Page 8-The Michigan Daily- Thursday, November 19, 1992
U-M institute provides world
with data on human behavior
by Ken Dancyger
Daily Staff Reporter
For more than 40 years, the top
political research institute in the na-
tion has been helping the world un-
derstand human behavior - and it's
located right here on campus.
The Institute for Social Research
(ISR) - which receives funding
from the federal government and the
U-M - serves as an umbrella orga-
nization to three research centers,
which provide the scientific and
political communities with extensive
dati and research on human attitude
and behavior.
"We investigate how people act
and why they act the way they do,"
said James Wessel, Assistant Direc-
tor of ISR.
Por the past 20 years, the institute
has been involved in the Panel Study
foi Income Dynamics, in which re-
searchers conduct frequent inter-
vid&vs with close to 5,000 families
struggling with poverty.
f
The purpose of the study is to see
if people stay at the poverty level,
Wessel said. "We follow them
through marriage, divorce, (and)
children - mostly from the eco-
nomic perspective."
The original focus of the study
was to get an overview of society's
poverty status, added Linda Stafford,
the ISR Director of Publications.
She said the research allows ISR to
get a more sophisticated analysis of
what happens to people who live in
poverty over time.
The ISR is also a member of the
Inter-University Consortium for Po-
litical and Social Research, which
encompasses more than 350 univer-
sities throughout the world.
Consortium members pool the
results of their research, which al-
lows the ISR and other centers to
obtain and submit data on various
subjects, Wessel added.
Researchers from ISR have been
asked to testify before Congress on a
number of occasions as well, Wessel
said. They also give advice to
politicians and policy makers in
Washington, D.C.
"We have PhDs survey economic
growth, consumer attitude -
forecast the economy," Wessel said.
"Some pay attention, some don't."
He added, "In 1948, many re-
searchers said Dewey would beat
Truman. We said Truman would win
the election. Nobody listened."
The institute is currently involved
in researching junior high and high
school students. Specifically, the
research addresses drug use, drop-
out rates, and alcohol and nicotine
abuse. The results will be used as
part of an annual national survey
that is widely publicized.
Researchers begin tracking the
students when they are 14 and fol-
low them for up to 10 years.
V
0
Book worm
Matt Jane, a first-year LSA student, looks in the Graduate Library stacks for a topic for his psychology paper.
cN
Deadlocked state house source of politi
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -
Republicans traded barbs with
Democrats for attempting a "banana
republic coup," giving voters their
first glimpse yesterday of life with a
deadlocked House.
A Democratic maneuver would
let that party keep control of the
110-seat House in the 1993-94 ses-
sion if an unofficial 55-55 election
split holds up through recounts in
several districts.
It sailed through the House
Oversight Committee despite oppo-
sition from GOP lawmakers, who
blasted it as an "unconstitutional
power grab."
"It is conceivable that
(Democrats) could pull off a banana
republic coup," said House Minority
Leader Paul Hillegonds (R-Holland)
and a candidate for House speaker if
Republicans take over.
"I believe it's an unconstitutional
power grab. It smells of the kind of
power games that will ruin attempts
at cooperation."
Democrats have controlled the
House since 1968. They held a 59-
50 edge going into the Nov. 3 elec-
tion, with one vacancy in a tradition-
ally Democratic district.
Their resolution would change
House rules to keep Democrats in
charge if neither party can find a
lawmaker to defect and break the 55-
55 tie. The measure didn't come up
before the full House today, but it's
expected to surface when lawmakers
return next Tuesday.
"After you've controlled for 24
years, it's not easy to give it up,"
Hillegonds said. "I'm disappointed
at this first step. The voters are not
looking for this, that's for sure."
Hillegonds vowed to fight the
resolution in court if it clears the full
House. He said current lawmakers
have no right to set policy for a new
House that will include 27 first-time
lawmakers.
"This proposed rule can poison
the problem-solving climate and
kick off a partisan struggle which
can only damage the House and the
people we are elected to serve," he
said.
But Rep. Pat Gagliardi (D-
Drummond Island) and chair of the
House Oversight Committee, blasted
,I believe it's an
unconstitutional
power grab. It smells
of the kind of power
games that will ruin
attempts at
cooperation.'
- Paul Hillegonds
House Minority Leader.
Hillegonds, House Republicans and
GOP Gov. John Engler for letting a
vacant Detroit seat go unfilled for 10
months.
Former Rep. Teola Hunter (D-
Detroit) resigned last winter but a
special election wasn't called to fill
her seat until late in the year.
~a1 tension I.
"If there's been any political ard
rogance, it's been you in the oppos"
ing party for refusing to fill a seat in .
the city of Detroit for a year,'
Gagliardi said. He was re-elected as
majority floor leader by his caucus
yesterday.
Democrats also named six-term
Rep. Curtis Hertel (D-Detroit) to
replace defeated Speaker Lewis.
Dodak (D-Birch Run). Hertel de-
feated Rep. Lynn Jondahl (D-
Okemos) in the race to lead the cau-"'
cus.
Hertel criticized House
Republicans and Engler's office for .
threatening fragile party relations by'
prowling for possible Democratic.
defectors.
"Members resent that kind of~
outside intrusion. This is inside:.
baseball. Members don't take kindly~
to that kind of tampering with our in-.
ternal affairs," Hertel said.
House Republicans held their'
leadership elections last week and
named Hillegonds to head their cau-
cus and be speaker if they prevail.
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IOM
The Investment Banking Division
of
Goldman SaChs & Co.
Cordially invites UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN students
of all majors to apply for the
Two Year Financial Analyst Program
Goldman Sachs' Financial Analyst Program offers exposure to a broad range of
industries and transactions, a high level of responsibility and client interaction in a
collegial work environment. No other investment bank promotes the same degree
of teamwork that has become one of the hallmarks of Goldman Sachs' success
Goldman Sachs is committed to hiring students with outstanding achievements from all
majors, including liberal arts and engineering, to join the analyst class for 1992.
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Please Send Resumes by December 1, 1992 to:
85 Broad Street
New York, NY 10004
Attention: Tim Hurd/23rd Floor or Cheryl Vigder/22nd Floor
goug man
Author Of
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SOPH SHOW 1992 PRESENTS
THE APPLE TREE
A MUSICAL IN 3 ACTS
I
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY SHELDO)N HARNICK AND JERRY BO CK. BASED tON
SHORT STORIES BY MARK TWAIN, FRANK R. STOCKTON, & JULES FEIFFER
November 19-21 8 PM
5th Ave. I_
Autograph Party
Im
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