PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Current practices in reporting on behavioural genetics can mislead the public

'Media reports about behavioral genetics unintentionally induce unfounded beliefs, therefore going against the educational purpose of scientific reporting' -- Alexandre Morin-Chassé, University of Montreal

2014-12-15
(Press-News.org) This news release is available in French.

"Media reports about behavioural genetics unintentionally induce unfounded beliefs, therefore going against the educational purpose of scientific reporting," writes the University of Montreal's Alexandre Morin-Chassé, following his study of 1,500 Americans. "Among other things, we wanted to know if the public understood (or misunderstood) popular science articles about a new research field, genopolitics, and whether this popularization indeed helped people have an informed opinion on human genetics," Morin-Chassé explained.

The study participants first had to read a news article about research on the influence of a gene on one of the following three traits: breast cancer, political ideology (liberal or conservative), or the tendency to go into debt. After reading the article assigned to them, they were then asked to estimate the influence of genetics on various biological (e.g., hair colour, height) or behavioural (e.g., violence, alcoholism) traits on a scale from 0% genetic to 100% genetic. They were told that there were no right or wrong answers. The purpose of the study was simply to examine the interpretation of facts.

The conclusions were troubling, to say the least. Morin-Chassé observed that after reading an article published in the British Daily Telegraph in October 2010 about a "gene responsible for liberal ideas," the readers tended to generalize the influence of genetics to other behaviours or social orientations of which there was no mention in the news article (including sexual orientation and intelligence). The same phenomenon was observed among the readers of the other article, originally published in the Scientific American MIND magazine in June 2010, which associated a gene with susceptibility to debt.

However, public misunderstanding is not the only thing to blame for this misinterpretation. "Generally, science reporters' first goal is to inform the public about scientific developments. However, this practice is not disinterested; some news is purposely written in a manner intended to catch the public's attention with startling results in order to increase or to maintain market shares," Morin-Chassé explained.

Genetic research into behaviour is certainly a minefield. It is often associated with other more controversial theoretical work, for example, in sociobiology, which attempts to explain social inequalities using the theory of evolution and the concept of natural selection. In contrast, current trends in research are based on empirical analysis of DNA data. "Personally, I am in favour of this innovative approach to better understand our world, but I can't argue with the facts: the field is often misunderstood or even disregarded," Morin-Chassé said. "Some reduce it to its most deterministic form. The danger, which, in my mind, is present, is that scientific research findings could be manipulated for ideological purposes by certain social groups. Hence the importance of making sure the public understands the scope and limitations of such research."

INFORMATION:

About this study: Alexandre Morin-Chassé is a doctoral candidate at the University of Montreal's Department of Political Science. He is also a research scholar at Columbia University. His research was funded in part by Canada Research Chair in Electoral Studies and the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et Culture. The University of Montreal is officially known as Université de Montréal.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Show us how you play and it may tell us who you are

Show us how you play and it may tell us who you are
2014-12-15
This news release is available in German. The ways animals play with inedible objects may be precursors of functional behaviors such as tool use and goal directed object manipulation. For these reasons, species of high technical intelligence are also expected to play intensely with inanimate objects when no obvious goal is pursued. Within object play, combinatory actions are considered a particularly informative trait in animals as well as human infants: Children start bashing two objects together when they are about 8 months old, at 10 months, they combine toys with ...

A 2-minute delay in cutting the umbilical cord leads to a better development of newborns

2014-12-15
A study conducted by University of Granada scientists (from the Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments) and from the San Cecilio Clinical Hospital (Granada) has demonstrated that delaying the cutting of the umbilical cord in newborns by two minutes leads to a better development of the baby during the first days of life. This multidisciplinary work, published in the prestigious journal Pediatrics reveals that the time in cutting the umbilical cord (also called umbilical cord clampling) influences the resistance to oxidative stress in newborns. For this research, ...

Live images from inside materials

Live images from inside materials
2014-12-15
In medicine, X-rays provide high-resolution images of our insides to help doctors make a definitive diagnosis. Industry uses X-rays, too - as a reliable, non-destructive way of seeing what's hidden on inside materials and components and to check for cracks or irregularities. However industry additionally draws upon different technologies that are not used in the medical field. Whereas medical X-ray machines have been specifically designed for human test subjects, industrial X-ray machines are used to analyze objects that vary much more in their size and material composition. ...

Study: Novel agent decreases neuropathic pain in patients with type 2 diabetes

2014-12-15
MANHASSET, NY -- Molecular Medicine, a peer-reviewed biomedical journal published by the Feinstein Institute Press, published the results of a new study reporting clinically significant pain reduction in type 2 diabetic patients. In an exploratory study conducted by Araim Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company developing novel treatments for chronic diseases, investigators also observed improvements in metabolic control in patients administered ARA 290. ARA 290 is a peptide engineered to activate the innate repair receptor, a receptor discovered by Araim scientists, which is ...

