Working mothers tend to be happier and healthier than mothers who stay at home caring for young children, according to recent research. But many of those who work are often haunted by the question: “Am I screwing up my kids?” A new study provides a reassuring answer. Writing in the journal Social Science Research, sociologists Jeremiah Wills and Jonathan Brauer conclude — with one important caveat — that “maternal employment largely is inconsequential to child well-being.” They reached this conclusion after examining data on 6,283 American mothers and their children. The ... Read More
OMG UR Phone Knows UR Texting + Driving!
March 6, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
Texting while driving is about as self-evidently stupid as watching TV while running a chainsaw. Everyone knows that, but millions of motorists type all the time while behind the wheel, regardless. In a survey released in December by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 18 percent of all drivers — and nearly half of those ages 18 to 24 — admitted to sending texts or emails while behind the wheel. The agency estimates that texting while driving has increased by 50 percent in the past year. That’s despite the fact that 35 states have outlawed the practice and that texting ... Read More
Documentary Frames Graphic Art’s Political Ferment
March 2, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
Back in the day, being a socially committed graphic artist was a particularly dangerous undertaking. Honoré Daumier was imprisoned for his work, and died impoverished. Käthe Kollwitz and Otto Dix had their work declared “degenerate” by the Nazis. George Grosz was arrested for allegedly insulting the German army. And so incendiary were Francisco Goya’s masterpieces, Disasters of War, the aquatint prints were not published until 35 years after his death. “In the past, the documentation of these artists had a terrific effect, which was why back then it was more dangerous to do ... Read More
Great Dessert? Depends on the Plate
March 2, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
Desserts are a temptation few can resist, but never underestimate the power of the plate. In the journal Food Quality and Performance, Spanish researchers describe an experiment in which 53 volunteers rated two samples of strawberry mousse for sweetness, flavor intensity, and overall quality. For half the participants, the first serving was on a black plate, the second on a white one; for the others, the order was reversed. They consistently rated the mousse on the white plate — of course identical to the mousse on the black plate — as sweeter and having a more intense flavor. “The ... Read More
Musicals Have the Power to Change Minds
March 1, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
Broadway musicals are often thought of as lightweight entertainment. In fact, from South Pacific to The Book of Mormon, many of the greatest shows incorporate serious themes and challenge audience members’ assumptions. But can minds really be opened through story and song? Newly published research provides evidence that will warm the hearts of cockeyed optimists. “Musical theater may be a promising method for promoting attitudinal change,” write Frederick Heide, Natalie Porter and Paul Saito of Alliant International University in San Francisco. Their study, published in the journal ... Read More