THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA VOLUME 52 | NUMBER 12 | DECEMBER 7, 2006 UBC REPORTS 2 UBC IN THE NEWS 3 NARDWUAR 4 JURASSIC RELIC 5 JAWS UNDER ICE 6 BEAUTY INTERVENTIONS 9 STI’s IN BOOMTOWN Christmas Clerks Beware: Flattery Ploy Won’t Work BY LORRAINE CHAN “You look great in that jacket!” “Fuchsia is really your colour.” “I bought that exact pair of shoes myself.” Sales pitches like these will be flying fast and furious as retailers ramp up for the year’s busiest Still Time to Donate! shopping season. see p. 2 However, these ploys do little to clinch a sale and may confirm shoppers’ negative reporters earned 27 per cent, views of the sales game, says lawyers 29 per cent and auto Assoc. Prof. Darren Dahl, who mechanics 33 per cent. teaches marketing and consumer Dahl recently published behaviour at UBC’s Sauder Deliberative and Automatic School of Business. Bases of Suspicion: Empirical “Consumers today are Evidence of the Sinister enormously wary of marketing Attribution Error in the Journal tactics and have an automatic of Consumer Psychology. His mistrust of flattery from a study looks at the reaction of salesperson,” says Dahl. consumers to flattery from store He says according to a 2003 clerks. Along with co-authors Ipsos-Reid survey, only 10 per Kelley Main at York University cent of consumers expressed any and Peter Darke at Florida degree of trust in sales agents. In State University, Dahl explores comparison, national politicians whether consumers decide a PHOTO: MARTIN DEE came in at nine per cent, while salesperson is untrustworthy Assoc. Prof. Darren Dahl turns a keen eye on marketplace behaviour and consumer patterns. continued on page 3 Campus Station an Incubator of Ideas, Talent BY BASIL WAUGH A campus radio station that has digitization of music has really launched some of the brightest given that power back to talents in independent music is individuals. More and more, ready to rock an iPod near you. people are finding their music For 25 years, the University online and listening to it when of British Columbia’s student- and where it is convenient for run CiTR 101.9 FM has them.” nurtured local passions for “We want to give UBC music and radio – and in the students and others better access process, helped to launch some to CiTR, and podcasting does of the biggest names in the that,” adds Benjamin, 22. “Now Canadian independent music no one needs to miss class to scene, including alt-country catch to their favourite show crooner Neko Case, MuchMusic – they can simply go to our “guerilla” interviewer Nardwuar website and subscribe to the The Human Serviette and CBC podcast.” Radio 3 personality Grant CiTR’s podcasts join a series Lawrence. of initiatives that have made With the introduction of a the station synonymous with new podcasting service, CiTR independent music and art in on Demand, music fans can now Vancouver, including the award- fill their portable MP3 players winning Discorder magazine, with CiTR’s eclectic mix of for which music fans with a music, talk, sports and news, literary bent can write reviews including such shows as Cute and interview bands. (The CBC’s Band Alert (pop/rock), These are PHOTO: MARTIN DEE Grant Lawrence is a former CiTR 101.9 FM’s Nardwuar the Human Serviette (left) and Alison Benjamin (right) are ready to rock MP3 the Breaks (hip hop), Live from Discorder feature writer). The players around the globe with a new podcasting service. Thunderbird Hell (live bands), station also promotes concerts Juicebox (sex/relationships), The station’s expansion into control over how and when record companies controlled by local and traveling artists, Democracy Now (news), Queer podcasting comes at a time they consume music, says CiTR access to music,” says Benjamin, and has presented gigs by The FM (talk) and Let’s Get Baked when digital technology has president Alison Benjamin. a fourth-year student in the Ramones, Nirvana, Public (cooking). given music fans unprecedented “Up until recently, radio and Faculty of Arts. “But the Enemy, DOA and Iggy Pop. continued on page 3 2danielson | UBC REPORTS ad_final.qxd | DECEMBER 9/28/05 7 , 22:50 0 0 6 PM Page 1 RETIRING WITHIN IN THE NEWS FIVE YEARS? Highlights of UBC Media Coverage in November 2006. COMPILED BY BASIL WAUGH Want to plan ahead? • Retirement and estate planning Just Thinking About Money Can Turn the “Simpson’s not doing it out of guilt because he • UBC pension expertise Mind Stingy was quite capable at rationalizing – from cheating • Complimentary consultations for Scores of international media, including the New at golf to up to a double homicide,” said Dutton. UBC faculty & staff York Times, ran an Associated Press report on “I think he’s much more likely doing it because of UBC research that found that merely showing his narcissistic personality, a sense of entitlement