The Control Group in Psychological Experiment

The Control Group in Psychological Experiment Student Resources Print The Control Group in Psychological Experiment By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on February 22, 2020 Doug Corrance/The Image Bank/Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers The control group is composed of participants who do not receive the experimental treatment. When conducting an experiment, these people are randomly selected to be in this group. They also closely resemble the participants who are in the experimental group or the individuals who receive the treatment. While they do not receive the treatment, they do play a vital role in the research process. Experimenters compare the experimental group to the control group to determine if the treatment had an effect. By serving as a comparison group, researchers are able to isolate the independent variable and look at the impact it had. Why Its Important to Have a Control Group in Experimental Psychology While the control group does not receive treatment, it does play a critical role in the experimental process. This group serves as a benchmark, allowing researchers to compare the experimental group to the control group to see what sort of impact changes to the independent variable produced.?? Because participants have been randomly assigned to either the control group or the experimental group, it can be assumed that the groups are comparable. Any differences between the two groups are therefore the result of the manipulations of the independent variable. The experimenters carry out the exact same procedures with both groups with the exception of the manipulation of the independent variable in the experimental group. Example of a Control Group Imagine that a researcher is interested in determining how distractions during an exam influence test results. The researcher might begin by operationally defining what they mean by distractions as well as forming a hypothesis. In this case, he might define distractions as changes in room temperature and noise levels. His hypothesis might be that students in a slightly warmer and noisier room will perform more poorly than students in a room that is normal in terms of both temperature and noise. To test his hypothesis, the researcher selects a pool of participants who are all taking the same college math class. All students have been given the same instruction and resources over the course of the semester. He then randomly assigns participants to either the control group or the experimental group. Students in the control group take a math exam in their normal classroom. The room is quiet for the duration of the test and the room temperature is set as a comfortable 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In the experimental group, students take the exact same test in the exact same classroom, but this time the independent variables are manipulated by the experimenter. A series of loud, banging noises are produced in the classroom next door, creating the impression that some type of construction work is taking place next door. At the same time, the thermostat is kicked up to a balmy 80 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see, the procedures and materials used in both the control and experimental group are the same. The researcher has used the same room, same test administration procedures, and the same test in both groups. The only thing that differs is the amount of distraction created by noise levels and room temperature in the experimental group. After the experiment is complete, the researcher can then look at the test results and start making comparisons between the control group and the experimental group. What he discovers is that the test scores on the math exam were significantly lower in the experimental group than they were in the control group. The results support his hypothesis that distractions such as excess noise and temperature can affect test scores.

Health / Wellness And Illness - 1551 Words

Health and wellness is a state of well-being when an individual is completely capable physically, psychologically, and socially. Everyone has a different view of what healthy means due to their age, gender, race, beliefs, and the environment they live in. Comparing Health/Wellness and Illness/Disease When comparing health and wellness to disease and illness there are various differences and some similarities. Illness and disease is when a person cannot partially or completely function mentally, physically, socially, or cognitively. The differences between health/wellness and illness/disease is the state of being. There is not a life threatening risk for being healthy and well, in fact being healthy will more than likely increase your life†¦show more content†¦Some individuals who are ill or have a disease don’t get medical assistance because of how costly it can be. A similarity between being healthy or ill is the behavior, but that all depends on the individual. That person can have the same behavior whether they’re ill or healthy. Whether it’s being happy, depressed, determined, and so on. The differences and similarities between health/wellness