Chewing Gum = Better Grades??

[bbrubaker]

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=99668

 

Funded by Wrigley's Science Institute™ and I'm not sure if the gum smacking students were dispersed among the non-smacking students.

 

 

Seems flaky to me...but what do I know?

 

Google results:

http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGLS_enUS324US324&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=gum+better+at+math+tests

[iNow]

I seem to recall something about mint. If the flavor is peppermint, people do better. Something about the way it stimulates the brain.

[Dudde]

I used to chew on pens and stuff all the time too, not just gum helps most of the time - for the people I know anyway. Something about distracting yourself physically so your mind can concentrate without fidgeting and losing focus.

 

Wrigley's is probably much more scientific about it, I just thought I'd throw it out there.

[bbrubaker]

My pet theory is that the gum smackers distracted the non smackers and thus the whole thing was flawed from the start.

 

I'm not sure if I'm missing something but doesn't the fact that it's a gum manufacturer funding the science draw into question the science being done?

[Sedit]

If there is any truth behind it there is always the notion that it is the nature of the gum chewer as opposed to someone that does not chew gum... or there pen in some cases.

 

Perhaps someone that finds the class dull due to its ease do need some sort of extra stimulation when being "taught" in order to retain focus.

[J.C.MacSwell]

My pet theory is that the gum smackers distracted the non smackers and thus the whole thing was flawed from the start.

 

I'm not sure if I'm missing something but doesn't the fact that it's a gum manufacturer funding the science draw into question the science being done?

 

I think that should account for at least a -5% difference in test scores due to jealousy by the nonchewers alone.

 

Yet there was only 3% difference. I can only conclude that the gum chewing hurt the entire class, just more so in the control group of nonchewers.