DO MORE FLAG-WAVERS MEAN MORE VOTERS? -- Even with the patriotic fervor currently sweeping the nation, Americans probably won't exercise their civic duty by going to the polls in record numbers this election day, says Temple political science professor Michael Hooper, who researches electoral behavior and public opinion. "This won't pull in people who are weakly motivated to vote. People are still very oriented toward the problems of our nation. I think they're thinking more in terms of donations--giving blood and money--rather than voting," says Hooper. And don't expect GOP candidates to reap the rewards of President George W. Bush's high approval rating, he adds. "Partisanship is down on the list for voters. Right now the president is not being evaluated as a Republican. He's being evaluated as the leader of the nation." Reach Dr. Hooper at home, 610-328-9844, or through the Office of News & Media Relations, 215-204-7476.
SOCIAL SUPPORTS KEY IN DEALING WITH FEAR -- FBI warnings that more terrorist attacks could be imminent have the biggest effect on people without strong social support systems, says Temple criminal justice professor Ralph Taylor, who studies fear of crime. "The more enmeshed you are with social support networks, the better you'll probably fare," says Taylor, noting that people who don't discuss the current happenings, whether at work or in social groups, will have the most trouble dealing with stress and anxiety. And susceptibility is also an issue. "People who do perceive higher risk do become more fearful." So why does the government make the announcements, knowing the anxiety they could cause? "What the government is trying to do is show that we are prepared, that we are in touch with what's happening. This affects different people really differently. It's like when a hurricane is coming. Some people board up their homes. And some people dance in the waves." Reach Dr. Taylor at his office, 215-204-7169, or through the Office of News & Media Relations.
KNOWLEDGE IS EMPOWERING -- Temple's Center For Public Health has set up a web page to provide links to national and international resources dealing with bioterrorism, and with biological and chemical weapons. The page can be found by entering the Center for Public Health's web site: www.temple.edu/publichealth and going to "Links," or by going directly to http://www.temple.edu/publichealth/cbwlinks.html "The recent incidents of deliberate exposure to the anthrax-causing bacterium made us realize the importance of rapid dissemination of accurate information in this area," says the Center's associate director for environmental health, Robert Patterson. The site provides access to information ranging from how to handle suspicious mail to how to diagnose and treat cases of anthrax with links to the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Military. It also includes information on other biological and chemical agents. Contact Patterson and the Center for Public Health through the Office of News and Media Relations.
Cheryl AfonsoTemple UniversityOffice of News andMedia Relations215.204.7476[email protected]
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