Spontaneous Recovery in Psychology

Spontaneous Recovery in Psychology Basics Print Spontaneous Recovery in Psychology 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 October 10, 2019 Dougal Waters / Getty Images More in Psychology Basics Psychotherapy Student Resources History and Biographies Theories Phobias Emotions Sleep and Dreaming Spontaneous recovery is a phenomenon that involves suddenly displaying a behavior that was thought to be extinct. This can apply to responses that have been formed through both classical and operant conditioning.?? Spontaneous recovery can be defined as the reappearance of the conditioned response after a rest period or period of lessened response. If the conditioned stimulus and unconditioned stimulus are no longer associated, extinction will occur very rapidly after a spontaneous recovery. Spontaneous Recovery Examples Even if you are not familiar with much of psychologys history, you have probably at least heard of Ivan Pavlovs famous experiments with dogs. In Pavlovs classic experiment, dogs were conditioned to salivate to the sound of a tone. The sound of a tone was repeatedly paired with the presentation of food. Eventually, the sound of the tone alone led the dogs to salivate. Pavlov also noted that no longer pairing the tone with the presentation of food led to the extinction, or disappearance, of the salivation response.?? So what would happen if there was a rest period where the stimulus was no longer present. Pavlov found that after a two-hour rest period, the salivation response suddenly reappeared when the tone was presented. Essentially, the animals spontaneously recovered the response which was previously extinct. For another example, imagine that you have used classical conditioning to train your dog to expect food whenever he hears the ding of a bell. When you ring the bell, your dog runs to the kitchen and sits by his food bowl. After the response has been conditioned, you stop presenting food after ringing the bell. Over time, the response becomes extinguished, and your dog stops responding to the sound. You stop ringing the bell altogether, but a few days later you decide to try ringing the bell again. Your dog rushes into the room and waits by his bowl, exhibiting a perfect example of spontaneous recovery of the conditioned response. How Spontaneous Recovery Works In order to understand exactly what spontaneous recovery is and how it works, it is essential to begin by understanding the classical conditioning process itself. How does classical conditioning take place? Classical conditioning involves forming an association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus that naturally and automatically produces a response. Flinching in response to a loud sound of salivating in response to the smell of dinner cooking in the oven are both examples of unconditioned stimuli. Your response to these things takes place automatically without any learning, which is why it is referred to as the unconditioned response.After repeatedly pairing something with the unconditioned stimulus, the previously neutral stimulus will begin to trigger the same reaction, at which point it becomes known as a conditioned stimulus. The learned reaction to the conditioned stimulus is now referred to as the conditioned response. For example, in the famous Little Albert experiment, researchers  John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner repeatedly paired a loud sound (the unconditioned stimulus) with the presentation of a white rat (the neutral stimulus). The child in their experiment was previously unafraid of the animal but naturally frightened by the loud noise (the unconditioned response). After multiple pairing of the noise and the sight of the rat, the child eventually began to display the fear response (now known as the conditioned response) whenever he saw the white rat (the conditioned stimulus).?? So what might have happened if Watson and Rayner had stopped pairing the rat and the noise? At first, the child would naturally still be quite frightened. After multiple instances of seeing the animal without any noise present, the child’s fear would likely start to dissipate slowly and eventually he might have even stopped displaying the fear response. Why Spontaneous Recovery Is Important But if a conditioned response becomes extinguished, does it really disappear altogether? If Watson and Rayner had next given the boy a brief rest period before reintroducing the rat, Little Albert might have exhibited a spontaneous recovery of the fear response. Why is spontaneous recovery so significant? This phenomenon demonstrates that extinction is not the same thing as unlearning. While the response might disappear, that does not mean that it has been forgotten or eliminated. After a conditioned response has been extinguished, spontaneous recovery may gradually increase as time passes. However, the returned response will generally not be the same strength as the original response unless additional conditioned takes place. Numerous cycles of extinction followed by recovery usually result in progressively weaker responses. Spontaneous recovery may continue to take place, but the response will be less intense.

