April 10, 2008

arrow I'm calling shenanigans on this sex research

women.jpgOK, so I'm looking at the popular stuff on Yahoo, and I see these photos (credit: Reuters), right? And I'm, like, OK, what's the story here?

Apparently, these aren't real photos, they are "computerised 'averaged' facial photographs" -- whatever that means -- and they were released with a study that dealt with how you can tell what a person is interested in based on their facial features. (I think. I dunno, it doesn't link to the study. That's not the point of this blog entry.)

So I'm checking out these "women," because I think it would be good to know if one of them just wants sex or seeking a long-term relationship. And it makes sense. The one on the left is the club girl, and the one on the right is hanging out at Revue.

Except that I misread the caption. It's reversed (btw, who writes captions describing the subject on the right first? The same people who use the word "whilst." Morons, that's who.) So, now I'm racking my brain trying to understand why I still think the one on the left is only interested in, you know.

Is it a mind-association thing? (As in, my mother told me the tooth fairy was real, so it blows my mind that she would lie to a child.) If that's the case, and these faces are interchangeable ... then what's the point of this research?

Garrghh. Btw, Heather, one of the "dudes" looks like Jim Halpert, no?

10:03 AM | | Comments (2)



Comments:

No.

Posted by: Heather at April 10, 2008 12:45 PM

*****

The research you describe is based upon the work of Judith Langlois @ Univ of Texas @ Austin which examines the origin of stereotypes. It is fascinating research, and her methodology is quite robust. Although, the complexity of the protocol for developing these stimuli is not easily described in writing, it's much easier to understand if the reader is presented with each stimulus category in its original form and then to see each "computer" manipulated version. For additional information go to, http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/group/LangloisLAB/

As an experimental psychologist, I would have preferred that you had focused upon how the research was not supported by the information presented, rather than using an attention-seeking headline that may leave busy, naive readers to draw the wrong conclusions.

Why does any of this matter?
Well I strongly urge readers to read the June 2006 APS Observer,
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=1998

as well as the APA's Science Policy Insider News,
http://www.apa.org/ppo/spin/

Posted by: Silvia Montoya-Gomez at April 11, 2008 12:47 PM

*****

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