Various sources of information tend to portray a single event differently depending on the perspective that the authors take. Normally, there is a marked difference between a news article publicizing research article or applying it and the research paper. The newspaper picks portions of interest and summarizes the research article thereby affecting its message. The research article, on the other hand, relies on various sources to establish its claim and experiments and finally discusses and concludes its finding. This process transfers information in a more concrete format. This paper will analyze the difference observable between a scientific news article reporting on the research by Lin, Adolphs, and Alvarez (2018) and their differences.
Summary of the Media Article
The media article reports the scientific finding that relates the shape of a human face (height and width) to their character (corruption). The article cites the ability of people to make decisions on people's behaviors and simple decisions on dating sites to make decisions whether they are corrupt or fit for dating respectively; the article further elaborates on this feature by arguing that men with broader faces are often viewed as being more aggressive than their counterparts with thinner faces. The article then lays a disclaimer by clarifying that politicians with broader faces do not necessarily have to be more corrupt unlike their counterparts with narrow faces. After making these claims, the article recites the experimental procedure undertaken by Lin, Adolphs, and Alvarez associates and makes final comments by emphasizing that in election candidates have more than their faces to display to the electorate which determines their election into office (Science Daily, 2018).
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Contrasting the Media Article and the Research Paper
The media article does not do a good job reporting the research. First, the media article is a report of the science paper, and this makes it a second account. Valuable information is often lost in a second account reporting. Some information may be added while others overemphasized or even downplayed (Broersma, 2010). For instances, the research paper in the abstract identifies the major finding which is the link between the broad-faced individuals with political corruption and breakage of campaign finance laws, dishonesty, selfishness, aggressiveness and other positive qualities like ambitiousness, competency, and masculinity (Lin, Adolphs & Alvarez, 2018). In contrast, the media article overemphasizes corruption failing to mention it as “political corruption” as used in the research. The media has failed in relaying the information accurately.
Weight of Evidence
The fundamental claim laid by the paper is that there is a correlation between a person's facial structure and their personality. The research model is concrete; the research sample is large enough to create variation in responses and thereby limit the chances of making wrong conclusions. Besides, the research is conducted in four phases, which also makes the results reliable given that they provide multiple results for consideration. These claims are true, as other studies have reported similar results though with different research models. Research by Petrican, Todorov, and Grady (2014) found that there is a link between facial appearance and judgment particularly when one meets strangers. Another study conducted by Wolffhechel et al. (2014) has suggested a link between the face and personality and first impressions. Other studies can as well be mentioned to support the claim laid by Lin and her associates. It is therefore verifiable by more than one research work that the facial appearance of an individual determines how others perceive them.
Limitations of the Research Paper
The paper identifies a basic limitation, which is not mentioned in the news article. Lin and her associates' notes, categorically, that the findings may not be applicable in the real world where real faces and not photographs are involved, in complex cultures and societies with varied norms on how they perceive antisocial behaviors (Lin, Adolphs & Alvarez, 2018). A careful consideration of this limitation would have influenced the direction of the news article.
Alternative Explanation
The limitations provided by the paper provide other possible ways of explaining the phenomenon. The observations made may be influenced by societal norms and culture. If this is the case, the results cannot be generalized given that communities differ in social norms and culture.
Conclusion
There is a great difference between news article reporting scientific finding and the published paper. The news article serves to report the finding, which loses its true intent, and message in the process as only a few elements are considered in the paper. The research paper should be relied on as the authentic report and not the news article.
References
Broersma, M. (2010). The unbearable limitations of journalism: On press critique and journalism’s claim to truth. International Communication Gazette, 72 (1), 21-33.
Lin, C., Adolphs, R., & Alvarez, R. M. (2018). Inferring whether officials are corruptible from looking at their faces. Psychological Science , 0956797618788882.
Petrican, R., Todorov, A., & Grady, C. (2014). Personality at face value: Facial appearance predicts self and other personality judgments among strangers and spouses. Journal of nonverbal behavior, 38 (2), 259-277.
Science Daily. (2018). Corruption is hard to hide if you're a politician whose face is wide. Science Daily . Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180912144411.htm
Wolffhechel, K., Fagertun, J., Jacobsen, U. P., Majewski, W., Hemmingsen, A. S., Larsen, C. L., ... & Jarmer, H. (2014). Interpretation of appearance: The effect of facial features on first impressions and personality. PloS one, 9 (9), e107721.