and illness/disease almost always depends on that individual. Variables and risk factors and comparing the two There are two variables that influence an individual’s beliefs, health, and practices. â€Å"Internal variables include a person’s developmental stage, intellectual background, perception of functioning, and emotional and spiritual factors† (Potter, Perry, Stockert, Hall, 2013, p. 68). The developmental stage changes in a person throughout life as they grow older. Their way of thinking and behavior becomes gradually mature with age. Intellectual background is the amount of knowledge that each individual has about health care. Individuals could have deficient or complete knowledge, previous health care experiences, or have beliefs of certain health information that could possibly be incorrect. Perception of functioning includes objective and subjective data about a patient who perceives how capable or enable they are physically. Emotional factors that influence health beliefs and practices are an individual’s stress level, fear, or

Population Environment And The Slums Of Mumbai - 2067 Words

INTRODUCTION: This research paper focuses on the population-environment dynamics in the slums of Mumbai. It mainly discusses the impact of the growing slum population on water quality in Mumbai. First, the research question and null hypotheses were stated based on the population, environment, social and cultural contexts. Readings from class and other peer reviewed articles were used to support the stated hypotheses and highlight the important aspects of the case study. Next, the important population characteristics were discussed and compared to other relevant places and a summary of the environmental and social context was also provided. Finally, the population-environment relationship was summarized for the chosen case site (Null hypotheses true or not) and implications of human actions on the natural world were discussed. RESEARCH QUESTION AND HYPOTHESES: Mumbai, India’s financial hub is home to more than 20 million people. Historically, slum growth in Mumbai was a result of population growth far beyond the total carrying capacity. It resulted in overuse of traditional land, displacing a heavy chunk of the lower-middle class population to informal settlements. Villages like Dharavi, Byculla and Khar with small scale industries got converted into slums during this process. The rapid economic development in the 19th century also brought in a lot of migrant population from the rural areas into a city ill-equipped to deal with them [1]. This provides usShow MoreRelatedCapital City Of Maharashtra955 Words   |  4 PagesAbstract: Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra, experienced unprecedented floods on 26th and 27th July 2005 bringing the entire city to standstill for two days. In span of 24 hours the Santa Cruz observatory at Mumbai airport recorded 944 mm of rain, which is highest recorded data for city in a day. The flood caused direct economic damages of about $2 billion and over 500 fatalities. The flood also caused several infrastructural damages, over 2,000 buildings were completely destroyed and 50,000Read MoreAcute Urbanization And The City Of Mumbai1422 Words   |  6 PagesThe year 2010 is estimated to mark the transition of a majority (50.6%) of the world‟s population from rural to urban. UNPD. (2007) The most alarming implications of rapid urbanization include irrevocable alteration of local and global environments, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources and widening social equity gaps within urban areas. With the migration of masses from rural to urban ares cities are overcr owded and vulnerability and exposure aspects accruing it are in the state of changeRead MoreUrbanization in Developing Countries: India1732 Words   |  7 Pagesurbanization in developing countries like India has resulted in a significant increase of the urban population within the country. The historic label of ‘the country of villages’ defies the current state of Modern India. 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Beyond the technical and structural barriers lie ideological and cultural impediments that I will argue are borne in part from an idealized quest for modernity informedRead MoreUrbanization and Environmental Degradation3651 Words   |  15 PagesUrbanization amp; Environmental Degradation Analysis By Anupam Rozario - 26 Anupam Gogoi – 27 Anupam Verma – 28 ABSTRACT Urbanization refers to general increase in population and the amount of industrialization of a settlement. It includes increase in the number and extent of cities. It symbolizes the movement of people from rural to urban areas. Urbanization happens because of the increase in the extent and density of urban areas. Due to uncontrolled urbanization in IndiaRead MoreThe Impact Of Megacities On The World1731 Words   |  7 Pagestaking over the world, encompassing a larger surface area and accommodating a denser population than ever before. To qualify as a megacity, a city is required to have an excess of ten million people (‘Megacity’, 2015). Interestingly, out of the 35 megacities currently in existence, many exceed this population