Psychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Mind And Behavior

Professions are never alike and rarely share like core value and core goals. Most professions were born out the need to help people and some professions were created to make money off peoples pain, sorrow, and inner most feelings. The field of psychology was created to understand human behavior to help make society a better place and people live much easier. Psychology is field with sub fields that differ but the underlining core values are the same. The path to becoming a psychologist is challenging and not easy but most people entering the field feel like it is their calling. I cannot pen point one exact language or a specif form of communication that makes the psychology field special because different psychologists have their very own form of terminology and means to communicate. According to Saul McLeod, psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes. The majority of Jargon and terminology in psychology derive from founders Fraud, Titchener, and Wundt. Over time as the field of psychology grew more phrases and terms were being coined so its hard to pinpoint who created what; however, Jargon allows psychologists to communicate bigger words and phrases much easily. For example, DSM - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Pathologize, and ODD - Oppositional DefiantShow MoreRelatedPsychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Mind And Behavior986 Words   |  4 PagesA Look into Psychology Psychology is known to be the scientific study of the human’s mind and behavior. Psychology is not the study of extraordinary mind activity like paranormal, extrasensory perception (ESP), astrology, nor phrenology. Psychology is theoretically constructed and uses a standard scientific process to discover evidences of that human’s behavior. Psychology also allows an individual to give special assistance to a specific group of children who could have a difficult time in schoolRead MorePsychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Mind And Behavior1589 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is Psychology? That is the first question before I took this class. I do not know what things I study from it. So is it useful for me and my life? Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes. (Simply Psycholog y Website). But today I will introduce 4 parts from the introduction to Psychology. That isRead MorePsychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Human Mind And Its Behaviors1625 Words   |  7 PagesBy definition, Psychology is â€Å"the scientific study of the human mind and its behaviours†. However, originally, Psychology did not begin as a science. The subject of Psychology began in 1879 when the first experimental laboratory was opened by Wilhelm Wundt. Since its establishment, Psychology has progressed into a world-renowned academic discipline with the formation of the first American experimental lab in 1883 and the first doctorate in 1886 which was presented to Joseph Jastrow, who became aRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Psychology Is Defined As The Scientific Study Of The Human Mind And Behavior1281 Words   |  6 PagesPsychology is defined as the scientific study of the human mind and behavior. It was established as a separate discipline during the late 1800s and can be tak en back to the time of the ancient Greeks. From around 500BC to 322 BC, Greek philosophers suggested a theory of â€Å"psyche† that is where the word psychology comes from. This meaning the mind, soul and spirit. The Pythagoras, Hippocrates, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were some of the most influential philosophers of their time. However, due toRead MorePsychology as a Science1163 Words   |  5 PagesPSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE Psychology is the scientific study of the behavior of individuals and their mental processes. (Fuchs amp; Milar, 2002). But what makes it a scientific study? First of all, why not? Nowadays the idea of psychology as a science seems so natural to us, but it was not always like this. The late-eighteenth-century declaration that a true scientific study of the mind was not possible posed a challenge that was answered in the nineteenth century when the possibilityRead More The Development of Psychology Essay1156 Words   |  5 PagesThe Development of Psychology Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behavior and the mind. This definition implies three things. The first is that psychology is a science, a field that can be studied through objective methods of observation and experimentation. The second is that it is the study of behavior, animal activity that can be observed and measured. And the third is that it is the study of the mind, the conscious and unconscious mental states that cannot be seen but inferredRead MoreWhat is Psychology?925 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1929, psychology was defined as the study of consciousness. From about 1930 to1970, the definition of psychology changed with dealing more with the