money to people can change their behaviour. and his desire to be in the limelight – having a Don Proteau “Frank and Don made me feel very comfortable In a series of experiments, Miranda Good, a little bit of money on the side probably doesn’t BComm, CFP with their advice and long-range planning. Their Senior Financial graduate student in marketing at UBC and co- hurt either.” Planner knowledge of the faculty pension plan is also a plus author of a study published in the journal Science, Assante Financial for UBC professors.” found that subconscious reminders of money Teens Online up to 8 Hours a Day Management Ltd. Dr. J.H. McNeill, Professor Emeritus, Pharmaceutical Sciences, UBC prompted people to become more independent Media across Canada, including the Globe and Frank Danielson in their work, and less likely to seek help from Mail, the National Post and CityTV reported on BEd, CFP others or to provide it. They became reluctant studies on teen Internet use by Jennifer Shapka, Senior Financial Call or email today for a complimentary to volunteer their time and stingy when asked to UBC Professor of Educational and Counselling Planner Assante Financial retirement analysis! donate to a worthy cause. Psychology and Special Education. Management Ltd. In the first study in Canada to directly monitor O.J. Outrage the online activities of young teens, Shapka (604) 638-0335 • [email protected] • [email protected] UBC Psychology Prof. Don Dutton appeared in found that some spend up to eight hours per day interviews on CNN and CNN Headline News online. She will be tracking 500 young people in The Assante symbol and Assante Wealth Management about public outrage over O.J. Simpson’s now- 400 households through 2009 to determine how are trademarks of Assante Corporation, used under license cancelled book and TV special, which explore how Internet use affects cognitive development, social – hypothetically – Simpson would have committed skills and obesity rates. 1950 West Broadway the 1994 slayings of his wife Nicole and waiter Shapka wants to study whether the Internet Vancouver, BC 604-731-7868 Ron Goldman. helps or hinders children’s social development, www.copiesplus.ca Dutton has served as an expert witness in and if children who spend a lot of time online criminal trials involving family violence, including are lonely, depressed or shy. She will also explore Custom Calendars Simpson’s pre-trial, where he testified for the whether children who use online instant messaging The Perfect Gift prosecution, and the subsequent civil trial, where are safer than those who visit social-networking $20.00 for the 1st Dutton acted as a consultant. sites. Bring in 12 of your colour images, $15.00 for each add'l and we will create a beautiful coil includes 28lb. Xerox laser paper bound colour calendar! 00 80lb card stock add $5. each Still Time to Donate! Mon to Fri 8am–9pm • Sat to Sun 10am–6pm As the 2006 UBC United Way has been busy spreading awareness Campaign draws to a close this about United Way and its many month, donors and volunteers connections to UBC. are continuing their support for “For more than 75 years United this expression of Trek 2010’s Way have been shepherds in our commitment to global citizenship and community, working to identify its building a sustainable and civil society. social needs and helping to address “With over $318,000 raised, we them through fundraising and other have achieved 83 per cent of our initiatives,” says Carr. “Eighty-nine fundraising goal to support social programs and cents of every dollar raised goes directly to services,” says Andrew Parr, Director of Food programs in over 400 local agencies.” Services and UBC Vancouver campaign chair. Donation pledge forms will be accepted until “With the support of staff, faculty and students, the end of the tax year, Dec. 31, but only those we are optimistic that we will reach or exceed received before Dec. 13 will be eligible for the our target. We also hope to increase campus grand prize draw of two Air Canada tickets to participation by 100 new donors.” anywhere in North America, plus other great UBC Okanagan’s campaign, chaired by Terry prizes. Flannigan, has raised more than 90 per cent of its For more information on the campaign, visit $30,000 goal. www.unitedway.ubc.ca or call Kate Petrusa at With 54 presentations under his belt, Loaned 604.822.8929 (UBC Vancouver) or Elizabeth Representative Andy Carr, UBC Plant Operations, Kershaw at 250.807.8436 (UBC Okanagan). UBC REPORTS Director, Public Affairs UBC Reports is published monthly by: Scott Macrae [email protected] UBC Public Affairs Office: Editor Victoria Bell 310 – 6251 Cecil Green Park Road Randy Schmidt [email protected] Your University Vancouver BC Canada V6T 1Z1 Design Director Area Specialist Chris Dahl [email protected] UBC Reports welcomes submissions.