Failures of Self-Control: More Data
Just when you worried that preference reversals weren’t real: Professional bookmakers rarely accept bets from individuals who directly control the outcome of the bet. We analyse a unique exception to this rule and a potential policy innovation in the battle against obesity: a weight loss betting market. If obese individuals have time-inconsistent preferences then commitment [...]
Paul Meehl via Andrew Gelman
Andrew Gelman points out that there is now a website devoted entirely to Paul Meehl. In my mind, Paul Meehl was one of the greatest psychologists of the 20th century. Few other people in our field were more level-headed or insightful. Every paper written by Meehl is a delight to read, so this is a [...]
IQ, Intelligence and Hypocrisy
Razib’s recent post on IQ at Gene Expression contained a particularly poignant passage that I thought I should quote: Of course, there is “believe,” and then there is believe. The same people who don’t believe in intelligence are proud of their GRE scores, convinced that Republicans and religious people have lower IQ’s, and outraged when [...]
And the Teslas Just Keep on Coming
I think this Youtube video does a far better job of showcasing the dangers of MRI machines than “The Magnetic Zone” video that Siemens distributes. I particularly enjoy the “take off” sound that the air cylinder makes three seconds into the clip.