One of our notebooks in the August issue takes a
close look at press releases about research, and why some press offices choose to cover seemingly obvious research. We only mentioned one university-based press office, but it's not just Ohio State University that "sells the self-evident," as a press release that landed in my inbox last week demonstrates.
"Mizzou study shows that possessing a fake ID results in more drinking by underage college students," the University of Missouri-Columbia
release reads. The study, from professor of clinical psychology Kenneth Sher and his colleagues, showed that owning a fake ID increased the risk of drinking among students in their first two years of college. Also, students who belonged to fraternities or sororities were more likely to own a fake ID.
"The biggest finding is that having a fake ID is a risk factor for additional drinking -- drinking that might not otherwise be occurring," Sher said in the release. "Basically, being a heavy drinker predicts the likelihood that someone will obtain a fake ID, and having a fake ID predicts that someone will be a heavy drinker."
Um, yeah. Am I missing something?
The study, which asked 3,700 in their first four semesters of college about their drinking habits, was
published in the American Psychological Association journal,
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
Seen any other examples of painfully obvious study findings? Tell us about them.