scientific study of behavior. From about 1970 on, psychology was defined as the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. However, according to nowadays definition of psychology, it could be defined as the study of the behavior and human mind. Factors which influencing our behavior include physical, emotions, thou ghts and social. It can helpRead MoreFoundations of Psychology Essay763 Words   |  4 PagesFoundations of Psychology According to science philosopher Thomas Kuhn, the ongoing development of scientific paradigms is responsible for scientific progress. A scientific paradigm has three basic characteristics: a series of assertions that provide a model of the object of study, a group of common metaphors that assist with comprehension of the object of study, and a methodology that is accepted by the scientific community to provide legitimate and valuable data when carried out correctly. WithinRead MoreAdolescent Psychology Essay 31067 Words   |  5 PagesQuestion: What Is Psychology? One of the most common questions asked by students new to the study of psychology is What is psychology? Misperceptions created by popular media as well as the diverse careers paths of those holding psychology degrees have contributed this confusion. Psychology is both an applied and academic field that studies the human mind and behavior. Research in psychology seeks to understand and explain thought, emotion, and behavior. Applications of psychology include mentalRead MorePsychology : Cognitive Psychology And Psychology980 Words   |  4 PagesCognitive Psychology 1064 Words 5 Pages Cognitive psychology began around 19th century. Different approaches have been used to trace the roots of psychology. It is also known that cognitive psychology was out numbered by behaviorism but later revived, bringing into being cognitive revolution. The paper discusses cognitive revolution in the history of cognitive psychology as the most influential part in the practice of modern psychology. Introduction A scientific branch of psychology that is concerned Psychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Mind And Behavior What is Psychology? That is the first question before I took this class. I do not know what things I study from it. So is it useful for me and my life? Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes. (Simply Psychology Website). But today I will introduce 4 parts from the introduction to Psychology. That is the learning, the human development, the personality and the stress. I think that passing through 4 parts, we can understand more about humans, and how they form about shaping, behavior, personality and the ways they deal with the environment outside. First, exploring about the types of learning, it changes in behavior through experience. Second, it explores the developmental human, it also refers the changing and realizing in human capabilities but through different levels. Then the personal ity, it could be form by thoughts, emotions, and behaviors but every character has a way to adapt in this world. Finally, it is the stress, which is the important thing in this social now. Because nobody could not get out of the stress in the modern social. So they need to explore about them, and find out the ways to cope the stressors. Now I will go in every pars to understand them much. That is what I read and review about it and compare myself. From it, giving real examples about the theories.Show MoreRelatedPsychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Mind And Behavior986 Words   |  4 PagesA Look into Psychology Psychology is known to be the scientific study of the human’s mind and behavior. Psychology is not the study of extraordinary mind activity like paranormal, extrasensory perception (ESP), astrology, nor phrenology. Psychology is theoretically constructed and uses a standard scientific process to discover evidences of that human’s behavior. Psychology also allows an individual to give special assistance to a specific group of children who could have a difficult time in schoolRead MorePsychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Mind And Behavior791 Words   |  4 Pagesinner most feelings. The field of psychology was created to understand human behavior to help make society a better place and people live much easier. Psychology is field with sub fields that differ but the underlining core values are the same. The path to becoming a psychologist is challenging and not easy but most people entering the field feel like it is their calling. I cannot pen point one exact language or a specif form of communication that makes the psychology field special because differentRead MorePsychology Is The Scientific Study Of The Human Mind And Its Behaviors1625 Words   |  7 PagesBy definition, Psychology is â€Å"the scientific study of the human mind and its behaviours†. However, originally, Psychology did not begin as a science. The subject of Psychology began in 1879 when the first experimental laboratory was opened by Wilhelm Wundt. Since its establishment, Psychology has progressed into a world-renowned academic discipline