Neurons listen to glia cells

2014-12-15
Scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany have discovered a new signal pathway in the brain that plays an important role in learning and the processing of sensory input. It was already known that distinct glial cells receive information from neurons. However, it was unknown that these same glial cells also transmit information to neurons. The glia release a specific protein fragment that influences neuronal cross-talk, most likely by binding to the synaptic contacts that neurons use for communication. Disruption of this information flow from the ...

Attitudes to climate change depend on people's sense of belonging to the planet

2014-12-15
New research led by the University of Exeter has found that people who have a stronger sense of place at the global than the national level are more likely to accept that climate change is caused by human activities. This is the first time that acceptance of human causes of climate change has been shown to be linked to people's sense of place at the global level. The findings have significant implications both for climate change communications and for our understanding of place and identities. The study 'My country or my planet? Exploring the influence of multiple place ...

'Genome editing' could correct genetic mutations for future generations

Genome editing could correct genetic mutations for future generations
2014-12-15
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Scientists at Indiana University and colleagues at Stanford and the University of Texas have demonstrated a technique for "editing" the genome in sperm-producing adult stem cells, a result with powerful potential for basic research and for gene therapy. The researchers completed a "proof of concept" experiment in which they created a break in the DNA strands of a mutant gene in mouse cells, then repaired the DNA through a process called homologous recombination, replacing flawed segments with correct ones. The study involved spermatogonial stem ...

Parkinson's patients identify balance and anxiety among top 10 research priorities

2014-12-15
Patients with Parkinson's, medics and carers have identified the top ten priorities for research into the management of the condition in a study by the University of East Anglia and Parkinson's UK. Commissioned by Parkinson's UK, people with direct and indirect personal experience of the condition worked together to identify crucial gaps in the existing evidence to address everyday practicalities in the management of the complexities of Parkinson's. Patients stated that the overarching research aspiration was an effective cure for Parkinson's but whilst waiting for this ...

Signaling mechanism could be target for survival, growth of tumor cells in brain cancer

2014-12-15
DALLAS - Dec. 15, 2014 - UT Southwestern Medical Center neurology researchers have identified an important cell signaling mechanism that plays an important role in brain cancer and may provide a new therapeutic target. Researchers found that this mechanism -- a type of signaling termed constitutive or non-canonical epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling -- is highly active in glioblastomas, the most common type of adult brain cancer and a devastating disease with a poor prognosis. When activated in cancer cells, it protects the tumor cells, making them more ...

Control on shape of light particles opens the way to 'quantum internet'

2014-12-15
In the same way as we now connect computers in networks through optical signals, it could also be possible to connect future quantum computers in a 'quantum internet'. The optical signals would then consist of individual light particles or photons. One prerequisite for a working quantum internet is control of the shape of these photons. Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the FOM foundation have now succeeded for the first time in getting this control within the required short time. These findings are published today in Nature Communications. Quantum ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Students with overprotective parents are more vulnerable to anxiety during their transition to university, researchers find

Seagrass as a carbon sponge?

Study shows how smoking drives pancreatic cancer

Unveiling the identity of Crohn's disease T cells

Frontiers Forum Deep Dive series: Biological ‘moonshot’ accelerates efforts to genetically map life on Earth

After early-life stress, astrocytes affect behaviour

UMD developing AI-powered warning system to predict disease tied to extreme weather

New study links grain foods to healthier diet patterns, metabolic health and everyday accessibility

Korea University College of Medicine explores 'Health for Humanity' at K-CLUB International Symposium with world-renowned scholars

Regular walking prevents chronic back pain

Broccoli seeds can spread resistance to multiple fungicides

New AI tool addresses accuracy and fairness in data to improve health algorithms

Researchers design robot that can find, pick hidden strawberries

Effective urban planning from real-world population tracking

EWG study: PFAS water treatment has double benefits, cutting toxic PFAS and carcinogens

MIT Press expands Direct to Open (D2O) open access model in 2026 with publishing partners

Pork protein improves recovery, mood and inflammation in military cadets following combat fitness test

Mount Sinai unveils Emergency Department transformation after extensive upgrades and renovations

Uncovering language learning strategies for Japanese university students in STEM

The invisible influence: How cultural cognitive biases influence visuomotor adaptations

New sugar-based stabilizer keeps sweat sensors working under acidic conditions

Stress & Stars: Two more ERC Starting Grants for ISTA

ERC honors Hebrew University scientists for pioneering brain and language studies

Theresa Rienmüller and Robert Winkler receive ERC Starting Grants

ERC grant helps to explore innovative approaches to improve the diagnosis of ADHD in adults

Hidden chemistry of Earth’s core revealed by how it froze

IRB Barcelona researchers uncover a new strategy to tackle obesity by activating brown fat

Biological ‘moonshot’ accelerates efforts to genetically map life on Earth

New papers reveal how gut-brain interactions shape eating behaviors

Meal timing in later life may matter for health and longevity

[Press-News.org] Current practices in reporting on behavioural genetics can mislead the public
'Media reports about behavioral genetics unintentionally induce unfounded beliefs, therefore going against the educational purpose of scientific reporting' -- Alexandre Morin-Chassé, University of Montreal