family life, lack of parenting and the repeated giving into demands that are reinforced when bad behavior occurs. The biological theory suggests that these behavioral problems in children could be caused by impairments to certain areas of the brain. There is also a link between the amount of certain chemicals in the brain and Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The biological theory suggests that if these chemicals are out of balance, the brain is then not working properly. Then the messages sent may not make it through the brain correctly, leading to symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder. La stly, cognitive theories state that the child feels hostility in their lives and in turn respond to other with their own hostility. Treatments The first step is to assess the danger the children pose to themselves or others and evaluate the impact that the environment may be having on their continued development. It is important to also evaluate the ability of the child parents to adequately care for them. In some cases, crisis care or residential treatment may need to consider. Treatment for children and adolescents should include multiple avenues. Individual therapy, parent intervention, school intervention, and community based interventions should all be considered. While there are several treatments available to help they have not developed a medication to treat this disorder. There are medications researchers say will help with the symptoms but no properly executed study has been completed. A treatment that is available however, would be Psychotherapy. This is a type of counseling that is aimed at helping the children develop more effective coping and problem-solving skills. There is also family therapy, which may be u sed to help improve family interactions and communication among family members, as well as parent management training. This teaches parents ways to positively alter their childs behavior. Lastly, there are behavior management plans. These are an agreement between parents and children that give rewards for positive behaviors and consequences for negative behaviors. The treatments for Oppositional Defiant Disorder are usually a long-term commitment. It may take a year or more of treatment to see noticeable improvement. It is important for families to continue with treatment even if they see no immediate improvement. If Oppositional Defiant Disorder is not treated or if treatment is abandoned, the child is more likely to develop conduct disorder. The risk of developing conduct disorder is lower in children who are only mildly defiant. It is higher in children who are more defiant and in children who also have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. In adults, conduct disorder is called antisocial personality disorder. Children who have untreated Oppositional Defiant Disorder are also at risk for developing passive-aggressive behaviors as adults. Persons with passive-aggressive characteristics tend to see themselves as victims and blame others for their problems.

