[Air-L] Please explain your criticism

Glassman, Michael glassman.13 at osu.edu
Tue Apr 30 16:49:15 PDT 2013


I think perhaps the problem was that there was no real logical/theoretical link between say being on Facebook and choosing a cookie over a granola bar.  It might have been because Facebook users have less self-control or self-regulation, but it also might have been more associative.  Perhaps people tend to watch or read CNN more in the morning when they grab a Granola bar for nutrition while they check their Facebook later at night when they are more likely to indulge in comfort food like cookies.  Or perhaps people who read Facebook just like cookies more.  I got the sense that the researchers were trying to do something akin to the marshmallow study (which has its own interpretive issues) but were not quite as clear on a causal mechanism.  




The later correlation between Facebook and higher debt also seemed somewhat problematic to me.  I think you could do a study that men who watch Football tend to be heavier drinkers than men who watch CNN (well these days maybe not) - but are they heavier drinkers because they watch football more?




Anyway that is my take on the difficulties with the study, maybe others have another view.  




Michael
________________________________________
From: air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org [air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] on behalf of Barry Wellman [wellman at chass.utoronto.ca]
Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 7:16 PM
To: aoir list; Deanya Lattimore
Subject: [Air-L] Please explain your criticism

Thank you for calling attention to some problems with the J of Consumer
Behavior paper on strong/weak ties and behavior.

I couldnt spot the source of the critique you made. The paper seemed ok to
me. So, I would appreciate if you would further enlighten me/us

   Barry Wellman
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