National survey finds Americans say tablets make them smarter

SOURCE Next Issue Media
Majority of Americans want to be seen as "someone-in-the-know" among their peers, with many even pretending to know about a news story to impress others.
According to the survey, Americans want to be in-the-know about current events, and most (54 percent) prefer to be known as a "newsie" among their friends, more than a sports buff, fashionista or celebrity gossip.  And a majority of Americans (56 percent) believed they were more knowledgeable about current events compared to their friends – 65 percent of men and 48 percent of women felt this way. Owning a tablet may be one way to boost your news-confidence. Sixty-nine percent of tablet owners felt they knew more about current events than their friends, compared to 47 percent of non-tablet owners.
Looking to impress
But are these "newsies" really telling the truth? To look well-informed, some people will go as far as lying. More than one in three (37 percent) have pretended to know about a news story to impress someone else. Tablet owners may feel more pressure to be well-informed because of the media resources at their disposal, as 52 percent of tablet owners admitted to lying about a story to impress someone else, versus 27 percent of non-tablet owners.
Americans like a good argument
Seventy percent of Americans will find any opportunity to argue with their friends about what's in the news cycle regardless of topic. Politics was the primary subject for debate with 49 percent of survey respondents. Sports came in second with 32 percent, followed by award show results (13 percent) and fashion trends (12 percent). Arguing aside, an overwhelming majority of Americans (94 percent) have discussed current events with their family, and 82 percent said they discuss current events topics frequently...
http://wsav.membercenter.worldnow.com/story/22688003/national-survey-finds-americans-say-tablets-make-them-smarter