with the formation of the first American experimental lab in 1883 and the first doctorate in 1886 which was presented to Joseph Jastrow, who became aRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Psychology Is Defined As The Scientific Study Of The Human Mind And Behavior1281 Words   |  6 PagesPsychology is defined as the scientific study of the human mind and behavior. It was established as a separate discipline during the late 1800s and can be taken back to the time of the ancient Greeks. From around 500BC to 322 BC, Greek philosophers suggested a theory of â€Å"psyche† that is where the word psychology comes from. This meaning the mind, soul and spirit. The Pythagoras, Hippocrates, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were some of the most influential philosophers of their time. However, due toRead MorePsychology as a Science1163 Words   |  5 PagesPSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE Psychology is the scientific study of the behavior of individuals and their mental processes. (Fuchs amp; Milar, 2002). But what makes it a scientific study? First of all, why not? Nowadays the idea of psychology as a science seems so natural to us, but it was not always like this. The late-eighteenth-century declaration that a true scientific study of the mind was not possible posed a challenge that was answered in the nineteenth century when the possibilityRead More The Development of Psychology Essay1156 Words   |  5 PagesThe Development of Psychology Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behavior and the mind. This definition implies three things. The first is that psychology is a science, a field that can be studied through objective methods of observation and experimentation. The second is that it is the study of behavior, animal activity that can be observed and measured. And the third is that it is the study of the mind, the conscious and unconscious mental states that cannot be seen but inferredRead MoreWhat is Psychology?925 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1929, psychology was defined as the study of consciousness. From about 1930 to1970, the definition of psychology changed with dealing more with the scientific study of behavior. From about 1970 on, psychology was defined as the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. However, according to nowadays definition of psychology, it could be defined as the study of the behavior and human mind. Factors which influencing our behavior include physical, emotions, thou ghts and social. It can helpRead MoreFoundations of Psychology Essay763 Words   |  4 PagesFoundations of Psychology According to science philosopher Thomas Kuhn, the ongoing development of scientific paradigms is responsible for scientific progress. A scientific paradigm has three basic characteristics: a series of assertions that provide a model of the object of study, a group of common metaphors that assist with comprehension of the object of study, and a methodology that is accepted by the scientific community to provide legitimate and valuable data when carried out correctly. WithinRead MoreAdolescent Psychology Essay 31067 Words   |  5 PagesQuestion: What Is Psychology? One of the most common questions asked by students new to the study of psychology is What is psychology? Misperceptions created by popular media as well as the diverse careers paths of those holding psychology degrees have contributed this confusion. Psychology is both an applied and academic field that studies the human mind and behavior. Research in psychology seeks to understand and explain thought, emotion, and behavior. Applications of psychology include mentalRead MorePsychology : Cognitive Psychology And Psychology980 Words   |  4 PagesCognitive Psychology 1064 Words 5 Pages Cognitive psychology began around 19th century. Different approaches have been used to trace the roots of psychology. It is also known that cognitive psychology was out numbered by behaviorism but later revived, bringing into being cognitive revolution. The paper discusses cognitive revolution in the history of cognitive psychology as the most influential part in the practice of modern psychology. Introduction A scientific branch of psychology that is concerned

Crime Against Law And Crime - 1072 Words

Crime Against Law Have you ever pondered why individuals crave the fear and adrenaline in committing a crime? Or how individuals get so frightened by the thought of crime? As I came across multiple quotes this is the one that stuck out the most: â€Å"The world is filled with violence. Because criminals carry guns, we decent law-abiding citizens should also have guns. Otherwise they will win and the decent people will lose.