A LOOK AT THE WEEK AHEADJuly 20 - July 27, 2001OFFICE OF NEWS AND MEDIA RELATIONS (215) 204-7476 Fax: (215) 204-4403
LETS FACE IT, MAN IS NOT MADE TO COMMUNICATE ELECTRONICALLY -- Cell phones and e-mail may have become common forms of communication in the 21st century, but centuries of evolution have made face-to-face communication man's preferred method, says Dr. Ned Kock, director of the E Collaboration Research Center in Temple's Fox School of Business and Management. "There is a principle from evolution theory called the 'repeated use principle,' which argues that we have to repeatedly use a medium of communication, an organ, or a task so that our biological apparatus becomes optimized to use that tool or perform that task," says Kock. "Since we have communicated during most of the past three to five million years by using face-to-face interaction, you have to conclude that we have optimized our biological apparatus for that type of communication."
Kock argues that a lot of today's electronic communications take us too far away from face-to-face communication, and requires increased cognitive effort on our part. "In a typical conversation, we exchange hundreds, maybe thousands, of words. If you measure the time it takes for that conversation to take place, and then tried to have the same conversation over e-mail and measured the time that took, you would get a time that I would argue is between 5 and 15 times higher than the face-to-face conversation," he says. He points out that some successful online companies like LivePerson.com are developing technologies that give a company's online customers the impression that they're dealing with a live person over the Web. "What is the reason for that?" questions Kock. "The reason is because we tend to spend less cognitive effort in communications activities when we have face-to-face-like interactions. Even if those face-to-face-like interactions are virtual."
Contact Dr. Kock through the Office of News and Media Relations, 215/204-7476.
BUSH PLAN HELPS BIG BIZ BY KEEPING COST OF AIDS DRUGS HIGH -- When President George W. Bush gathers with the leaders of the world's seven other richest and most powerful countries at the G-8 summit in Genoa, Italy, one topic likely to come up is the global fight against AIDS and the United States insistence that pharmaceutical patent rights be protected, says Temple professor of public health Clara S. Haignere. "Bush is insisting that patent rights be protected and opposes the European Union's recommendation to create a database where drug prices could be posted for all to see," says Haignere. "Such a U.S. policy would convert the future $10 billion UN fund to fight AIDS into a subsidy for the largest U.S. drug companies. Once again, Bush wants Americans to appear to be doing 'the right thing,' but only so long as big business makes a disproportional profit." Reach Dr. Haignere through the Office of News and Media Relations.
NYC TEACHER ADS COULD SERVE AS MODEL FOR PHILADELPHIA- As a recent series of television commercials for the New York City School District shows, Philadelphia is not alone in its struggle to attract teachers. But as the ads also point out, there are aspects to teaching in an urban district that can be used to attract educators, says Temple urban education and history professor Bill Cutler. "The ads do a good job of emphasizing the virtues of working in an urban environment and the fact that if you really want to make a difference, this is where you want to teach," says Cutler. Similar ads for the Philadelphia School District could highlight the opportunity to teach in high quality schools like Masterman, Central High School and Girls High, suggests Cutler. "The elimination of the residency requirement will probably make a difference in the number of teachers applying for jobs in Philadelphia, but there's still going to be a shortage and the school district is going to have to be aggressive and creative in recruiting." Reach Dr. Cutler through the Office of News and Media Relations.
Cheryl AfonsoTemple UniversityOffice of News andMedia Relations215.698.9880[email protected]
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