Does the state of being economically poor, even for a short period of time, have a negative effect on measures of cognitive ability? The results of a new study published in Science says "Yes". One popular media summary of the research article is available here: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Poverty+make+stupid+study+shows/8848734/story.html I'm not so sure that the headline is really appropriate because I can just as easily think of the opposite, that is, being rich can make one stupid (see "The Great Gatsby" and almost any reality show involving wealthy people and, pardon the expression, Donald Trump).
The research study itself can be accessed here but you'll probably have to do it through your institution: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6149/976.abstract There is on official perspective article on this study provided by Science: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6149/969.summary This is probably going to inspire a variety of studies to examine the "poverty effect" and one wonders what implications such an effect will have, especially at the social policy level. Does this provide support for the claims of those who argue for a minimum wage that is a "living wage", that is, getting enough payment per hour that allows one live above the poverty line? Or will this research be labeled by you-know-who as socialist-communist because everyone knows that people in poverty deserve/desire to be in poverty as one "news" organization has recently uncovered; see: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/08/09/foxs-shameless-misrepresentation-of-snap-recipi/195338 and http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/aug/29/fox-food-stamps-rocker-surfer-la-jolla-rattlife/all/?print (NOTE: this page has links to related sources). Stay classy San Diego! ;-) -Mike Palij New York University [email protected] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=27444 or send a blank email to leave-27444-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
