Study: You may be more racist than you think

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

If studies use very new techniques and measures, it would be more interesting if they were to provide an explanation of what they did that was different. However, whenever I read these things, they all do much of the same thing...

I doubt that you are reading these studies from the abstract to the discussion. I read enough articles so I'm not taking the time to read the full study that CNN is citing. Have you?

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

and worse, no one seems to be using this information to address the subtleties of the -isms.

This is a vague critique, which should be ironic to you.

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

What are they really doing to get this information to the lay people in a way that doesn't turn them off?

Not all researchers consider it their responsibility to do this beyond the research and teaching that they do.

However, CNN is arguably a mainstream source that reported this info to anyone who cares to access it. The problem is that most people will take CNN's story and stop there. We have the internet that has a wealth of info--some of it false--that people can access and hopefully inspire them to learn more.

There are also "public" specialties of fields. There are people who focus on going into the community and holding seminars, putting out books to be read by the masses, and doing articles in mainstream magazines. This requires different language use for certain research goals and different references. Some consider this "dumbing down" and it can be rather condescending and insulting, as well as nerve wrecking for the researcher at times.