by millions (See Appendix 1) (‘Megacity’, 2015). As of 2015, the largest megacities in the world have a population of over 30 million—these numbers belong to Tokyo and Jakarta, two of the most rapidlyRead MoreThe Positive And Negative Effects Of Urbanization And Developing Countries821 Words   |  4 PagesUrbanization can impact any country in the world in numerous ways. The effects urbanization can sometimes be beneficial but sometimes not depending on the type of country. Developing countries often find urbanization to be negative due to the increase of slums and unemployment rates, whereas developed countries see urbanization positive due to improvement and development. Although the developed countries favor urbanization it can still affect them negatively in which both developed and developing countriesRead MoreEnvironmental Degradation in Mumbai3954 Words   |  16 PagesENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN MUMBAI MICHAEL RAJU MARIADAS F09038 Contents INTRODUCTION 3 HISTORY 3 GEOGRAPHY 3 CLIMATE 4 CULTURE 4 CHRONICRead MorePoverty And Its Effect On Poverty1551 Words   |  7 Pagessituation and then a culture of poverty forms and is passed down from generation to generation making it nearly impossible for the cycle to end. A culture of poverty is especially evident in India. It is estimated that twenty one percent of the Indian population survives on one dollar and ninety cents a day. When assigning a statistic to the poverty in India, the percentage of people living in poverty is different with each source, varying from twenty all the way to fifty six percent of the 1.25 billionRead MoreThe Between China And India1863 Words   |  8 Pagesurbanise. As people began to make more money, they moved out of the city back into rural areas because they could afford the rural lifestyle. This is called counter urbanisation, it is shown in figure 4, London has had a decrease in their urban population ever since 1950 and it has kept slowly decreasing, and it is a good example of counter urban isation. This is also another reason as to why urbanisation is increasing slowly in MEDC’s, people moving into LEDC’s are urbanising to get out of poverty

Pump Station Management Free Essays

The software will control many aspects of the gas refueling process including the enabling of each pump for use, starting the pump’s motor, engaging the clutch on each pump which in turn will dispense the gas, displaying the current amount of gas pumped, recording each transaction and archiving the day’s transactions. The use of this control system will reduce the number of tasks the gas station attendant(s) must perform making the attendants making their job easier and possibly reducing the overhead of running the gas station by reducing the number of attendants needed. The use of this system automates many processes such as measuring the amount of gas dispensed and recording the details of each transaction. We will write a custom essay sample on Pump Station Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now This system also increases the quality of the gas being dispensed by not allowing a pump to be enabled if the tank that services the pump is below 20%, because of this the sediment in the bottom of the gas storage tank is never pumped into the customer’s car. 3 Overview This Software Requirements Spacification is organized into two main sections: overall description and specific requirements. The overall description section provides information describing general factors that will effect the requirements of the software. The specific requirements section describes in detail the requirements the software must meet. Overall description 1 Product perspective Gasoline Pump Control System is an independent product that is totally self-contained. Below is a diagram which displays how the interfaces interact with one another. How to cite Pump Station Management, Papers

Style and Structure of Beloved free essay sample

The author displays storytelling when Beloved asks Denver to tell of her mother’s carrying of Denver herself, which builds on the fact that Sethe overcame many hardships just for freedom and safety and she still bares the scars from her past: both physical and mental. Flashback is used consistently throughout Morison’s work to provide the audience with a visual and emotional connection with the character. Sethe and Paul D share numerous flashbacks to their days at Sweet Home of the good and the horrible. Each recollection reveals more to the background of our main characters’ stories. This gives the reader insight on the perception of a character’s state. Upon reading this novel, the audience encounters various points of views for each story or event told. For instance, Denver and her mother share different opinions of the ghost. The reader is able to see both views of the spirit and why they view it in that way. We will write a custom essay sample on Style and Structure of Beloved or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This method ties together well with the use of flashbacks to a character’s background and what caused them to approach the situation in that way and why it may differ from another.