The Communication In Autism Psychology Essay

The Communication In Autism Psychology Essay Human development is essential in ensuring that a person develops required systems and abilities to cope with life. This research paper gives detailed information about autism, including its definition, causes, manifestation, how it affects communication development in children, and possible ways of dealing with the disorder. What is Autism? Autism is a term, which is generally used to refer to a combination of complex disorders, which mainly affect proper development of the brain. Oftentimes, the disorders usually have varying degrees in terms of their impact and how they affect social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors in children among other ways (Zander 1). Examples of these disorders are Persuasive Development Disorder, Autistic Disorder, Asperger Syndrome, and Childhood Disintegrative Syndrome. It is worth noting that Autisms Spectrum Disorder, ASD, may lead to intellectual impairment, poor motor coordination, and a wide range of physical health complications like sleep deprivation and gastrointestinal problems. In some cases, children with ASD may excel in certain areas like art, music, and mathematics. Unlike other developmental problems, which occur in later stages of development, autism is believed to start during early stages of brain development. While this is the case, autism signs and symptoms can easily be noticed between the age of two and three years, when children are expected to exhibit certain abilities in communication, social interactions, and behaviors. Children who are not treated once early signs are discovered usually develop impaired communication and social skills. Additionally, research indicates that it is not easy for a child to recover from autism without proper intervention (Zander 1). Whilst this is the case, a wide-range of treatment options exists, and this can be helpful in saving a child from future complications. Importantly, the effectiveness of these methods widely varies as others may lead to complete recovery while others may have minimal or negligible impact. In other words, there is no known intervention, which helps every child affected. Prevalence Due to various factors, the occurrence of autism cases varies from one country to another. Therefore, it is not possible to give a general view, regarding the prevalence of this disorder. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, one out of eighty eight American children is likely to develop Autism Spectrum Disorder, which denotes an increase in autism cases as compared to previous years. This is based on improved methods of diagnosis, which have been changing throughout history. Additionally, autism is five times more prevalent in boys than in girls. This is based on research findings, even though there are no factors, which contribute to this variation. In the year 2011, the prevalence of autism was approximately 2.6% in South Korea. Signs and Symptoms of Autism In understanding the symptoms of autism, it is important to appreciate the fact that every child has a unique pace of development. Nevertheless, doctors agree that there are developmental milestones, which have to be achieved by every child at a given age of development. In cases where these recommended developmental milestones are not attained, it is necessary for parents to seek medical attention in order to help the child as early as possible. Even though autism is manifested through various ways, doctors affirm that difficulties in social interactions are the commonest indicators of the disorder among children. As a result, infants may experience challenges in using facial expressions, intonation, eye contact, and gestures when they interact with other people around them (Zander 2). Most children suffering from autism may not show emotional or social response, and do not share their happiness instantly with parents nor seek comfort from them. Additionally, these children lack interest in their age mates and friendships, which are developed, do not last long because of social barriers. Another indicator of autism is impaired communication skills. In most cases, children with autism experience delayed development or lack of language, which is never replaced with the use of nonverbal communication approaches. In general, almost half of the children who are affected by autism do not develop speech. However, significant variations occur among those who end up developing the ability to use speech. In some cases, children may use the same words repeatedly or repeat what others have said, regardless of the context and meaning (Zander 2). Very few children suffering from autism have a well-developed language. They also find it hard to initiate and maintain conversations as a result of an impaired communications system. Interpretation of language is usually a problem especially in cases where deep vocabularies are used. On the other hand, children with autism are likely to engage in a limited scope of behaviors and activities with stereotypic feelings. These activities are also repetitive, with most of the games being spontaneous. Furthermore, children get fixed on different objects and complicated behaviors, which are repeated infinitely. Instant disconnection from these activities may affect them emotionally. This implies that it might not be easy for a child with autism to accept change of routine. Children with autism also wave hands and prefer tiptoeing while walking. Apart from these distinctive features, which are common among children with autism, it is worth noting that they are also hypersensitive to the environment and experience sleeping and eating disorders. Causes of Autism Even though most doctors argue that autism is mainly caused by neurological abnormalities, there is no known cause of these problems, which affect the nervous system. It has been found that genetic, environmental, and metabolic factors largely contribute to the occurrence of autism in children. While experts have linked autism to the genetic make-up of an individual, there is no known gene, which is responsible for this abnormality. It is therefore suspected that autism occurs when certain genes combine during early stages of development. Based on probability, families with a child suffering from this disorder have a likelihood of giving birth to a child with the same problem, approximated to be between 3 and 8 children (Baron-Cohen and Bolton 10). On the other hand, monozygotic twin have a thirty percent likelihood of being affected if one of the babies is affected. Additionally, first-degree relatives of people who suffer from this disorder are likely to be affected as compared to other degrees of relatives. This denotes how the disease is significantly affected by human genes. Besides genetics, autism is also caused by some medical conditions. These include congenital infections, metabolic disorders, abnormalities in brain development, and other neurological disorders that a child acquires at birth. While this is the case, it is worth noting that autism is not caused by these disorders independently (Baron-Cohen and Bolton 10). Research indicates that that there are children with these disorders but free from autism. This indicates that the disorders lead to autism in the presence of other factors. Some research findings have also linked autism with certain environmental factors, even though there are no specific factors that have been agreed upon. This is based on the fact that autism is likely to be caused by an array of factors. For instance, childhood vaccinations have been linked to this disorder. Proponents of this analogy argue that children are exposed to several vaccines, which are likely to affect their immune systems, leaving them vulnerable to infections (Doyle and Iland 378). There have been cases of children who developed autism after being vaccinated. NMR vaccines equally play a role with regard to how autism affects children. Of great significance is the fact that cases of autism among children rose in 1978 in the UK and 1988 in America after the introduction of NMR technology. Speech and Language Development Under normal circumstances, a child goes through various stages of language and speech development. Children start learning language at the time of birth, making them conscious of their environment. They also listen to people who are within their environment and may cry when there are instant changes of sound in the environment. Between the age of zero and three months, the child is able to smile, especially when a person comes into view, and cries differently, sending unique meaning to the person around for action to be taken (Baron-Cohen and Bolton 16). At the age of six months, the baby is able to respond to his name, and to different human voices. In other words, he is able to identify angry and happy tones. At the age of twelve months, the baby understands simple instructions, recognizes the value of speech in social life and may use one or more words. On the other hand, children with autism experience difficulties during various stages of language and speech development. Since their brain develops differently, these children are usually unable relate with the world effectively and visualize other peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s thoughts. As a result, they fail to respond to eye-contact, and may fail to understand body language (Doyle and Iland 35). Moreover, these children fail to appreciate the importance of communication, leading to frustrations, since their needs might not be met because of communication barriers. Helping Autistic Children While autistic children may have impaired language and communication ability, they can be helped to appreciate speech. For instance, the use of sign language is highly recommended. It is the role of parents to master signs and use them to communicate with the affected child (Doyle and Iland 378). This approach increases the likelihood a child to develop spoken language. The use of the Picture Exchange Communication System allows a child to interpret pictures, which are displayed on a board. An understanding of these pictures helps the child to appreciate speech. It is vital to note that there is no cure for autism. However, early diagnosis and assessment is necessary in order to provide parents with accurate information, necessary in helping the child to cope with the situation (Adams 2). Conclusion Autism remains a major language disorder in America and around the world. This disorder affects children during their early stages of development. As a result, autistic children develop impaired communication ability. Assistance by parents and other close people is necessary to help affected children to cope with the situation since there is permanent cure known.

