January 19, 1999

Here are descriptions of the radio stories available on the Ohio State University Info Line, January 22 through January 29, 1999. Stories are changed at noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If you need a re-feed of a missed story, please call Amy Murray at 614-292-8385.

Friday 1/22-Monday 1/25 - Stereotypes can affect our behavior in surprising and unintended ways. Ohio State University Psychology Professor Richard Petty has found that by asking students to think about a particular group, they took on behaviors that are characteristic of the stereotype of the group. When asked to think about the elderly, Petty says students unconsciously walked more slowly. White students asked to identify themselves as African American on a standardized test had lower scores than those not asked to identify their race. But when the stereotype was not activated, the scores were not depressed. Petty likens the unconscious behavior to driving on autopilot and says it shows how activating ideas in our heads can influence behavior.

Monday 1/25-Wednesday 1/27 - It seems simple enough: pay workers more and they’ll be satisfied with their salaries. But research at Ohio State suggests that satisfaction doesn’t always rise with pay. Rob Heneman, a professor of management and human resources at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business, looked at nurses in at Midwestern hospital and found that satisfaction with work didn’t rise at a constant rate along with pay. He says managers should make sure they understand whether, in rewarding performance, employees want higher salaries or other benefits.

Wednesday 1/27-Friday 1/29 - People are more likely to support assisted suicide if there is direct physician involvement in helping people end their lives. That’s one finding of a study by Ohio State University Sociology Professor William MacDonald. More than half the 514 Ohioans asked said they would support assisted suicide if doctors took an active role, such as administering a lethal injection. MacDonald says the results indicate there may be disagreement between the general public and leaders of the assisted suicide movement.

All feeds include one wraparound report of approximately 1:00 and at least one other actuality plus background material. If you have questions or want additional information, call Amy Murray at 614-292-8385.

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