Cell phones linked to teenage sex

IowaStatePhiPsi · #1 07-08-2004, 10:42 AM

Repeat after me: Correlation Does Not Equal Causation.

http://www.webindia123.com/news/show...92&cat=Science

Quote:

Cell phones boost teenage sex!
London | July 05, 2004 5:22:40 PM IST

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Oslo is raising concerns after it found that teenagers who use mobile phones are more likely to have had sex.

According to The Mirror, the researchers, who questioned more than 10,000 youngsters between the age-group of 13-18, found that 60 per cent of teenagers who use mobiles a lot had sex, whereas, only nine per cent of the children who seldom or never used mobile phones had had sex.

Researchers also found that children with mobile phones often started having sex at the young age of 13. They are attributing this disturbing behavior to the fact that children often flirt on SMS and can also make "speedy contact" with their phones.

"The use of mobile phones is directly responsible for the early sexual encounters directly, they are as harmful as porn sites and adult magazines," said Professor Willy Pederson. (ANI)

Kevin · #2 07-08-2004, 11:04 AM

That conclusion is a bit of a leap of faith. Where it does establish that the numbers line up, I don't think the study succeeds in showing that x causes y.

preciousjeni · #3 07-08-2004, 11:18 AM

How about the kids who have cell phones are more popular and talk a lot, whereas the kids without cell phones are under their parents more. Why would you need a cell phone if you didn't talk a lot? Ya know. They were already doing the talking and then added the phone.

cuaphi · #4 07-08-2004, 11:47 AM

Once again. Correlation does not equal causation.

Like you guys said, kids with cell phones are kids who are more on the go with more active social lives. The more socially precocious kids probably have sex younger and more often than other kids. Yet another study where I think "Duh" and "Did they spend actual money on this?"