The Renault Nissan Alliance Negotiations

Negotiations are part of our daily activities. In commerce, effective negotiations are the pillars of all successful businesses (Fowler 3). Companies who adopt effective negotiation strategies can be able to generate assessable business values for themselves and for their clients. Unlike in the past, negotiations have become very important to every business organization.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Renault Nissan Alliance Negotiations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This has been brought about by deals becoming more complex, more professional buyers joining the marketplace, competitive behaviors in the market, and increase in internal negotiations within companies. Business experts classify negotiations into several types based on critical variables such as time, conflicts, and participants (Sparks 12). In this regard, this case study seeks to analyze the Renault-Nissan alliance negotiations. Throug h this, this paper will bring into light the negotiation strategies that enabled these companies to reach a winning coalition despite the mutual challenges that faced the two companies. Prior the year 1999, Renault and Nissan companies were faced with numerous fiscal challenges that threatened their future business successes. As such, Nissan was virtually insolvent in the year 1999. From the year 1990, the automobile company had progressively lost its money and market share. By the year 1998, its automobile production had decreased by 600, 000 units. On the other hand, Renault was slowly regaining its production and market share after a devastating loss of $ 680 million in the year 1996. Equally, before the alliance Renault was still trying to come into terms with their much-publicized alliance with Volvo that failed to materialize. In the year 1999, the two companies initiated approaches towards an alliance. Several meetings were later held to assess the prospects of their alliance s. Notably, the media and the business experts have applauded Renault’s approaches during the negotiations for their unique negotiation strategies. As such, the Renault negotiating team applied the six steps needed to reach the target and a winning coalition as described by Lax and Sebenius in their article A Guide To Complex Negotiations Published in the year 2012.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to the Lax and Sebenius, a successful alliance can be achieved by identifying the right parties and grouping them into fronts, assessing inter-dependencies among fronts, determining whether and when to combine fronts, determining how much information to share and when, and being ready to learn and adapt to changing situations. In the year 1998, Renault’s executive Schweitzer wrote to Nissan’s executive informing him of his strategic plan to form an alliance with Nissan. Schweitzer’s initiatives were against the bankers and investors’ wishes. After identifying the barriers that existed between their companies, Schweitzer was determined to convince all the parties involved of the importance of their alliance. To carry out its initiatives, Renault had to get the approval from the government, their employees and the shareholders. The French government helped the company overcome most of its regulatory roles since they had power over board decisions. Equally, for successful negotiations Renault had to convince Nissan’s stakeholders, which included the Japanese government, labor unions, and investors. These investors were Fuji Bank, Fuyo, and Industrial Bank of Japan. Renault was able to convince these parties with the help of Japanese government officials from the ministries of business, international trade, finance, and fair trade.  By assessing the inter-dependencies among Nissans shareholders, Renault w as able to determine how they affect one another (Lax Sebenius 4). Through this, they were able to negotiate with the Government and the relevant ministries to convince the Nissan Corporation to accept their decision in forming an alliance with them. In the end, the company was able to gain the backing of the company’s shareholders. The effectiveness of the above negotiations depended on the way Renault sequenced their campaigns. Initially, Renault’s CEO sent a letter to Nissan’s CEO before meeting him. The letter was meant to inform the Nissan’s executive of his plans to form an alliance with the firm. Later on, Renault’s CEO arranged for a meeting with Nissan’s CEO. Soon after, though the French government the company was able to convince the Japanese Government in convincing the Japanese authorities. During the negotiation process, Renault ability to learn and adapt to the situations enabled them to reach to an agreement with Nissan. Ini tially, Renault plan was to convince Nissan to buy part of their stock. In return, Renault was going to buy part of Nissan’s stock.