The Joy Luck Club and The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts :: The Woman Warrior

The Joy Luck Club and The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts Amy Tan’s novel, The Joy Luck Club describes the lives of first and second generation Chinese families, particularly mothers and daughters. Surprisingly The Joy Luck Club and, The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts are very similar. They both talk of mothers and daughters in these books and try to find themselves culturally. Among the barriers that must be overcome are those of language, beliefs and customs. The novel The Joy luck club starts with a story that right away suggests the importance of family and language. It is the tale of a hopeful young woman traveling from China to America to start a new life. She carries with her a swan, which she hopes to present to her American daughter someday. The language barrier is exposed when the woman’s good wishes for her future child are defined by the idea that this daughter will never know the hardships endured by her mother because she will be born in America and will "speak only perfect American English" (Tan 18). Though, things do not turn out exactly as planned for the young woman. Her lovely swan is confiscated by customs officials, and her treasured daughter, now an adult, does indeed speak only English and cannot understand her mother at all. Without a common language, â€Å"the expected loving link between mother and daughter is broken. Communication becomes impossible.† (Kim 37) This story sets the stage for conflict between the Chinese mothers and their American daughters. The issue of the language barrier is a constant theme in both The Joy Luck Club and The Woman Warrior. The English language plays a major role in assimilating the new world. For Tan, there is a conflict between Chinese and English, in her real life and in her story. Tan herself stopped speaking Chinese at age five. Tan’s mother, Daisy, however, speaks "in a combination of English and Mandarin" (Cliff notes 6). Tan was taunted in high school for her mother’s heavy Shanghai accent (Cliff notes 6). Because Daisy never became fluent in English, the language problem only escalated between the two women. (Cliff notes 6) Tan expresses this stress in her novel with the character Jing-mei. Jing-mei admits that she has trouble understanding her mother’s meaning. "See daughters who grow impatient when their mothers talk in Chinese, who think they are stupid when t hey explain things in fractured English" (Tan 40).

