Psychological Research v. Popular Press

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a popular press article and compares its contents to four psychological research studies on hardiness in college freshmen. The author includes a summary and critique of each.

From the Paper:

"The media is a powerful influence in the lives of every American. It tells us what to where by showing what is considered fashionable, what to eat by telling us what is good or bad for our bodies as well as what tastes good, and what to think. The media does not come right out and tell us what to think, but it does it with the news reported in the newspapers and magazines and the images portrayed in every sitcom, commercial and movie. When someone does not know much about a subject, they tend to rely on the first thing that they learn about it. Also, people usually believe what reliable sources tell them as well. So, if someone is reading an article in a magazine that they trust, they are likely to take whatever they read as fact. However, when the time is taken to research studies on the subject, oftentimes, different results are found. Also, the media often leaves out important details, such as factors that might have influenced any statistics that are reported."

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