Celebrity Role Models Children Emulate - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 909 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/09/25 Category Advertising Essay Type Narrative essay Tags: Children Essay School Essay Did you like this example? Celebrity Role Models Children Emulate Gary Gardner July 11, 2010 Com 150 Phyllis Rosenburg Celebrities are all around us influencing our children; they are on the radio, televisions, computers, ipods and even on cellular phones. Our children hear and see what they do in our homes, cars, stores, and even in their classrooms. Though some celebrities can be a negative influence on children, some can have a positive impact because children will mimic what they see. There are several celebrities that have these positive impacts on children and help kids to aspire to achieve their goals and to follow their dreams. Some of the negative impacts from celebrities can be drug abuse and drinking alcohol like singer Amy Winehouse and singer/actress Lindsey Lohan. Both of these young women have been an influence on the young people who idolize and want to be like them, resulting in young teenage girls thinking it is cool and acceptable behavior to drink, do drugs, and have sex before m arriage. Even the person that we are to trust the most, the President of the United States Bill Clinton, committed adultery; sending the message to our youth that it is acceptable to be dishonest and to betray another’s trust. Even though celebrities can have these negative impacts on our children, the good can sometimes outweigh the bad. For example, celebrities that has long lasting marriages, such as Denzell Washington’s 26 year marriage to his wife, or Kirk Douglas’ marriage to his wife for 51 years. This sends the message to our young children that stable homes and long lasting relationships are achievable and desirable. According to (Common Sense Media) when our children finally reach middle school, they become more interested in what their peers deem socially acceptable. Studies show time and time again that a connection exists between role models, advertising and the impact that these have on the way our children behave. However, parents still hold the primary influence in their children’s lives. Consider smoking, for instance. Research shows that when children see one of their idols or movie heroes smoking, and glamorized by the media, the odds that that child will start smoking more than doubles. According to (Common Sense Media) we are already aware of how advertising impacts young adults, this being the case; we should not underestimate the influence that young celebrities have on the lives of youth today. With celebrity blogs and gossip sites, scandalous pictures are mainstreamed online, talked about, kept current, and archived, making them accessible to children of any age. And furthermore the media’s unrelenting coverage centered on celebrity scandals gives the appearance that this type of behavior is normal. Our teenagers will mimic the actions of their peers and those that they look up to. One in every five teen girls have said that they’ve sent provocative and revealing pictures of themsel ves over their cellular phones. † Since celebrities are in the spotlight most of the time, you would think they would watch how they behave in public. Some do and some don’t, but even the good role models can have a bad incident that the media picks up on. When it comes down to it we should monitor what our children are watching and listening to, in the event that they do try to mimic what they have seen someone famous do, we can correct them and teach them right from wrong. A great example of a good role model is Arnold Schwarzenegger. He started out as a body builder, became a successful actor and is now the Governor of California. He has a long lasting marriage to Maria Shriver. Through his life, he sends the message to our youth that through determination and hard work you can do anything you set your mind to. According to (Sherman, T. ) â€Å"Every celebrity, because of widespread fame and media exposure, has the choice to behave as a positive or negative examp le for the rest of society. Even in the lucrative field of professional sports, where opportunities to misbehave are everywhere, there have been good examples for kids to emulate, and are still greatly admired today. For instance, theres Joe DiMaggio, Annika Sorenstam, Tiger Woods, Sugar Ray Leonard, Lou Gehrig, Joe Louis, Wilma Rudolph, the Williams sisters, Jerry Rice, and Chris Evert. â€Å" We have to consider that there are those celebrities who try to be better role models for their younger audiences. Parents should realize that who their children grow up to become in life is based on how they are raised at home and how much time we spend with them. That being said, if our youngsters get into trouble and head down a path of destruction, it is not conceivable to fault a celebrity that is not involved in the child’s life. Parents are responsible for their children, not the celebrities and how they decide to live their lives. References Common Sense Media. (n. d. ). Understanding Celebrity Influence. devine caroline. Retrieved from https://www. divinecaroline. com/22113/72758-underestimating-celebrity-influence Florence, R. (December 11, 2006). How celebrities impact our kids, article 7180. Retrieved from https://www. digitaljournal. om/article/7180/ A-List Celebrity Citizens. [Parade]. (2009). Retrieved from https://www. parade. com/celebrity/slideshows/editors-pick/celebrity- citizens. html? index=10 Lasting Celebrity Marriages. [Parade]. (2009). Retrieved from https://www. parade. com/celebrity/slideshows/lasting-celebrity-marriages/lasting-celebrity-marriages. html Sherman, T. , Meadows, H. L. (n. d. ). Do celebrities have a positive or negative effect on society?. Retrieved from https://www. helium. com/debates/151608-do-celebrities-have-a-positve-or-negative-effect-on-society/side_by_side? page=1 Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Celebrity Role Models Children Emulate" essay for you Create order

