Comments on: Why We Don’t Like to Tempt Fate http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/why-we-dont-like-to-tempt-fate/ Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:39:20 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Maddie http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/why-we-dont-like-to-tempt-fate/#comment-1736 Maddie Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:56:23 +0000 http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/?p=1449#comment-1736 As a writer, I think the test should be reworded, they might get some faulty results from reader conditioning. Readers expect that when phrases like tempting the gods are met, they will be met with a failure. Mind you, I'm not sure how they should reword it. As a writer, I think the test should be reworded, they might get some faulty results from reader conditioning. Readers expect that when phrases like tempting the gods are met, they will be met with a failure. Mind you, I’m not sure how they should reword it.

]]> By: brucehood http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/why-we-dont-like-to-tempt-fate/#comment-1718 brucehood Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:17:54 +0000 http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/?p=1449#comment-1718 Oh I see your point now- that if it was a close thing then people are more likely to look towards luck factors. I just checked the paper and they simply say that Jon was applying to grad school and Stanford was his first choice. I suspect the authors felt that Jon had the sufficient grades and that it was really now down to a matter of chance to whether or not he got in to Stanford. Oh I see your point now- that if it was a close thing then people are more likely to look towards luck factors.

I just checked the paper and they simply say that Jon was applying to grad school and Stanford was his first choice. I suspect the authors felt that Jon had the sufficient grades and that it was really now down to a matter of chance to whether or not he got in to Stanford.

]]> By: Bjørn Østman http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/why-we-dont-like-to-tempt-fate/#comment-1716 Bjørn Østman Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:26:56 +0000 http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/?p=1449#comment-1716 But that's asking them to make up their minds about something which there isn't any real way to assess (at least that's the point, right, that everyone knows wearing the t-shirt or not makes no difference). That way the emphasis on the t-shirt is inflated. If they were all told that Jon did really well on his GRE, and he had a very good interview with a professor there, then it may end up that the info about the t-shirt means nothing to both groups. But that’s asking them to make up their minds about something which there isn’t any real way to assess (at least that’s the point, right, that everyone knows wearing the t-shirt or not makes no difference). That way the emphasis on the t-shirt is inflated. If they were all told that Jon did really well on his GRE, and he had a very good interview with a professor there, then it may end up that the info about the t-shirt means nothing to both groups.

]]> By: brucehood http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/why-we-dont-like-to-tempt-fate/#comment-1715 brucehood Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:34:34 +0000 http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/?p=1449#comment-1715 Well I guess that's the point. Even if they were given additional information it would have to be equivalent for both groups- only the wearing or not wearing t-shirt would have to be the independent measure under investigation. The effect is not massive but statistically significant. Well I guess that’s the point. Even if they were given additional information it would have to be equivalent for both groups- only the wearing or not wearing t-shirt would have to be the independent measure under investigation. The effect is not massive but statistically significant.

]]> By: Bjørn Østman http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/why-we-dont-like-to-tempt-fate/#comment-1714 Bjørn Østman Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:21:47 +0000 http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/?p=1449#comment-1714 Wait, what information did the students have to evaluate chances of getting into Stanford on? Only whether he was wearing the t-shirt. If so, then that leaves the students with no relevant information at all (except, perhaps, that his mother is confident), and all inference are based on the t-shirt. That doesn't seem like a very good setup to me. Wait, what information did the students have to evaluate chances of getting into Stanford on? Only whether he was wearing the t-shirt. If so, then that leaves the students with no relevant information at all (except, perhaps, that his mother is confident), and all inference are based on the t-shirt. That doesn’t seem like a very good setup to me.

]]> By: brucehood http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/why-we-dont-like-to-tempt-fate/#comment-1713 brucehood Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:45:35 +0000 http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/?p=1449#comment-1713 I would be interested to know your interpretation on this study I would be interested to know your interpretation on this study

]]> By: Konrad Talmont-Kaminski http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/why-we-dont-like-to-tempt-fate/#comment-1712 Konrad Talmont-Kaminski Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:18:57 +0000 http://brucemhood.wordpress.com/?p=1449#comment-1712 Funny you should blog about this article. It so happens that I am currently working with a couple of colleagues on an alternative interpretation of the results. Funny you should blog about this article. It so happens that I am currently working with a couple of colleagues on an alternative interpretation of the results.

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