On Sat, 1 Apr 2000, David Likely wrote:
> Stephen Black wrote, in a letter about reports of surprising coincidences in
> the lives of twins,
> >The problem is in deciding whether they are less rare than for any two
> individuals compared at random.
about which David commented:
> I would have thought that there is a more fundamental problem. To use what in
> this country is called unparliamentary language, I imagine that many of these
> reports are simply lies.
>
Now there's a provocative comment about this research I haven't heard
before. The coincidence claims, I recall, come from respected
academics, such as Thomas Bouchard, in respected publications. Don't
have anything handy at home to cite, but I recall one in particular
which proposed the concept of "emergenesis" to explain the
coincidences. Also, I've heard it said that because of the Cyril Burt
scandal (where there _is_ a strong case for fabrication), the
researchers in the Minnesota twin study took scrupulous care to
document everything to prevent similar accusations against their work.
They know that Leon Kamin is out there watching every move they make.
David, is it possible you're confusing this more recent research with
the Cyril Burt embarrassment? Or do you have some particular basis for
your accusations?
-Stephen
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Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC
J1M 1Z7
Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at:
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