Freakonomics fisking of AP story on music and teen sex

Posted on Monday, August 7, 2006 by Rex Hammock

Freakonomics fisking of AP story on music and teen sex: Anyone who saw the AP story headline “Sexual lyrics prompt teens to have sex” and who has read the book Freakonomics knew it wouldn’t take long for one of the authors to point out the obvious conclusion there’s a correlation between reporters not taking statistics in college and misinterpretation of survey data. (There’s a difference between “correlation” and “causal” in research. However that doesn’t stop reporters and their editors from using words like “prompt” when the data does not necessarily prove such.)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

About Rex Hammock

Founder/ceo of Hammock Inc., the content marketing and custom media services company based in Nashville, Tenn.
This entry was posted in All other and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • bhudgins

    I had to chuckle when I saw that. I’m of an age to remember the same kind of things being said about rockandroll in the 1950s. I once had a copy of Elvis’ FBI file that had all sorts of clippings from sheriffs and police chiefs about his evil music. Plus ca change…

  • bhudgins

    GOLFERS BY THE NUMBERS
    Weight | 66 percent are overweight, 13 percent are obese

    Exercise | 19 percent have never been to a gym, 18 percent always use a cart when available

    Alcohol consumption | 9 percent have drank 10 or more beers during an 18-hole round, 76 percent consume an average of 6.8 drinks a week, 30 percent have played with a bad hangover

    Smoking | 89 percent don’t smoke cigarettes, 67 percent don’t smoke cigars

    Injuries | 80 percent suffer from some sort of pain, injury or illness, 52 percent take doctor-prescribed medicine, 39 percent have used a chiropractor, 50 percent have been struck by a golf ball.

    Source: A survey of 514 Golf Digest readers

  • bhudgins