Political Correctness Infringes on our First Amendment Rights Essay exa

Political Correctness Infringes on our First Amendment Rights Political correctness has become increasingly obvious in our daily lives. For example, the other day I attended the first meeting of the Frisbee Club here on the State University campus. During the meeting, we were discussing the fact we wanted shirts for this year, but we did not know what slogan to use. While in the brainstorming process, the slogan â€Å"Suck my disk† came out. At the time, the slogan â€Å"suck my disk† seemed to be better than sliced bread to a bunch of college guys. But as we were wrapping up the meeting, one person came out and asked, â€Å"How appropriate do you think this slogan is if we want to have a Frisbee clinic with the high school? I think parents will be a little apprehensive.† It was also brought to our attention that Silk Screen, the local store that prints different images and slogans on clothing, has a policy that refuses politically incorrect slogans. There seems to be a generally accepted concept in society that often makes us think three to four times before we speak. This concept ...

If I Could Tell You Essay Essay

TimeTime, said to be eternal, possess neither a beginning nor an end. Yet however there is a fixation on being able to measure it in years, months, days, hours, minutes and seconds. Trying to save time with new technology, manage time with multi-tasking activities. All in the hopes of giving meanings to the past, present and future. The past is able to been seen but not changed, today is in the present yet still unpredictable, and tomorrow is not guaranteed. If I Could Tell You by W. H. Auden is a villanelle much like others using rhyme, repetition, and meter, that revolve around the main idea of the continuity time and its unforeseeable nature. The rhyming of the alternating ending lines, â€Å"Time will say nothing but I told you so† (1) and â€Å"If I could tell you I would let you know† (3) keep the rhyme scheme which stays on the central themes. â€Å"Time will say nothing but i told you so† shows that time keeps going, because this is a statement. Although the things of the future are unforeseeable, it is guaranteed that in the end the only one who will know what will happen is Time. â€Å"If I could tell you I would let you know† show how unforeseeable Time is. Auden knows that he can not see into the future, which is why he says â€Å"If I could†¦ †. These two phrases depict the speakers understanding of the continuity of time even though he shows to have a desire to know ahead of time what to do before certain events. The villanelle itself has a rhythm as a whole through periodical thinking. The beginning shows how Time does not wait for anything or anyone, â€Å"nothing but I told you so†. He later goes on to question Time in the second stanza and if we should fight back, which is why he says â€Å"weep when clowns put on their show† and â€Å"stumble when musicians play† which are juxtapositions since these actions are not likely given the circumstances. The third stanza shows the shift as he begins to understand that Time is necessary and things have to happen for a reason, â€Å"the winds must come from somewhere†. In the fourth stanza his train of thought is nearing a conclusion as he begins to wonder if not only do things have to happen, but are they meant to happen for the greater good, â€Å"Perhaps the roses really want to grow†. The ending shows Audens maturity throughout the villanelle and ends with â€Å"If I could tell you I would let you know † stating that Time is out of his hands, but it is acceptable and if there was anyway he could help, he would. Throughout the villanelle, time is personified and introduced to the reader as an unreliable character, through. Auden blames Time for unwanted changes in life, and he repeats the line because he observes that all changes, even those that are unintentional, come with Time. The repetition of Time at the end of the stanza rather than the beginning or end display how eternal time is. The first part of each stanza question Time, but all ends with â€Å"Time will say nothing but I told you so†, explaining that whatever Auden thinks or observes, will all be part of the past in the future. Much like poetry as a whole, used to express emotion and speechless opinions, the villanelle is almost perfect fitting for the theme of time. A villanelles structure alone portrays almost a near exhibition of time. Through the first five stanzas, a villanelle is predictable with tercets although the last stanza is a quatrain. This depiction could be metaphorical that time can be planned although in the end, everything may not come to together as hoped. The meter only emphasises this metaphor more by breaking the alternating line in each of the tercets before at the end. Audens desire to be able to match time is emphasized by the repetition of two phrases by the structure of the poem, which in itself helps portray the author’s idea about times continuity and its unforeseeable nature.