† -James Earl Jones. Most individuals who do not have a steady home life, comprehensive learning, or have mental disorders carry guns for safety, tend to end up violating the law. Those problems occurred in the book Native Son, where the main character, Bigger, is faced with many crimes he created for himself. Bigger robbed many businesses within his neighborhood as well as killing two human beings. As a citizen, he committed many crimes throughout his community because he craved the excitement that came with being immoral. The quote also mentions guns an d how criminals carry concealed weapons, which reflects back to Bigger. As a character in a book, Bigger represents individuals in our society today by carrying around a gun as a safety mechanism. The book showed Bigger never had a good home life, was highly uneducated and had a very low income. All of those issues caused him to commit a variety of crimes to receive what he desperately needed in life; therefore, Bigger represents the whole community of zealous criminals. As someone with needsShow MoreRelatedCrime Is An Act Against The Law1334 Words   |  6 PagesCrime is an act against the law where the consequence of conviction by a court is punishment is a serious one such as imprisonment. The Oxford English Dictionary states that crime is: - â€Å"An act punishable by law, as being forbidden by statute or injurious to the public welfare†¦An evil or injurious act; an offence, a sin†. The government usually set laws that the people must follow, punishment is given for those who lighten those laws. The legal or criminal justice system applies the law and punishesRead MoreThe Fight Against Hate1268 Words   |  6 Pagesprejudice against his race. Four months later, two young men beat Matthew Shepard with a pistol and left him tied to a fence all night in near freezing weather because he was gay. These two attacks sent outrage throughout the country and inspired tougher punishments against hate crimes. (A hate crime is any crime that is committed due to a bias towards a particular group of people.) Currently, forty states and the District of Columbia have passed hate crime laws. Those laws ban any crime connectedRead MoreHate Crime Essay816 Words   |  4 Pageshate crime became part of the American lexicon in 1985 when it was coined by United States Representatives John Conyers and Mario Biaggi. Although the term hate crime and societal interest in it are relatively recent developments, hate crime has deep historical roots. Throughout U.S. histo ry, a significant proportion of all murders, assaults, and acts of vandalism and desecration have been fueled by hatred. As Native Americans have been described as the first hate crime victims, hate crimes haveRead MoreEssay on Hate Crime1498 Words   |  6 PagesHate Crime   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Violence motivated by a bias against victims’ characteristics which include race, religion, ethnic background, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation, represents a serious threat to all communities. Experts estimate that a bias-related crime is committed every 14 minutes. Criminal justice officials and state policy makers need to realize that it is key to make or adjust hate crime legislation. This has been a heated debate for centuriesRead MoreHate Crimes And The Response Of Law Enforcement Officers Essay1370 Words   |  6 PagesThe phrase â€Å"Hate Crime† rose to prominence in the 1980s, in an attempt to describe crimes against someone based on their race or religion. These crimes were motivated, at least in part and sometimes in entirety, by bias against African Americans and Jews. Since that time, the term has expanded to include illegal acts against a person, organization, and their property based on the criminal’s bias against the victim’s minority class. These minority classes include race and ethnicity, sexual orientationRead MoreThe Role of Federal Agencies in Fighting Digital Crime774 Words   |  3 PagesHomeland Security, and other law enforcement agencies have similar challenges when fighting computer crimes and terrorism due to the recent development of computer technologies as well as constant threats. Federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement agencies have different responsibilities that work independently instead of on the same level, which can make it difficult to coordinate and cooperate to fight against computer crimes and terrorist threats. Local law enforcement agencies dealRead MoreThe Six Types Of Crime953 Words   |  4 Pages1) The six types of crime are Violent - Violent crime is crimes that are against people such as murder, assault, rape, and robbery. Property- property crimes are crimes that are used for economic gains such as stealing someone’s belongings. Public order- this are crimes that go against the norms of what people think are right such as public drunkenness or prostitution. White-collar- these are crimes that are committed by an individual or a business with nonviolent actions for business advantageRead MoreSocial Injustice : The Interplay Of The Lgbt Community, Hate Crimes And The Us1482 Words   |  6 Pages Social Injustice: the interplay of the LGBT community, hate crimes and the US On June 4, 2011, Cece Mcdonald lost the freedom to securely be herself. Cece Mcdonald was a young trans-woman who was walking with her friends past a tavern in Minneapolis when suddenly, a group of people started to barrage them with insults. One man insulted Cece directly by saying, â€Å"look at that boy dressed like a girl tucking her dick in.