Distinctive Features of the Grammar of Irish English

If you celebrate St. Patricks Day with plastic pitchers of green beer and rousing choruses of Danny Boy (composed by an English lawyer) and The Unicorn (by Shel Silverstein), you may be roaring just about anywhere in the world on March 17--except in Ireland. And if your friends insist on hollering top o the mornin and begosh and begorrah, you can be pretty sure theyre not Irish. The English language as spoken in Ireland (a variety known as Hiberno-English or Irish English) has many distinctive features--none of which should be confused with your friends Celtic clichà ©s or the Hollywood brogues of Tom Cruise (in Far and Away) and Brad Pitt (in The Devils Own). As examined by Markku Filppula in The Grammar of Irish English: Language in Hibernian Style (Routledge, 1999), Irish-English grammar represents a unique combination of elements drawn from the two principal partners in the contact situation, Irish and English. This grammar is characterized as conservative because it has held on to certain traits of the Elizabethan English that helped shape it four centuries ago. Here are just a few of the characteristics of Irish-English grammar: Like Scottish English, Irish English has unmarked plurality in nouns indicating time and measure--two mile, for instance, and five year.Irish English makes an explicit distinction between singular you/ye and plural youse (also found in other varieties): So I said to our Jill and Mary: Youse wash the dishes.Another characteristic of Irish English is nominalization, giving a word or phrase a noun-like status that it doesnt generally have, as in If I had the doing of it again, Id do it different.A direct borrowing from the traditional Irish language (also known as Irish Gaelic or Gaeilge) is the use of after in noun phrases such as Im only after my dinner.Like Scottish English, Irish English often uses progressive forms of stative verbs (I was knowing your face).Another salient feature is the use of sentence tags initiated by so, as in Its raining, so it is. (adapted from World Englishes: An Introduction, by Gunnel Melchers and Philip Shaw. Oxford University Press, 2003)   Thats just a small sample of the many distinctive features of Irish-English grammar. Discussion of its rich vocabulary (or lexicon) and patterns of pronunciation (phonology) will have to wait until next years St. Patricks Day. Until then, if youre interested in learning about Gaeilge (the historical language of the Irish people, now spoken by only a small minority of the population), visit Michelle Gallens website, Talk Irish. This award-winning site provides a social network for teachers, speakers and learners of traditional Irish. Slà ¡n go fà ³ill. Goodbye for now. More Varieties of English: Australian EnglishCanadian EnglishChicano EnglishChinese EnglishDublin EnglishEuro-EnglishHinglishIndian EnglishPhilippine EnglishScottish EnglishSingapore EnglishSouth African English

Glasgow 5th March Free Essays

This is a critical essay for Glasgow, 5th March, 1971†², by Edwin Morgan, which is a modern instimatic poem about a shocking crime committed upon a ‘young man and his girl’ by ‘two youths’ and witnessed by two annonymous expressionless drivers who pass by without even aknowledging the crime. Morgan manages to make us feel as if we are watching this incident happen and effectively conveys the incident in the form it takes, unemotional, detached and ‘formal’. This feeling is fistly shown in the title, which is simply a place and date, the title implies it isn’t a poem but some kind of record or headline. We will write a custom essay sample on Glasgow 5th March or any similar topic only for you Order Now In this critical essay I am going to show how the poet Edwin Morgan uses violent and anonymous themes to create a lasting impression with the help of techniques like setting, imagery and word choice. In the first stanza Morgan makes excellent use of imagery and word choice, catching our attention with the words ‘With a ragged diamond, of shattered plate glass’ This phrase immediately makes the reader think of something sharp, sparkling and dangerously beautiful. When the words diamond and shop window are put together like this we imagine them as small sparkling diamonds. This impression is carried on later in the poem when the writer describes the setting as ‘a sharp clear night’ Even though the writer has said nothing of what sort of shop it is we subconsciously imagine a jeweller’s shop. This is technique effectively puts the reader at the scene of the crime. In the second verse the poet uses another technique, a metaphor that emphasises the brutality of the attack â€Å"bristling with fragments of glass† This metaphor the could be comparing bristles of hair to the bristles of glass lying on the mans face. It is an effective comparison because it helps the reader imagine all the tiny particles of glass. It shows that poet wants us to recreate the incident as we read, with as much detail as possible. Edwin Morgan also uses clinical language to describe the injurys to the couple. A key example of that is the phrase, ‘spurts arterial blood’ His word choice makes the the scene more violent but also continues to detach the reader from the young victims This successfully describes the scene without showing any emotion from the writer or the victims while still going along with the violent theme. Edwin Morgan uses onomatopoeia when he says the phrases ‘shattered plate glass’, ‘bristling with fragments of glass’ ‘spurts’. The continuation of the ‘sh’ and ‘s’ sounds throughout the poem help paint a clearer picture of the crime in the readers head. This technique is successfull as phrases add sound effects to the silent image in the readers head. The writer does not add any emotions, but he does add facial expressions of the characters. About the young man and his girl he says that, â€Å"Their faces show surprise, shock, And the beginnings of pain† This quote is effectivly emphasises the speed of events this is evident from the writer describing the how the characters are only just beginning to feel the pain when we are reading the third stanza. The couple are also kept anonymous creating one of the main themes of the poem. This use of word choice again doesn’t show any emotion while still successfuly describing to the reader what is happening to the victims. Morgan also tells us about the two youths faces with the phrase ‘Their faces show no expression. ‘ This is the main quote that tells us that the two youths have no remorse for what they have done it also leaves the two youths anonymous like the young couple they have just pushed This helps to carry on the anonymous theme through the poem. How to cite Glasgow 5th March, Essay examples