Cell Specialisation

All cells are designed to perform a particular job within an organism, that is, to sustain life. Cells can become specialized to perform a particular function within an organism, usually as part of a larger tissue consisting of many of the same cells working together for example muscle cells. The cells combine together for a common purpose. All organisms will contain specialised cells. There are hundreds of types of specialised cells. Below is listed some of the major ones found in plants and animals. Plant Cell Specialisation. Guard cells (a pair form a stoma hole) – kidney shapes cells that change shape depending on water content. Regulate the exchange of gases in and out of the plant, and the amount of water lost through the leaves of the plant. Pollen grains – circular cells with an extremely hard protective cell wall containing sperm cells, pollen grains germinate when they come in contact with female stamens, producing a pollen tube through which the sperm travel to reach the ova (ovary). These pollen tubes can easily be seen in a corn cob. Root hair cell – designed to increase the surface area of the root for absorption of water and mineral nutrients into the plant. These cells have a very thin cell wall that is fully permeable that allows the absorption of mineral nutrients as ions by cation and anion exchange. Contain large vacuoles for the short term storage of these nutrients. Epidermal cells – feature a waxy cuticle (covering) to help prevent water loss from the plant, the cells on the top side of the leaf tend to be more waxy due to higher exposure to the elements. Palisade cell (mesophyll) – designed for photosynthesis, it is a tall cell with a large surface area contained many chloroplasts. Located on top side of the leaf in plants to allow optimum absorption of light and carbon dioxide (inputs for photosynthesis). Xylem and Phloem cells (combined referred to as vascular bundles) – cells responsible for the transport of water and nutrients around the plant. Vascular bundles are located in a ring around the outside of the stem in higher order plants. This provides structural support for the plant (plant can die if ‘ring barked’as equivalent to strangulation ). Xylem carries water and mineral ions up through the plant to the leaves. The phloem transport products of photosynthesis to other areas within the plant for storage (growth). Stone cells (sclereids) – extremely hard to provide protective covering to the seed in stone fruit. Animal Cell Specialisation White blood cells (phagocytes) – part of the body’s immune system, it is responsible for engulfing, breaking down foreign material (bacteria)and cellular debis in the blood in a process called phagocytosis. They are highly mobile, able to move between body cells. Red blood cells – have no nucleus and contain haemoglobin, the molecule that carries the oxygen around the body to the cells undergoing respiration. Red blood cells with a high oxygen content appear bright red, with low oxygen concentration dark blue/red. Retina cells – the cone and rod shaped cells of the retina are sensitive to light. These cells send electrical messages via the optic nerve to the brain. Muscle cells (fibres)– these cells are long and smooth in structure. The flexible nature of the cell allows them to move by contracting and expanding. This contractile ability allows to cell o quickly change length. Microvilli (cells lining the small intestine) – these cells have finger like extensions to the surface of the cell to allow greater absorption into the cell by increased surface area. Nerve cells – these cells are elongated with trendril like extensions at each end, and capable of transmitting electrical impulses along the cell body. These electrical impulses are able to contract muscle fibres and stimulate brain cells. Cilia – tiny hair like cells designed to prevent damage to the lungs by airborne particles. Cilia cells line the surface of the nasal passages and secrete a mucas (snot), a sticky substance that collects the dust particles captured by the hairs , where it is swept towards the back of the throat and then swallowed. Sperm cells – designed to fertilise egg cells, they are very small with a tail to allow movement by swimming. The head of the cell contains enzymes that can digest the outer surface of the egg so that the two nuclei can fuse. A sperm cell contains half the number of chromosomes of the parent organism (genetic material from the father), which will be passed onto the offspring. Ovum (egg cell) – designed to be fertilized, the cell is large, bulky and not designed to move easily. Like the sperm the ova contains half the number of chromosomes of the adult organism (mother’s genetic material). The ova contains a large food store in the cytoplasm, needed for the developing offspring once the ova has been fertilized. Osteocyte (bone cell) – calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate are deposited around the outside of the cell to form a hard outer covering (bone).