† The group of friends attempted to walk away, but before they got awayRead MoreArson Crime Against Property Crimes1166 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract Arson was a crime at common law that prohibited the burning of someone else dwelling home and property that was nearby. The main purpose was to make sure homes would not get burned while occupied with people. In today’s society arson laws have extended and cover burning any type of property. CRIME AGAINST PROPERTY 2 Arson-Crime against Property Crimes against property include many shared crimes that consist of theft or destroying of another person’s property. TheseRead MoreEssay about Crime876 Words   |  4 Pages Crime nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In general the definition of a crime is an act punishable by law, usually considered an evil act. Crime refers to many types of misconduct forbidden by law. Crimes include such things as murder, stealing a car, resisting arrest, possession or dealing of illegal drugs, being nude in public , drunk driving, and bank robbery. Crime is an act that has been timeless and has been committed practically since the start of time. For example, ever since Cain killed his

Organizational Excellence And Change At Pepsico - 850 Words

PepsiCo 5 Unit 3: Assignment 1- PepsiCo Michelle Kinyungu GM504-01 Organizational Excellence and Change June 14,2016 Dr.: Barbara-Leigh Tonelli Introduction Open systems approach is a gave a rise to a general model can guide the diagnosis of entire an organization ( Harrison,2004, p.27) .Open systems are made of several components that will impact an organization during the diagnosis process. The two systems components that is directly association with PepsiCo are organizational processes and behavior and structure. PepsiCo organizational process and behavior lays within the Pepsi University is the area of job performance. PepsiCo?s women leadership is low in numbers. The gap analysis of PepsiCo is to work toward an action plan to increase real-world experience and women leadership. Content and Analysis Complexity leadership theory investigates the role of leadership in advancing those processes in organizations through which co-dependent actions among many individuals combine into a group endeavor (Lichtenstein, et al., 2006). Organizational behavior and processes can change over a course of time and so does management practices. PespiCo still uses the university for professional development which still uses classroom style of learning. PepsiCo has not adopted the complexity leadership theory in being able to co-exist with leaders because of organizational behavior and processes. For example, PepsiCo has a governance code of conduct and pre-Show MoreRelatedOrganizational Excellence And Change : Pepsico995 Words   |  4 Pages PepsiCo 2 Assignment 1: Focus Paper- PepsiCo Michelle Kinyungu GM504 Organizational Excellence and Change June 7, 2016 Professor (Name of Professor) Introduction The organization I have chosen to focus on is the PepsiCo. PepsiCo began in 1900?s and has currently merger with Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay. Pepsi-Cola was founded in 1902 by Caleb Davis Brandham, a pharmacist in New Bern, North Carolina. Frito-Lay was founded in 1932 by Charles Elmer Doolin.(Purdy,2015). PepsiCo is aRead MoreExecutive Officer : Pepsico Change Initiative1113 Words   |  5 PagesPAGE PepsiCo Change Initiative 6 Unit 4: Assignment Focus Paper PepsiCo Change Initiative Michelle Kinyungu GM504-01 Organizational Excellence and Change June 21, 2016 Dr. Barbara-Leigh Tonelli Introduction In today?s business world, whether it be a local or global organization there must be change in women?s leadership. The change in women?s leadership at PepsiCo is a positive initiative. Strategic management suggested that change in any organization is expected, changeRead MoreKFC1335 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferent organizational changes. These changes were brought about due to the changes of ownership that followed since Colonel Sanders first sold KFC in 1964. In 1964, KFC was sold to a small group of investors that eventually took it public. Heublein, Inc, purchased KFC in 1971 and was highly involved in the day to day operations. R.J. Reynolds then acquired Heublein in 1982. R.J. took a more laid back approach and allowed business as usual at KFC. Finally, in 1986, KFC was acquired by PepsiCo, whichRead MoreCase Study : The Coca Cola Company1568 Words   |  7 Pagescomplies of: They offer a variety of products namely; Coca Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Diet Coke, Coca Cola Zero, Dasani, Minute Maid, Ciel, Powerade, Simply Orange, Coca Cola Light, Fresca, Glaceau Vitamin Water among a variety of other drinks (Muhtar, 2009). PepsiCo has had a number of mergers in the years since it was founded in 1965. It first merged with Frito-Lay in 1965, and then it was able to acquire Tropicana in 1998. In 2010 it acquired two bottlers namely Pepsi Bottling group and PepsiAmericas