Educators' inaccurate use of causal language to describe non-causal data

Previous research has documented that causal language is used inaccurately in a variety of areas including the general public, students, media articles, press releases, and scientific journal articles. The following study investigated the rate at which educators used inaccurate causal language to describe non-causal research descriptions. In order to accurately use causal language in their work, researchers need to conduct experiments that (1) manipulate the causal variable while measuring the other variable (Morling, 2018) and (2) meet the three causality criteria: covariance, temporal precedence, and internal validity (Morling, 2018). In this study, 223 educators read two non-causal research descriptions about parenting topics and then generated and selected headlines that would accurately describe the research that they read. Educators generated and selected more inaccurate causal headlines and less accurate non-causal headlines than expected. Moreover, the rate at which educators generated and selected inaccurate causal language was higher than the average of other reported rates in the literature. With these findings in mind, future research should investigate the rate of inaccurate causal language use in individuals who get specific training in correlation and causation as well as other teaching methodologies that may improve individuals' language accuracy

Spin : Psychological Scientists Use Casual Language to Describe Non-Casual Data

Color poster with text, table, and images.Misrepresentation of data, or “spin,” comes in various forms and can be intentional or unintentional. One of the most prevalent forms of spin involves misleading interpretation – specifically, making causal claims that are not supported by the findings or research design.5 Researchers in the allied health disciplines, education, and counseling have voiced concern about unjustified causal claims and have encouraged researchers to match the language they use in their reports to the specific type of study they have conducted. Here, we investigate the frequency with which scientists in psychology use unwarranted causal language in scholarly descriptions of their work.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

I've Chosen Well, But Perhaps I Could Do Better : Maximizing Tendencies and Romantic Relationship Judgments

Color poster with text and graphs.People make choices in nearly every domain of life, and individuals differ in their choice-making strategies: maximizers search extensively for the best possible option. Satisficers search just until they encounter an option that fits what they are looking for. Studies suggest that maximizers ensure they have a lot of options to choose from, invest more time into exploring all options and report less certainty about having made the right choice (even though they often end up with highly favorable options). In this study, we explored how maximizing-satisficing manifests in romantic relationships.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Exploring Familial Resemblance in Romantic Attachment : Shared Genes and Shared Rearing Environment Do Not Equal Shared Attachment

Color poster with text, table, and charts.We conducted a series of studies to explore the possibility that romantic attachment style is transmitted via the family, either through shared genes or shared rearing environment. Family members should be similar in attachment style if it is transmitted familially. To test this idea, we obtained romantic attachment scores from various within-family pairings.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Sharing the Load : Men's and Women's Attitudes Toward Household and Childcare Tasks

Color poster with text and graphs.Studies suggest that the division of household labor and childcare, even in dual-earner households, is imbalanced. Women spend more time than men do on household and childcare tasks. Gender differences in childcare exist even in samples of men and women who are well-informed about gender egalitarian ideals. For example, among tenure-track faculty with small children, mothers report doing far more childcare than fathers do. In the current study, we predicted that male-female differences in enjoyment of household and childcare tasks would parallel male-female differences in their preferences for splitting household and childcare tasks with a partner.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs