But do we really want to take a verbal response to "several stories" as a reliable stand-in for what parents provide their children, even if it (somewhat) predicts how children will use a particular toy? Seriously? Do we think this correlates with the environment they provide their children? What if how they respond to these stories correlates with how the family's day is going? With any of the dozens of ideas that seem more likely to correlate with responding to a specific story than the entire effect of all their parenting practices do? The ways they respond to their (specific, real) children when they're being really annoying, or particularly cute, or particularly upset? Their ability to repond affectionately but competently across a variety of contexts?
Read the article, and if I'm way off in thinking this study is weak as hell, please, PLEASE, let me know. Look, parenting, making babies, etc, aren't freaking magical. But, to my eyes, these people are massively overstating what their research design is capable of showing.
No comments:
Post a Comment