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Renault Nissan Alliance Negotiations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nissan were unable to buy Renault’s stock, as they were bankrupt by then. As a result, Renault never dropped their plan to form an alliance with Nissan. They proceeded and bought part of Nissan’s stock. Through this, their ability to adapt was illustrated. The two companies reached an agreement with the aim of enabling each company achieve its desired goals and overcome its fiscal challenges that were threatening the existence of the two companies. Renault had identified several benefits it were to gain from their union with Nissan. These benefits were meant to increase its global competitiveness, increase quality, increase sales, increase momentum as a revived firm, safeguard its market shares, internationalize the firm, and gain global reputation. Through the initiatives, Schweitzer was determined to reduce the company’s RD cycle from 36 months to 24 months. Similarly, unlike his predecessors Schweitzer wanted to shift the company’s focus from increasing the number of units produced and sold per year to increasing the quality of the cars produced and sold. Equally, before their alliance, Renault had no market share in the USA. In the same way, the company’s reputation in Asia and Europe was progressively deteriorating. To achieve these initiatives, Schweitzer noted that Renault needed to improve their products’ designs and qualities (Harford 540). With these variables considered, the company had no option but to unite with a key automaker. In the same period, Nissan was being faced with numerous fiscal challenges. Its sales were dropping drastically in the USA. As the drop in sales was being witnessed , the company’s debts increased with each passing year. To overcome these challenges and restore their financial glory, Nissan had to form an association with Renault. Their association with Renault could enable Nissan to protect their identity, return their profitability, improve their worldwide competitiveness, ensure their future survival, preserve jobs, and develop efficient answers to debt-ridden Nissan Diesel. Similarly, the two companies reached an agreement out of their executives’ ambition to develop an alliance, which could enable the companies to uphold their operational freedom. The basis of their alliances relied on their ability to form a joint equity venture that relied on their partners’ equities, capabilities, and willingness to cooperate (Donnelly David 430). In the same way, the two companies were willing to come up with a common platform that could enable them create considerable economies in the development of their products.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In general, the association of the two companies could enable the two firms to cut their cost of production, gain from the economies of scale, and boosts their bargaining power.  In case the two parties had failed to reach into an agreement it is eminent that they could have faced numerous challenges. For instance, there are higher chances that Nissan could have closed down their operation completely due to bankruptcy. Before their alliance, their sales were dropping drastically both in Asia and the USA. Similarly, at home Nissan was facing numerous operational challenges owing their inability to repay their debts. Therefore, if it could have failed to reach an agreement with Renault it could have been forced to shut its operations. If the company could have shut down its operation, more than 130 million people could have lost their jobs. Equally, the Japanese government could have lost huge revenue generated from the company.  Alternatively, if Renault could have failed to reac h a deal with Nissan it could not be enjoying the success and the market share they currently command in the international automobile market (Magee 123). Before their joint ventures, Renault’s profits were increasing progressively following Schweitzer’s appointment to head the firm. This implies that without their association with Nissan the company could have continued to increase their profits. However, the company could not have been able to improve their products’ designs. Equally, without the association the company could have been able to conquer the American Market, as before their alliance they had no sales in the USA.  In the same year the Renault-Nissan alliance was initiated, Daimler-Chrysler alliance was ongoing. After the two automobile firms were merged in the year 1998, their manufacturers agreed to combine their efforts. The alliance became the third largest automobile firm in the world. The rankings were based on their revenues and capitalizat ion. In the same year, the joint firmed sold 4 million units and generated $155.3 billion. However, in the year, 2000 the joint firm’s revenues dropped drastically. It is estimated that in the same year the company recorded a loss of $500 million. In the year 2001, the company losses increased forcing the company to cut more than 26000 jobs.  