and finallyRead MoreBsb Inc: Pizza Wars Come to Campus1570 Words   |  7 Pagessimple and precise language †¢ Develop buy-in and support throughout the organization Mission and Vision Statements are commonly used to: Internally †¢ Guide managements thinking on strategic issues, especially during times of significant change †¢ Help define performance standards †¢ Inspire employees to work more productively by providing focus and common goals †¢ Guide employee decision making †¢ Help establish a framework for ethical behavior Externally †¢ EnlistRead MoreLeadership Comparison and Critique Essay3860 Words   |  16 Pagestransformational leader as having recognized the organization as a complex system in a chaotic environment. The leader has also responded to complexity by being aware of change. The transformational leader has established a shared vision and inspired the organization to learn and evolve in response to change. Transformational leaders have driven radical change, trading short-term stability for long-term survival. In 2007, Kouzes and Posner refined Burn’s work by breaking down the transformational leader’s qualitiesRead MorePepsico Organizational Behavior Project3444 Words   |  14 Pagesprocess of Internal and external factors that initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors like committed to a job, role, or to make an effort to attain a goal, has been considered as one of the most frequently studied topic in the organizational science and the critical area in th e Organization Behavior. Motivation consist of three major components: 1st is direction which is the road the motivator use to attain his goal, 2nd is the intensity that is noticed by the concentration and vigorRead MoreChanging Culture at Pizza Hut6434 Words   |  26 PagesChanging Culture at Pizza Hut and Yum! Brands, Inc. The concept of corporate culture has captured the imagination of executives for years. For executives struggling to manage organizational change, understanding their organization’s culture has become paramount before undertaking such a change. They realize that significant strategic and structural realignment cannot occur if it is not supported by the organization’s norms and values. Organization cultures are created by leaders and, therefore,Read MoreHow Pepsico Uses Its Talent to Sustain a Competitive Advantage in the Marketplace.2200 Words   |  9 Pagesat PepsiCo Freeman F. Dennis Dr. J. A. Anderson, Sr. Talent Management – HRM 532*201004 July 19, 2011 Introduction. At PepsiCo talent management is taken very seriously. From the CEO on down, all level are involved in the reviews of high potential individuals. With this level of involvement, the talent that is attracted to the company is developed and trained so well that many of them go on to be top level executives at other major corporations. Discuss how PepsiCo usesRead MoreCreating PepsiCo Balanced Performance3734 Words   |  15 PagesExecutive Summary of the board PepsiCo has had consistently positive financial results in a very competitive and price sensitive marketplace. We believe that the company is well positioned to continue to meet its sales and revenue targets while maintaining profit margin. However, we think that in order to remain ahead of our competitors, our investment looking forward needs to be in our greatest asset, our employees. The introduction and roll out of the balanced scorecard method to create an individually

Demographics free essay sample

I often find myself pondering, to certain lengths, the precise purpose of the â€Å"demographics† section of most official documents. Its not that it bothers me much, really – on the contrary, Ive hardly given it any notice in the past. It is simply that, being an incoming senior and college-applicant, I have had to fill in quite a few of these little surveys in the past ten or so months – be it for SAT forms, or resumes, or even the applications themselves. Always, it seems, it takes me a few moments more than most others to decide how to reply to the questions listed. Should I bubble in the â€Å"Black or African American† option? Or perhaps the â€Å"Native American† line? Usually, I end up selecting the â€Å"White or Caucasian† choice, simply because, quite frankly, I look more white than anything else. The truth is, however, my ancestry is quite unique, and much more complicated than a simple paper scantron can attest to. And although the lines tracing my ethnicity are twisted and entangled, and sometimes not completely clear, I have always done my best to try to take on the burden of learning it, understanding it, and, most importantly, embracing it. My maternal grandfather, you see – the great source of my unique ethnic blend – comes from two â€Å"legally Black† parents. Although my great-grandmother was more strongly of white descent than black, it was the official doctrine in those days that a single drop of African American blood made a person â€Å"Black†, de jure. My grandfather, on the other hand, was mostly African American, with quite a bit of Native American blood. This, in my opinion, is where things get really