Peer Buddy Programs for Students with Disabilities

Introduction The author decided to focus on the peer buddy program as it relates to children with disabilities in schools. In the essay, the author will provide recommendations with regard to how the peer buddy program can be successfully implemented in schools in the future. The purpose is to see to it that children with disabilities enjoy inclusivity in the learning processes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Peer Buddy Programs for Students with Disabilities – Essay specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, the recommendations are meant to ensure that children with disabilities are not discriminated against in the school system. In addition, the author will introduce social scripting as a support system for the peer buddy program. The aim is to enhance the success of the peer buddy program in the schools. To compile the current essay, the author relied on secondary sources of information. The information from these secondary sources is used to support the arguments made by the author. The author finds the topic quite relevant, especially in the future of inclusive education in both public and private schools. For this reason, the author will recommend ways through which the program can be improved. In addition, the author will analyze how social scripting will help in the implementation of the peer buddy program in the future. Recommendations Overview According to Charman (1997, p. 3), the peer buddy program is an approach adopted to educate students with disabilities. The approach allows such children to spend time with those students who are not disabled. The peer buddy program addresses the various impediments to inclusion. In most cases, such impediments are present in secondary schools (Delano Snell, 2006, p. 29). For instance, the program is important when it comes to class scheduling. In such cases, peers are introduced to help students with disabilities maneuver from one c lass to the other with ease. Accordingly, the author has proposed several recommendations towards an effective implementation of a peer buddy program in schools. The recommendations are important for the future of inclusive education. The recommendations made by the author rely on the arguments made by Bellini, Peters, Benner Hopf (2007). According to Bellini et al. (2007), inclusivity is important as it enhances the quality of future education for both disabled and non-disabled students. Social Script Training should be Part of the Peer Buddy Program To effectively implement a peer buddy program in any school, teachers should pay special attention to students with autism. To this end, teachers can make use of social script training. Social script training is one of the possible strategies of effectively implementing a peer buddy program in schools. Social script training is important as it ensures that students with autism, as well as students with other forms of disabilities, are effectively catered for.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Goldstein Cisar (1992, p. 270), script training involves a situation where a specific play sequence is constructed with the help of play theme-related materials for students. Goldstein Cisar (1992) concluded that script training increased the number of activities that the students were involved in. The results are a clear indication that, coupled with the overall special education program, script writing is the future of a better peer buddy program. Engage in Motivational Activities that Help Improve Comprehension Goldstein Cisar (1992, p. 273) are of the opinion that adults should be made part of the peer buddy program. The two scholars opine that, owing to the maturity of parents, such issues as encouragement and support will be effectively addressed in implementing the program. According to the author of the current paper, participation of parents will motivate the disabled students, as well as potential volunteers, involved in the implementation of this program. Such activities as arts and craft, which have a mentoring aspect to them, will motivate participants in the peer buddy program. In addition, such activities will improve the students’ comprehension abilities. Continuous Awareness on the Need for Interactions Nietzel (2008) describes a situation where few non-disabled students are willing to participate in the program. In most cases, such a trend is caused by stigma associated with the interaction between students with disabilities and those without. For an effective peer buddy program, Stahmer Schreibman (1992) propose creating awareness with regard to the essence of inclusivity in the education system. Such awareness will address the problem of dwindling numbers of volunteers. There is need for a continuous awareness program in schools. Select a Set Number of Non-Disab led Volunteers per Class The author of this paper recommends that in future, school authorities should introduce a policy that helps in the selection of a pre-determined number of volunteers. The selection will involve both teachers and students. Such a measure will go a long way in addressing the problem of inadequate participants (read volunteers) for the peer buddy program. Moreover, the author finds such a measure quite beneficial to the reduction of stigma associated with participating in the peer buddy program.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Peer Buddy Programs for Students with Disabilities – Essay specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion In the current paper, the author made an attempt to highlight the various attributes of peer buddy program as far as its place in the education system is concerned. The author highlighted what the entire concept is all about. In addition, the author introduced script training as a tool that will help boost the effectiveness of the peer buddy program. The author made further recommendations regarding the overall implementation of a peer buddy program. The recommendations took into consideration the future of the education system and the place for disabled students. The author advises school authorities to abandon the traditional programs that promote segregation of students with disabilities. Inclusivity, as recommended by the author of this paper, will ensure that the peer buddy program is the future of quality education for students with disabilities. References Bellini, S., Peters, J. K., Benner, L., Hopf, A. (2007). A meta-analysis of school-based social skills interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Remedial and Special Education, 28, 153-162. Charman, T. (1997). The relationship between joint attention and pretend play in autism. Development and Psychopathology, 9, 1–16. Delano, M., Snell, M. E. (2006). T he effects of social stories on the social engagement of children with autism. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8, 29-42. Goldstein, H., Cisar, C. L. (1992). Promoting interaction during social play: Teaching scripts to typical pre-schoolers and classmates with disabilities. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 265-280.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nietzel, J. (2008). Steps for implementation: PMII for early childhood. Chapel Hill, NC: The National Professional Development Center on ASD, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina. Stahmer, A. C., Schreibman, L. (1992). Teaching children with autism appropriate play in unsupervised environments using a self-management treatment package. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 25, 447–459. This essay on Peer Buddy Programs for Students with Disabilities was written and submitted by user Aiden Conner 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.

