Journalists' brain functions at lower level

#1

Grand Vol

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#1
And water is wet too.

http://www.businessinsider.com/journalists-brains-function-at-a-lower-level-than-average-2017-5

Journalists' brains show a lower-than-average level of executive functioning, according to a new study, which means they have a below-average ability to regulate their emotions, suppress biases, solve complex problems, switch between tasks, and show creative and flexible thinking.

The study, led by Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and leadership coach, analysed 40 journalists from newspapers, magazines, broadcast, and online platforms over seven months. The participants took part in tests related to their lifestyle, health, and behaviour.

Journalists scored pretty high on:

  • Abstraction, the ability to deal with ideas rather than events. It's related to the part of the brain where the most sophisticated problem-solving takes place. In other words, it highlights the ability to think outside the box and make connections where others might not see them.
  • Value tagging, the ability to assign values to different sensory cues, such as whether something is a priority or has meaning. Scoring highly in this area indicates a good ability to sift through information and pick out what's important.

Journalists scored lower on:

  • Executive function. As well as the traits mentioned above, low scores for executive function also suggest poor sleep, nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness. Many participants reported they had no time for breaks while working.
  • Silencing the mind, which is related to the ability to have thoughts without getting distracted by them, or a powerful ability to focus. Low scores indicate the opposite, suggesting journalists have a hard time preventing themselves from worrying about the future or regretting the past.
 
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#3
#3
40?

That is the absolute bare minimum for statistical significance. That might get you a C grade on your final project in Statistics 101.

That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if a good deal of this is true.
 
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#4
#4
40?

That is the absolute bare minimum for statistical significance. That might get you a C grade on your final project in Statistics 101.

That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if a good deal of this is true.

It does make mention in the article it is a limited study and shouldn't be taken as gospel.
 
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#7
#7
40?

That is the absolute bare minimum for statistical significance. That might get you a c grade on your final project in statistics 101.

That being said, i wouldn't be surprised if a good deal of this is true.

it's true.jpg
 
#9
#9
This is completely lame and bogus. In fact, most real journalists are very well educated and far smarter and more well informed than average people--they have to be as they are analyzing information. There is almost nothing in the story on the study itself, o I'm calling BS on this little news nugget.
 
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#10
#10
This is completely lame and bogus. In fact, most real journalists are very well educated and far smarter and more well informed than average people--they have to be as they are analyzing information. There is almost nothing in the story on the study itself, o I'm calling BS on this little news nugget.

BS. Communications majors have some of the lowest sat scores of all the majors. If journalists are that smart, they do a good job of hiding it in my local birdcage liner. Maybe when you get up to NYT or WSJ, you might get a rise in quality, but those are not your average journalist. Please enjoy the Tom Friedman column generator below.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...ggpMAA&usg=AFQjCNG98mNx4d1NWlqrjJckKzu8e5mfQg
 
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#11
#11
This is completely lame and bogus. In fact, most real journalists are very well educated and far smarter and more well informed than average people--they have to be as they are analyzing information. There is almost nothing in the story on the study itself, o I'm calling BS on this little news nugget.

Maybe; maybe not. The problem is that as many different platforms as there are and as easy as it is to reach the general public, it's hard to define who is a real journalist nowadays.
 
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#12
#12
This is completely lame and bogus. In fact, most real journalists are very well educated and far smarter and more well informed than average people--they have to be as they are analyzing information. There is almost nothing in the story on the study itself, o I'm calling BS on this little news nugget.

Sheeeeeyit! Most journalists enroll in it because their SAT &/OR ACT and HS GPA were too low to get in Under Water Bsaketweaving! "far smarter & well informed my ass..uming you r 1!
 
#13
#13
This is completely lame and bogus. In fact, most real journalists are very well educated and far smarter and more well informed than average people--they have to be as they are analyzing information. There is almost nothing in the story on the study itself, o I'm calling BS on this little news nugget.

Good lord. Obviously you haven't been to college.

Let you in on a secret..when you get a degree that most of the football team can get...you aren't actually well "educated". You might have "an education" but that doesn't mean you aren't dumb as a box of wet hammers.
 
#14
#14
It seems like the areas where they scored high are fairly significant and are the traits that would make a good journalist.
 
#16
#16
This is completely lame and bogus. In fact, most real journalists are very well educated and far smarter and more well informed than average people--they have to be as they are analyzing information. There is almost nothing in the story on the study itself, o I'm calling BS on this little news nugget.

Most journalists just repeat what other journalists are saying. It's a huge echo chamber. Journalists have never looked as ignorant and lazy as they do today.
 
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#17
#17
You normally display good judgment. This particular OP is not one of those times. Retrench and do better.

By posting an article worthy of discussion as well as admitting it was a narrow scope?

Surely you can find something better to whine about in regards to me.
 
#19
#19
This is completely lame and bogus. In fact, most real journalists are very well educated and far smarter and more well informed than average people--they have to be as they are analyzing information. There is almost nothing in the story on the study itself, o I'm calling BS on this little news nugget.

When I was in college most people took communications or PR classes for easy A's. Mostly dopes actually majored in it.
 
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#20
#20
Social media is the main problem journalists have. In this age of tech and info it's about being first regardless of validity.
 

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