The Dangers Of Popularized Research

GdF sent me the link to a blog post discussing a study on parenting styles by first-time mothers and fathers and how those might relate to their oxytocin levels.

The instructive thing to do is to begin with this carefully written blog post on the topic and the comments attached to it. Then skate over to the New York Times parenting blogs to see what the popularization said.

Or do it in reverse. Either way, you might be shocked to find that the NYT popularization doesn't just leave bits out: It also goes for one definite conclusion when the initial research did not do so. That amounts to adding something: A particular interpretation.