Does watching sports make people happy? Time magazine says it does. Their headline for this study reads, "Why Watching Sports Makes People Happy". Let's examine whether the study they reviewed is set up to establish causation. Is attending the game making them happier? Or do happier people tend to go to more games? This study …
Category: Chapter 03; Three Claims, Four Validities
Where do you look as you walk across campus?
Imagine walking across your college campus at night, a low-visibility situation. As you walk along, what areas of the image stand out most to you? Imagine tapping on the spots of the image where you'd be focusing your eyes during your walk. Imagine you're walking along this path. Tap on areas of the photo that …
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Fast walkers, fast thinkers?
Here's another instagram post from Kyle Inspires. This one is about how fast people walk. He's on Youtube and Facebook, too, but here are links to the story on Instagram and TikTok: Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSp0Hy1jlwb/?igsh=cGNlaGNhYjR1MThqTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kyleinspires/video/7587465849527667982 What variables does walking speed supposedly correlate with? How strongly does it correlate? Photo: GagliardiPhotography/Shutterstock a) Watch Kyle Inspires' short video …
“Running on little sleep? You’re twice as likely to get hurt”
Here's a research synopsis from the Science Daily website with the headline, "Running on little sleep? You're twice as likely to get hurt." The way this heading is phrased, it makes it sound like a causal claim. Phrases such as "twice as likely" don't make it causal, but the "if...then..." nature of the headline does …
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Color psychology
It's not hard to find TikTok, IG, or webposts about a field called "color psychology." It generally argues that different colors have specific effects on your mood, behavior, and energy. Put your critical thinking hat on while we take a look at some of its claims. Can the color you choose to wear really impact …
Correlates of cuddling
The study correlated cuddling style with stress and attachment. Photo: LightField Studios/Shutterstock If you share a bed with your sweetheart, you might be interested in this example of correlational research summarized by PsyPost. Their headline reads, "Study finds couples who cuddle at bedtime feel more secure and less stressed." Here are some introductory statements: Study …
Stressed? Writing a to-do list might help
To do: Decide whether each study's variables are manipulated or measured. Check! GoodStudio/Shutterstock I wouldn't be able to get through my week without a to-do list. And now my habits are validated by this new story about research on to-do lists, which comes from the BBC News. The journalist summarizes a series of studies for …
Psychological research: How to talk with family you disagree with
The journalist provides a mixture of empirical evidence and authority to support advice for how to talk to family you disagree with. Photo: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock During the holidays, we may find ourselves interacting with family members who don't agree with us--especially on politics. Here's a story from NPR news with advice on how …
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Can stress turn your hair gray?
Correlational and experimental research seems to converge on the conclusion that stress causes gray hair. Photo: Kunlathida6242/Shutterstock Can stress turn your hair gray? Here's a story on gray hair research, written by a New York Times science journalist. In our culture, we certainly believe that gray hair can be caused (in some cases at least) …
Really? Prenatal cannabis exposure and early language development
Photo: Viacheslav Lopatin/Shutterstock A story in PsyPost was headlined with, Prenatal cannabinoid exposure appears to have a strange impact on early language development. You might have noticed that the verb phrase, "has a strange impact on" is a causal one. We are being asked to believe that prenatal exposure to cannabis causes something in children's …
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