interesting. My Native American great-great-great-grandmother went by the acquired name of â€Å"Mertie Outlaw†. Quite a jump from the traditional â€Å"Red Bear, Little Creek† nomenclature, yes? Thats because she was no teepee-squatting earth-mother; she ran with the infamous Jesse James (James-Younger) party, the legendary â€Å"Wild West† gangsters of the late 1800s. Despite much research, we are not sure who exactly fathered her baby – my great-great-grand-mother or -father – or what his ethnic roots entailed. We can infer, however, that the child they bore eventually grew up to marry the illegitimate child of an English plantation-owner and his secret Black slave mistress. Together, this pairing yielded my great-grandfather, who eventually coupled with a Ms. Hattie Speller, my aforementioned, partially-white, but â€Å"legally Black† great-grandmother. My grandfather, Mr. Thomas Bond, went on to fight some of the fiercest stigmas of American history to marry a white Englishwoman by the name of Joy Toms, and to become a pioneer in Black medicine for the State of New York, as well as for the nation during the Korean War. Sent overseas as a lead medical professor, he helped to set up the very first Venereal Disease clinic for American soldiers in Europe. That makes me, by the end of this lengthy trail, roughly two-thirds white, one-fourth black, and one-twelfth Native American (my mother married an Englishman named Mark Carlson who, despite having been born and raised for many years in South Africa, carries 100% Caucasian blood). By all appearances, I could be considered white – at most, Ive been called â€Å"exotic-looking†. Most people are quite shocked when I share my â€Å"secret ethnicity† – hesitantly titled, because I am not purposely keeping it a secret, by any means. Quite honestly, I simply dont very often see any reason to share the fact, because it has nothing to do with who I am, and thus should have no bearing on the way people perceive me. Ill confess, though, that I tend to keep my tongue locked away regarding the subject, simply for the sheer guilty pleasure of observation. Growing up in a town like Summit, New Jersey – a small, wealthy, upper-middle-class, mostly-white community – Ive been granted a unique sort of â€Å"fly on the wall† experience, by which I can observe the way in which people talk about race, without their knowledge that I come from the very peoples about which they are joking. Believe me, I am no cruel manipulator – I am not the type who would take pleasure in politely listening to a Black joke, and then calmly informing the person of the fact that I am partially African American, watching as their jocular grin transforms into an expression of horror. I have never done anything of the sort. I can shamelessly admit, however, that Ive come to see myself as a sort of undercover rogue spy without a team to which I am loyal. The most intriguing part comes out of the reactions of the people who I do tell. At first, they dont believe me; then, theyll look sort of nervous – ask a few tentative questions, indulge in a detail or two; and finally, theyll laugh, and say things like â€Å"Ohh, I can see it now! In your nose and your eyes!† With my close friends, I guess Ive become a sort of novelty – they show me off like a baby being passed around at a party. They never cease to find amusement in it: that thrilled moment, standing with a group of friendly acquaintances, when they take me by the arm and say proudly, eyes full of ecstasy and voices quivering dramatically â€Å"Carolines black!† I just laugh and nod in uncomfortable affirmation while the people gush. The questions pour out, the shocked laughter reverberates – and for a few moments, Im a celebrity. Its strange, really – after that, I never hear another black joke within that group of people again. It makes me feel almost guilty, as if Ive ruined their fun. Naturally, though, my ethnicity never been a problem of any kind with people; for this, I am thankful. My mother often tells me about what it was like growing up as a child, living in fear each day that they would go outside to find a cross-burning on the lawn. Im proud of who I am, and so Im proud of where I come from. The unique perspective Ive been given throughout life has taught me a lot about people, and I wouldnt trade the experience for anything in the world. Just the other day, in fact, I was at lunch with a good friend of mine, and, as the bread-sticks arrived, the topic of conversation turned to college applications – a common topic over the past year or so. â€Å"You dont have anything to worry about,† she said, reaching across the table for the butter. â€Å"Youre black. Colleges eat that stuff right up.† A part of me wanted to tell her how silly she sounded – how stupid it was to think that the skin-color of a few dead people whom I have never met should have any effect on my future, and what university I end up attending. But I just sort of shrugged, smiling bemusedly. Perhaps she was right. At the end of it all, though – after everything I had ever seen and learned – I didnt want that to be all it added up to.