Free Essays on Capital Punishment In The Religious Perspective

Capital Punishment in the Religious Perspective Some Christians believe that capital punishment does not apply to the New Testament and church age. First we must acknowledge that God gave the principle of capital punishment even before the institution of the Old Testament law code. In Genesis 9:6 we read that "Whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God, He made man." â€Å"Capital punishment was instituted by God because humans are created in the image of God. The principle is not rooted in the Old Testament theocracy, but rather in the creation order† (Anderson). It is a much broader biblical principle that carries into the New Testament. Even so, some Christians argue that in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus seems to be arguing against capital punishment. But is He? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is not arguing against the principle of a life for a life. He is speaking about the issue of our personal desire for vengeance. He is not denying the power and responsibility of the government. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is speaking to individual Christians. He is telling Christians that they should not try to replace the power of the government. Jesus does not deny the power and authority of government, but rather He calls individual Christians to love their enemies and turn the other cheek (Anderson). Some have said that Jesus set aside capital punishment in John 8 when He did not call for the woman caught in adultery to be stoned (Anderson). But remember the context. The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus between the Roman law and the Mosaic law. If He said that they should stone her, He would break the Roman law. If He refused to allow them to stone her, He would break the Mosaic law (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). Jesus' answer avoided the conflict: He said that he who was without sin should cast the first stone. Since He did teach that a stone be thrown (John 8:7), this is not an abolition of... Free Essays on Capital Punishment In The Religious Perspective Free Essays on Capital Punishment In The Religious Perspective Capital Punishment in the Religious Perspective Some Christians believe that capital punishment does not apply to the New Testament and church age. First we must acknowledge that God gave the principle of capital punishment even before the institution of the Old Testament law code. In Genesis 9:6 we read that "Whoever sheds man's blood by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God, He made man." â€Å"Capital punishment was instituted by God because humans are created in the image of God. The principle is not rooted in the Old Testament theocracy, but rather in the creation order† (Anderson). It is a much broader biblical principle that carries into the New Testament. Even so, some Christians argue that in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus seems to be arguing against capital punishment. But is He? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is not arguing against the principle of a life for a life. He is speaking about the issue of our personal desire for vengeance. He is not denying the power and responsibility of the government. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is speaking to individual Christians. He is telling Christians that they should not try to replace the power of the government. Jesus does not deny the power and authority of government, but rather He calls individual Christians to love their enemies and turn the other cheek (Anderson). Some have said that Jesus set aside capital punishment in John 8 when He did not call for the woman caught in adultery to be stoned (Anderson). But remember the context. The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus between the Roman law and the Mosaic law. If He said that they should stone her, He would break the Roman law. If He refused to allow them to stone her, He would break the Mosaic law (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). Jesus' answer avoided the conflict: He said that he who was without sin should cast the first stone. Since He did teach that a stone be thrown (John 8:7), this is not an abolition of...