During the year 2009, after Daimler exited from Daimler-Chrysler alliance Fiat merged with Chrysler to form Fiat-Chrysler alliance. In the alliance, Fiat owns 53.5 % of the company. Before their alliance, the two companies’ executives noted that their union would increase on their returns. Fiat was to bring in more capital and technologies in the ailing company. These technologies would help the company to develop competitive and efficient cars. On the other hand, Chrysler have been designing and producing cars that have gained international appeal for the last few decades. With the two companies merging, several benefits were g oing to be realized. Among these benefits are decrease in the cost of production, increase gains from the economies of scale, and boosts in their bargaining power (Giessner Viki 78). It should be noted that the negotiations that led to the merger between Daimler and Chrysler failed while the merger between Chrysler and Fiat succeeded. In my opinion, the union between Daimler and Chrysler made business sense. However, I believe that the differences between the two companies’ organizational culture and management should be blamed for the failure of the alliance to realize their goals. For instance, Daimler’s officials were accused of running Chrysler USA operations in the same manner they run their affairs in Europe. The company failed to realize that the operation methodologies in the USA were different from the operating methodologies in Europe (Brown Nicole 45). Worldwide, Chrysler is reputable for their innovative products, while Daimler is reputable for its focuse d decision-making. Due to the differences in their organizational culture, the alliance between the two companies was not destined to last (Hurn Brian 32). After more than 10 years, the alliance between Renault and Nissan is considered successful. In the aftermath of the alliance, Ghosn assumed the leadership of Nissan Corporation. Prior the end of 2000, Nissan profits had increased. Increased in the company’s profits were witnessed until the year 2008 when the world experienced global recession. Between the years 1998 and 2008, the company managed to settle its all debt, which had before threatened their existence in the world market. Since the formation of the alliance, Nissan’s personal management has changed (Brown Nicole 46). Currently, the company evaluates its workers based on their performance. Through this, the company has been able to dismiss more than 14, 000 ineffective workers in the last decade. Through this initiative, he managed to cut the cost of ope ration by $9.48 billion in three years. From the above initiatives, the company has been able to reduce the number of its personnel while increasing its returns. Equally, through the alliance the company managed to increase its sales by 78% by generating $92 million between the years 2004 and 2007. In general, through the alliance Nissan managed to meet its objectives.  On the other hand, Renault’s revenues were inconsistent unlike Nissan’s revenues. For instance, the company experienced an increase in revenue up to the year 2000. In the year 2000, its revenues dropped up to the year 2004. During the year 2004, its revenues increased. Equally, after the alliance the company’s production increased. The alliance between the two companies led to developments in Renault’s defective parts ratio. Similarly, Renault managed to improve their production through its Nissan productions. During the year 2005, Schweitzer retired from Renault Corporation. Upon his re tirement, Ghosn took over as the president of the two companies. After Ghosn took over the leadership of the two firms, he set out some ambitious goals for Renault. In the end 2009, it was realized that his goals had failed to materialize by a huge margin. By the year 2010, the company had made a loss of $ 4.5 million. Based on the above analysis it is clear that Nissan benefitted greatly from the alliance. Generally, after the alliance Nissan with the help of Renault’s cash was able to settle its debts and increase its production. Though Renault recorded some improvements in its operation after associating with Nissan, it should be noted that its gains from the alliance are far less than what Nissan gained from the alliance (Deresky 43). For instance, currently Nissan controls approximately 8% of the global automobile market, while Renault controls approximately 4% of the global automobile market. Works Cited Brown, Orice and Nicole, Clowers. Troubled Asset Relief Program th e U.S. government role as shareholder in AIG, Citigroup, Chrysler, and General Motors and preliminary views on its investment management activities : testimony before the Subcommittee on Domestic Policy, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Govt. Accountability Office, 2009. Print. Deresky, Helen. International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures : Text and Cases.. 7. ed. Boston, Mass.: Pearson, 2011. Print. Donnelly, Tom, and David Morris. â€Å"Renault-Nissan: a marriage of necessity?.† European Business Review 17.5 (2005): 428-440. Print. Fowler, Alan. Negotiation: skills and strategies. London: Institute of Personnel Management, 2010. Print. Giessner, Steffen, and Tendayi Viki. â€Å"The Challenge of Merging: Merger Patterns, Premerger Status, and Merger Support.† Pers Soc Psychol Bull 32.3 (2006): 339 352. Print. Harford, Jarrad. â€Å"What drives merger waves?.† Journal of Financial Eco nomics 77.3 (2005): 529-560. Print. Hurn, Peter, and Brian J. â€Å"The influence of culture on international business negotiations.† Industrial and Commercial Training 39.7 (2007): 354-360. Print. Lax, David, and James Sebenius. â€Å"Deal Making 2.0: A Guide to Complex Negotiations.† Harvard Business Review 1.2 (2012): 1-6. Print. Magee, David. Turnaround: how Carlos Ghosn rescued Nissan. New York: HarperBusiness, 2003. Print. Sparks, Donald B.. The dynamics of effective negotiation. 2nd ed. Houston: Gulf Pub. Co. , 2011. Print. This case study on The Renault Nissan Alliance Negotiations was written and submitted by user Jeramiah Q. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sprezzatura - Definition and Examples

