1. For each question do the following:

1. Read the headline and article blurb
2. From everything that you read, identify the type of claim (Frequency, Association, Causal) based on the HEADLINE
3. Say which of the 4 validities should be used to interrogate the claim (CSIE)
4. For each validity you select, pose a few questions to "pick at" the study (critique it)...Your critique can focus on the headline + the article blurb...

Interrogating Claims Practice

Question 1

"You Gotta Have Friends? Most Have Just Two True Pals"

A report suggests that among Americans, the average number of close friends people report having is just two. The study reports that the researchers surveyed more than 2,000 adults ages 18 and older from the nationally representative Time-sharing Experiments for the Social Sciences (TESS) program. The Internet surveys were conducted between April 23 and May 5, 2018.

Question 2

"Fewer Babies on Halloween?"

Pregnant women are less likely to go into spontaneous labor on a negatively toned holiday (Halloween). Similarly, they are more likely to do so on a positively toned holiday (Valentine's Day). In a study published this month, researchers at the Yale School of Public Health reviewed millions of birth certificates and found a 5.3 percent dip in spontaneous births on Halloween, suggesting that a mother's mental state may play a role in when she goes into labor.

Question 3

"Cell Phones Disrupt Teens' Sleep"

European researchers report that teenagers who use their phones more than 15 times a day have more trouble falling asleep and staying asleep than those who use their phones sparingly. Heavy cell phone users are also more likely to be stressed out and generally feel tired, says Gaby Badre, MD, PhD, of Sahlgren's Academy in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the London Clinic, in England. The findings apply to both excessive chatting on the phone and text messaging, he tells WebMD.

Question 4

"Pill Changes Women's Taste in Men"

Taking the contraceptive pill appears to change women's taste in men. Psychologists have found that women who are taking the pill tend to fancy macho types with strong jaw lines and prominent cheekbones. However, women who are not taking that form of contraception seem to be more likely to go for more sensitive types without traditionally masculine features.

The researchers, from St Andrews and Stirling Universities, believe it may even be possible that taking the pill encourages women to have relationships with inappropriate men. They presented women with images of different types of men, and asked them to pick out potential long-term partners. They found those taking the pill were more likely to choose macho men, and to rate men with more feminine, softer physical features as a turn off. However, the researchers say it is these men who tend to be more sensitive, and more likely to make trustworthy and faithful husbands.