The Shelf Lives of Expressions and Slang

The Shelf Lives of Expressions and Slang The Shelf Lives of Expressions and Slang The Shelf Lives of Expressions and Slang By Mark Nichol Several weeks ago, President Obama, in announcing during a television interview that he didn’t want to inflame Islamic extremists by releasing photos taken of Osama bin Laden’s body following the al-Qaeda leader’s assassination by a U.S. military unit, said, â€Å"There’s no need to spike the football.† Huh? In American football, players have been known to triumphantly punctuate a touchdown by spiking the ball, or throwing it point first against the surface of the playing field so that it emphatically bounces away. By summoning that imagery, Obama expressed his reluctance to have the United States be perceived as gloating about bin Laden’s death. So, do you think that analogy has legs? (The stem of that expression, in turn, is from theatrical slang for a stage production with the potential for long-running success.) The truth is, the entertainment industry, whether in the form of a professional sports or any one of various theatrical endeavors, has enriched our language with a wealth of idiomatic expressions: The sports world has given us â€Å"A-game† (an excellent effort), â€Å"Hail Mary pass† (a desperate gambit), and â€Å"slam-dunk† (a definitive accomplishment), among a stadium full of other vivid phrases. Meanwhile, the performing arts have contributed â€Å"It ain’t over till the fat lady sings† (meaning â€Å"Don’t give up† interestingly, often voiced late in seemingly one-sided athletic contests), â€Å"Break a leg† (meaning â€Å"Good luck†), and â€Å"It’s a wrap† (meaning â€Å"We’re done†). Other expressions derive from a wide variety of other fields and pursuits, and though some of these figures of speech may induce groans because of the excess of their success through viral propagation, many are quite effective in conveying a message at least for now. Any such phrasing, however, is subject to the cultural forces at play at any time. Ronald Reagan would not have said, â€Å"There’s no need to spike the football† in response to the fall of the Berlin Wall more than twenty years ago, because the gridiron tradition in question postdates that event. Two decades from now, it may die out, and the expression may fade into obsolescent oblivion. And that’s the moral of this story: If you’re writing for an ephemeral medium like newspapers, magazines, or the Internet, you need not concern yourself with the staying power of current slang or expressions derived from pop culture. But if you’re writing a book, or are otherwise more concerned about the legacy of your efforts, take care in the use of idiom so that your prose does not come under fire (as the military-based expression goes) for being tired or passe. You are allowed a pass (but not a Hail Mary pass) if, say, you’re writing a coming-of-age story in which you want to re-create the zeitgeist by resurrecting the lingo of the time, but be careful not to have your characters indulge in incessant ’70s-speak, for example. Ask any survivor of that era, and they’ll tell you that â€Å"Far out,† â€Å"Right on,† and â€Å"Keep on truckin’† were far from ubiquitous. Admittedly, some idiom has survived years, decades, centuries, and even millennia: The entrance to a house in Pompeii, inundated by volcanic ash in 79 AD, has an inscription on the floor that reads â€Å"Cave canem† â€Å"Beware of the dog.† But cave this: Whoever coins or borrows an expression isn’t entitled to determine its staying power or whether it survives only in ironic or derisive usage. Bummer, huh? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Rhetorical Devices for Rational Writing16 Misquoted QuotationsWhat Is the Meaning of "Hack?"