Sprezzatura s The rehearsed spontaneity, studied carelessness, and well-practiced naturalness that underlies persuasive discourse. (The opposite of sprezzatura is affectazioneaffectation.) The Italian word sprezzatura was coined by Baldassare Castiglione in The Book of the Courtier (1528): [T]o avoid affectation in every way possible . . . and (to pronounce a new word perhaps) to practice in all things a certain Sprezzatura [nonchalance], so as to conceal all art and make whatever is done or said appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it. Examples and Observations: Float like a butterfly; sting like a bee.(Muhammed Ali)And all you got to do is act naturally.(Morrison and Russell, Act Naturally)It takes a great deal of experience to become natural.(Willa Cather, interview in the Bookman, 1921)A good style should show no sign of effort. What is written should seem a happy accident.(W. Somerset Maugham, The Summing Up, 1938)Writers are not mere copyists of language; they are polishers, embellishers, perfecters. They spend hours getting the timing rightso that what they write sounds completely unrehearsed.(Louis Menand, Bad Comma. The New Yorker. June 28, 2004)In the presidential debates, everything that the candidates say will have been carefully rehearsed including the ad lib remarks. . . . What a candidate has to do is to memorize the answers to a bunch of questions and know how to look sincere. As a TV producer said, If you can fake sincerity, youve got it made.(Molly Ivins, 1991) Thomas Hardy on Calculated Carelessness The whole secret of a living style and the difference between it and a dead style lies in not having too much stylebeing, in fact, a little careless, or rather seeming to be, here and there. It brings wonderful life into the writing...Otherwise your style is like worn halfpenceall the fresh images rounded off by rubbing, and no crispness or movement at all.It is, of course, simply a carrying into prose the knowledge I have acquired in poetrythat inexact rhymes and rhythms now and then are far more pleasing than correct ones.(Thomas Hardy, notebook entry in 1875, quoted by Norman Page in Art and Aesthetics. The Cambridge Companion to Thomas Hardy, ed. by Dale Kramer. Cambridge University Press, 1999) Cicero on Artful Artlessness When Cicero recommends to the orator a kind of studied nonchalance, he does not mean it as a general rule, to be applied to all types of rhetorical performance; the term appears in the context of a discussion of a specific variety of rhetoric, namely the plain style  ... Castiglione appropriates from Cicero the notion of artful artlessness, as well as its seductive effect: that the audience, finding what it beholds ... is incited to suspect, and desire, the presence of something more than what is actually seen.(David M. Posner, The Performance of Nobility in Early Modern European Literature. Cambridge University Press, 1999) The Inherent Ambiguity of Sprezzatura As dissimulation or artfulness, sprezzatura, like irony, is inherently ambiguous and equivocal. This ambiguity necessarily introduces the question of the audience, for to be successful the courtier must conceal his artfulness, but for it to be appreciated as sprezzatura, his concealment must be perceived.(Victoria Kahn, Humanism and the Resistance to Theory. Rhetoric and Hermeneutics in Our Time: A Reader, ed. by Walter Jost and Michael J. Hyde. Yale University Press, 1997) Rehearsed Spontaneity Being prepared is the key to rehearsed spontaneity in public speaking. Before making a remark, pause and look up like you are searching for something to say. The audience will think you are creating the humor on the spot.   (Scott Friedmann, Public Speaking: Laws of Humor) The Appearance of Effortless Mastery Whether they have designed clothes, written poetry, composed operas, built public squares, painted for popes, hewn marble, or sailed the fathomless seas, many Italians of genius have placed a premium on achieving an appearance of effortless mastery, or sprezzatura, that is attained only by costly, concentrated effort and unremitting labor. In the end, says Giorgio Armani, the most difficult thing to do is the simplest thing.   (Peter DEpiro and Mary Desmond Pinkowish, Sprezzatura: 50 Ways Italian Genius Shaped the World. Random House, 2001) The Gimmick of Straight Talk At the same time that his campaign was beholden to television, [Richard] Nixon was to denounce the medium and other media manipulations. Said the Nixon media strategy guide: [T]he sophisticated candidate, while analyzing his own on-the-air technique as carefully as an old pro studies his swing, will state frequently that there is no place for public relations gimmicks or those show business guys in this campaign.​  (Neal Gabler, Life the Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality. Alfred A. Knopf, 1998) Pronunciation: SPRETT-sa-toor-ah or spretts-ah-TOO-rah