Social Sciences
Public nuisance? Cell phone use might actually spark conversations with strangers
Talking or texting on a cell phone in public might seem off-putting to people nearby, but a new study suggests that using mobile devices may actually help spark conversations with strangers. The U-M study examined how mobile communication influences the extent to which people engage with others in public. The new findings indicate that overall frequency of cell phone use in public does not cause them to shun nearby strangers. In fact, the result may be the opposite. "Those who use the cell phone in public to get news have more relevant fodder for conversing with strangers and probably increased motivation to do so," said Scott Campbell, the study's co-author. Read More
Real social costs of caring for cognitively impaired elders
The real social costs of cognitive impairments among the elderly are being greatly underestimated without counting care given to older Americans who have not yet reached the diagnostic threshold for dementia. That is the central finding of a U-M- study published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study is based on data from the Aging, Demographics and Memory study, which examined a nationally representative sample of men and women age 70 and older as a supplement to the U-M Health and Retirement Study, funded primarily by the National Institute on Aging. "We were surprised to learn how much time family members spend caring for loved ones who have some cognitive impairment, but whose impairments are not severe enough to be classified as dementia," said Gwenith Fisher, a psychologist at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR). "These caregivers are dealing with many of the burdens of caring for an older, cognitively impaired family member, but they may not be eligible for much of the help available unless the diagnosis is dementia." Read More
U.S. public’s knowledge of science: getting better but a long way to go
Amid concerns about the lagging math and science performance of American children, American adults are actually scoring higher than they did 20 years ago on a widely used index of civic scientific literacy, according to Jon Miller, a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR). In 1988, just 10 percent of U.S. adults had sufficient understanding of basic scientific ideas to be able to read the Tuesday Science section of The New York Times, he says. By 2008, 28 percent of adults scored high enough to understand scientific ideas at that level. Read more
First Projects funded under Social Sciences Annual Institute
U-M social science faculty teams will organize two sets of novel, interdisciplinary research activities this year with funding from the Social Sciences Annual Institute (SSAI), an initiative recently established by the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) and the Rackham School of Graduate Studies. The purpose of the SSAI is to provide initial support for unique and innovative projects that are as yet outside traditional funding streams. By targeting projects that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries, the SSAI is recognizing that these cutting-edge ideas may require preliminary support during the initial stages of development. Read more
Biomedical, Environment, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences
College of Engineering, College of Literature Science & the Arts, Ford School of Public Policy, Law School, Office of the Vice President for Research, School of Natural Resources and Environment
U-M taking part in largest comprehensive study of children’s health
The National Children's Study launched in Michigan on Jan. 16, 2011, enrolling Wayne County women between the ages of 18 and 49 who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant in the future. Nationwide, 100,000 families are expected to participate in the study, which is the largest and most comprehensive study of children's health ever conducted. [Read more...]
Public Health, Public Policy, Social Sciences
College of Literature Science & the Arts, Institute for Social Research
Violent political rhetoric fuels violent attitudes
Political leaders regularly promise to "fight" for noble causes and "combat" pressing problems. They declare "war" on social problems, such as poverty, disease, drugs and terrorism. This violent political rhetoric—whether politicians intend to or not—can enflame violent attitudes in many Americans, especially those predisposed to behave aggressively in daily life, according to new University of Michigan research involving three studies. "The results presented here clearly refute the claim that violent political rhetoric is without negative consequences," said Nathan Kalmoe, a U-M political science doctoral candidate and study's author. "The evidence might be sufficient to make political leaders think twice before infusing violent language into speeches and ads, particularly in situations when their audiences are already boiling over with hostility." [Read more...]
Federal stimulus awards to U-M researchers top $300 million
U-M scientists and engineers have been awarded more than 500 federal stimulus-package research grants to date, totaling $301.1 million. The total, through Nov. 30, 2010, places U-M at or near the top of the list among U.S. colleges and universities receiving funding from the $787 billion federal stimulus package, known formally as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. "This is a tremendous validation of the important role that University of Michigan faculty members play in revitalizing the state and national economies," said Stephen Forrest, vice president for research. [Read more...]
Biomedical, Energy, Engineering, Environment, Natural Sciences, Physical Sciences, Public Health, Public Policy, Research Issues, Social Sciences, Tech Transfer
College of Engineering, College of Literature Science & the Arts, College of Pharmacy, Ford School of Public Policy, Institute for Social Research, Medical School, Office of the Vice President for Research, School of Education, School of Information, School of Natural Resources and Environment, School of Public Health
Study: Workplace diversity must include buy-in from whites
Organizational efforts to create and maintain an inclusive multicultural environment often face resistance by whites, says a University of Michigan researcher. "Without the support of whites, organizations and educational settings will fail in their attempts to navigate and manage the complexities of diverse work forces and constituencies," says Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, an associate professor of management and organizations at Michigan's Ross School of Business. "In the face of the dramatic projected growth in demographic diversity, such failure could have severe economic, social and political consequences. Our research reveals that this resistance can have little to do with prejudice. Instead, it can stem from a basic human need to belong." [Read more...]
Resolving mom’s grief after preterm birth key to infant’s longterm health
Having a baby prematurely can be traumatic experience for parents and is typically characterized by feelings of loss and grief that can persist for months after a baby is discharged from the hospital. New research by the University of Michigan Health System and the University of Wisconsin shows that the degree to which a mother can resolve these feelings is thought to affect attachment between the mother and infant. That attachment has long-term implications for the infant’s social and emotional development. “Mothers with resolved grief following a preterm birth are three times as likely to have securely attachedinfants, compared with mothers with unresolved grief,” says Prachi E. Shah, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases at the U-M C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital. [Read more...]
Stress, substance abuse associated with some fathers spanking their children
Biological fathers are more likely to spank their children when they are unable to cope with stress from parenting or they use abuse alcohol and drugs, a new study indicates. The study also finds that fathers used corporal punishment—which involves physical force to a child to correct a behavior—more often on boys than girls. The research, which appears in the current issue of Journal of Interpersonal Violence, is among the first studies to shed light on paternal stress, drug/alcohol use and corporal punishment, while accounting for the father's mental health and involvement with the child. [Read more...]