Twisty Faster, Patriarchy-Blamer-in-Chief, points today to a little study out of our dear old UVA showing that happily married women are calmer about stressful situations when they hold their husbands' hands. Not exactly sure how this study improves the sum of human knowledge, given that the study group was a whopping 16 people, and the researcher didn't think to try it the other way around (are men less stressed out when their wives are about?), thus giving the whole thing a rather lopsided air -- one which, as is demonstrated by the very University press release describing the thing -- lends itself all too well to ridiculously patriarchal extrapolations.

For some reason, a year and three quarters after this study was done, it has been rediscovered by reporters hungry for any dang thing to write about in the slow-news lead up to the holiday, as shown by the articles to which Twisty links. I think I may have just magically done my own study, in which I conclude that lazy journalists are less stressed out when stereotype-reinforcing fluff pieces come their way. Can I get a grant now?