Academic Pediatric Journal Attacks Music!

[scriptgirl]

Okay, perhaps attack is the wrong word - but I thought this might start some interesting conversation - especially if there are some music fans on this forum. See link to article below:http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/

Comments

[urbancomfort]

I'll admit - I could only bring myself to read the abstract. But, uhhhhh, no? There is probably a 3rd variable (SES, family situation, mental health status, peer group, whatever) that causes both the music listening and the delinquency.

Edit:
"Mean gender differences in delinquency and in the growth curve of music genre preferences were cor- rected by regressing these variables on adolescent gender. Likewise, to correct for school commitment, educational level, and adolescent personality type, growth factors of music preferences and observed scores of delinquency were regressed on these covariates."

My first observation still stands - seems like I case of "we chose these covariates because they didn't make our results go away."

[max_ambiguity]

I couldn't get past the abstract either, because wtf? It sounded like the study from the 50s that showed juvenile delinquents read comic books, therefore comic books cause delinquency. I mean, I *hope* the actual study understands the difference between correlation and causation, but I expect to see some evidence of a better methodology than that even in the abstract.

Also, who *doesn't* listen to one of those genres today? You include rock and African American music (rap *and* hip hop *and* jazz *and* gospel???) and there's hardly anyone who doesn't listen to some form of those genres even if they also like pop or country too.

Keep an eye out, though - next week I'm publishing my study that proves being alive today is a marker of delinquency later in life.

[trundle]

It sounded like the study from the 50s that showed juvenile delinquents read comic books, therefore comic books cause delinquency.

Well, duh. Isn't it obvious? That's how we also know that fluoridated water causes [insert social problem here].

[scriptgirl]

My first response was "what a crock of shit" but I thought if I tried to post with that headline, it might get deleted.

[antigone_ks]

Sorry, I can't hear you over the Anthrax I'm blasting.

[scriptgirl]

Exactly.

[kaygigi]

Black kids who like black music turn out to be delinquents! That isn't stereotyped racism, it is scientific fact! Black kids are delinquents!
/sarcasm

I love examples of bad methods, confirmation biases, and other signifiers of racism, classism, etc, in academic work. Thanks for sharing!.

[kaygigi]

Reading further: the study was conducted in the Netherlands, so that explains some of the latent racism. But if you get to the discussion (worth it!) you'll find gems like the fact that previous research shows that adolescents who are alienated from their families and rely upon peer support more than familial support are more likely to listen to deviant music and more likely to be delinquents later. Ok, that makes sense, and we've found our confounding variable: social alienation. But no! Not to these idiots who obviously failed their sociology classes on the way to med school! To identify and prevent adolescent delinquency, we must monitor and correct for deviant music choices, not work on social alienation among 12 year olds.

::headdesk::

Still saving this one for a methods and/or deviance class.

[trundle]

latent racism

You're so polite with your qualifying adjectives. ;)

[scriptgirl]

I think this is a great example of what not to do/what does not work that could be used in research methods classes.

[maritov]

It amazes me what drivel medical journals are willing to publish.

[scriptgirl]

No kidding, eh?

[knut_hamson]

My problem is that they list jazz under "highbrow" but not "African American."

[max_ambiguity]

Everyone knows Mozart invented jazz.

[knut_hamson]

White people invented everything cool.

[rimrunner]

That explains the jazz concert at the symphony hall that I attended last night!