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+--- Thread: Fact or fiction: Interpreting neuroscience from the media carefully (/Thread-Fact-or-fiction-Interpreting-neuroscience-from-the-media-carefully)
Fact or fiction: Interpreting neuroscience from the media carefully - Christina - 05-09-2006
Much neuroscience in the media is something like fact dressed up in a bit of fiction. This thread is intended to help you interpret information about neuroscience critically.
A very common misinterpretation revolves around the false assumption that correlation implies causation. For example, consider the following article, which links obesity in toddlers with lower IQ scores: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-08/uof-ssl083106.php. In this example, the study reveals only a correlation between the two factors. Does this mean that it is possible that obesity in toddlers could have cognitive consequence? Sure. Is this an interesting hypothesis worth looking into further? Certainly. However, does this correlation conclusively imply that obesity in toddlers has cognitive consequences? No. There are many other plausible explanations. For example, it is also possible that there are linked genes underlying obesity and certain cognitive capacities, in which case they would have a related origin, rather than obesity causing a low IQ score. Then, of course, the use of IQ score as a measure of meaningful cognitive abilities is also debatable.
Have you read an article or seen something on TV about neuroscience that you thought might be questionable? If so, post it here and we will help you interpret it.
Cheers,
Christina
Fact or fiction: Interpreting neuroscience from the media carefully - OECD - 06-09-2006
The obesity/cognition hypothesis is certainly interesting. Perhaps it has also something to do with emotional problems that obese children might have and which affect their learning?
In a recent study of 10 countries by Tesco, the results show that the average British child is one of the "least healthy" in the world, coming seventh - spending nearly half a year in front of a television or games console, between the ages of seven and 16. The most active young people were in Australia, with China second and Germany third. South African, Russian and Indian children were less active than the average British child.
I look forward to seeing other "questionable" claims on this thread.
Fact or fiction: Interpreting neuroscience from the media carefully - geodob - 07-09-2006
In regard to 'questionable claims', I find it hard to believe that Australian children were the most active of the 10 countries?
Do they have someone that carries them from the front door to car?
A computer mouse, which doesn't require a button to be clicked?
Though in regard to the Indian children being less active than British?
Surely they weren't typical Indian children?