Research Topics

Topic 1- Science of Exercise
• I want to research this topic because I have a strong interest in sports and my major involves sports, exercising properly, and rehabbing from an injury to return in top condition. Also, being an athlete all my life, I want to discover more behind exercise. I also want to include the psychological effects of exercise including the hormones released and body disorders. I want to include why people exercise and what pressures society puts on people that can actually endanger one’s health and self image. I want to speak about nutrition as well and maybe some misconceptions people have about exercising.
• I know about many body disorders that involve exercise and the dangers of exercising too much. I also know about many misconceptions people have.
• Through research, I need to discover more about the pressures society puts on people to exercise and discover what ages suffer the most because of this. I also need to discover how body image is affected by these pressures in a scientific way. I also wish to find out more information of the science behind exercise.
• People disagree with this issue because people think that exercise and dieting are extremely healthy, but many people follow this to an extreme which puts their life in danger. Many also just diet and exercise for certain seasons, and then they stop and eat terribly. I want to know if this method is actually healthy for people to do. It is because they believe they have to take things to an extreme, completely cutting off anything unhealthy that they go crazy when they stop.
• I want to reach people of all ages looking to find facts about the truth behind science and exercise. I want to prevent the misconceptions from spreading and help people gain awareness of the proper way to exercise and learn about many body disorders people suffer from today because of societal pressures. Readers should care about what I have to say because I am passionate about educating the public on this specific topic and I will be using scholarly research to back up my arguments.

Topic 2- Stress within the education system
• I want to research this topic because I am interested in how stress affects individuals at different age levels and discover how they respond to the stresses that education puts on them. I am interested in also speaking about the drugs that many students have started turning to in order to help focus and stay ahead in the modern dog eat dog society. Drugs like Adderall, Xanax, marijuana, and alcohol have all been linked to ways that students attempt to handle the stresses of the educational system.
• I know about the drugs that many students are turning to in order to stay on top. Many of my friends have turned to drugs in order to help manage stress and do their work in the short amount of time given for assignments. I also know about the stresses of the education system being that I am a student.
• I hope to discover more about what stress actually is and what exactly it does to the human body. I also want to find out more about what these drugs to that alter the state of mind and what chemicals can be found in them. I want to discover
how harmful they actually are.
• People disagree with this issue because in today’s society students need to be the best and people know drugs are illegal so the issue in itself is controversial. However, when a large number of students are turning to drugs to get through high school, I feel the issue should be further investigated.
• I want to reach people in school so that they have the facts about stress and what is going on in their body that makes them feel stressed. I also want to bring awareness to the drugs many students rely on to get work done to stay ahead. Also, maybe research ways in which stress can be reduced. Readers should care about what I say because I am a student who is experiencing the stress of the education system.

Monster and Marvels

One of the stereotypes in the exhibit was ‘The Temptress.’ This character was a woman with long black hair, a small waist, a revealing hole in her dress, slits up the side of her dress, and a more feminine face structure. She is also wearing red, which is traditionally known as a more seductive color. She is described as using her body to manipulate people and get her way. I don’t think that this particular stereotype exists today, but it is still found in modern times within videogames and some comic series. I believe that this stereotype does not just pertain to Asian culture and it is spread to many women, or it is expressed in media as being found in women of all races and ethnic backgrounds. The visual representation of the character displays exactly what a temptress is and shows the viewer that the temptress uses her body and femininity as a manipulation tool. Also, she looks powerful and independent, as supposed to the lotus blossom, who looks more subservient. She is an independent woman, who will get what she wants.

Another stereotype in the exhibit was ‘The Guru.’ The guru was presented as an older man with a cloak and long white beard. This stereotype is really often seen within Asian culture as the wise man who trains his younger students to find peace or turn them into a better warrior by providing them with certain skills. This stereotype still exists and is very often portrayed in society. References about Confucius are often made and many Asian video games and modern media utilize this figure. Many television shows and movies say that the student will not be ready until they can grasp a pebble from their master’s hand. This pertains to the guru idea. “The Karate Kid,” a film made in 1984 also utilized the idea of the guru. In this film, a young man was taught the art of karate by an older Asian janitor that worked at the apartment complexes, but he was taught the basic moves in the form of chores. The visual representation communicates what the guru looks like, although many already know because of popular media and comics.. This stereotype is very popular and many already envision him as an old man with the long white beard and cloak.

 

There are many stereotypes that exist within our culture today. Many are negative and many are what people perceive to be true because they do not know any better. There are stereotypes for every race, ethnicity, culture, gender, and generation. Some more offensive ones include Jewish people are rich, Asian people are good at math, Irish people are drunks, Italian people are associated with the mafia, men are strong and do all the work, and women are not good at sports. Although these stereotypes are not true, they exist and these one-dimensional characterizations are dangerous. They limit people from getting to know a person because they judge another based on a stereotype. There is a lot of ignorance in the world and many times stereotypes are unintentionally deciding factors for whether or not a person will fit in and be accepted. I have been perceived through stereotypes on numerous occasions. As an athlete, I have been judged to be not as good as the boys, even if I was because of my gender. I had to work that much harder in sports to really gain respect from the opposite gender and prove that I did have skill and talent. Also, having a Jewish last name I was always perceived as being Jewish. These stereotypes stood me a apart from my classmates who were predominantly Christian. Although I am not Jewish, my last name spoke for me and I have heard every Jewish stereotype in the book because that’s how I am perceived until I correct people.