![]() ![]() At the level of populations, we have experimental data when we're lucky, and correlational data when we're not. It's not that we can't learn about causal relationships in general, when we're studying populations rather than individuals. I don't have a twin in a parallel universe, matched in all respects except these, with whom to compare notes. And without a control group, we should be wary of making causal claims - the kinds of claims that so often form the basis for those narratives and for our sense of self.įor instance, was there something about being a woman that led me to pursue a career in cognitive psychology rather than analytic philosophy? Was there something about my upbringing that shaped my current attitudes towards child rearing? I don't know. Now, as an adult and as an experimental psychologist, the poem reminds me that when it comes to our personal narratives about how we came to be the people we are today, we never get a control group. The poem helped me appreciate that my own characteristics - which felt somehow immutable, even necessary - were highly contingent. ![]() ![]() Our History teacher says, "Be proud you're Canadians."My father says, "You can be proud you're Jewish."My mother says, "Stand up straight, Kate.Be proud you're tall."So I'm proud.But what I want to know is,When did I have the chance to beNorwegian or Buddhist or short? ![]()
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