Experiment...

I was bored today. So I decided to do an experiment of sorts - I would test out my hypothesis on my friends (well, the ones that were on skype at the time - yes this is a convienince sample. Thank you AP stats).

I wanted to find out if people with different career paths thought differently. So I presented each of them with a set of silly questions designed to produce some sort of creative thinking. Since this is not an actual experiement, you will see my answers too. That's legal. It's my experiment.

Okay, first, a little background. I interviewed four people (myself included).

I asked them what their dream job would be. Our answers were, in no particular order (to protect Joanna's identity... oh damn... :)) are mechanical engineer, magazine editor, pediatric occupational therapist (OT), and manager of a non-profit which will help to educate the less fortunate by building schools, providing books, and training teachers. For easy reading, their answers will be color coded.

Here are our majors. All of us are either freshmen or sophmores in college, having graduated together in 2009. Engineering, new media publishing, occupational science, and english/soon to be switched to international studies.

So already some differences have become clear. The english major is more wordy with her answers. Just wait until you see the real questions. :)

Question 1: If you were a cannibal, what would you wear to dinner?
Answers:
A big bulky parka so none of my fellow diners look at me for dessert.
Something nice to attract my dinner.
Clothing. But that wouldn't be an issue because I would pretty much kill myself before I resorted to cannibalism.
My normal clothes.
Analysis: First, notice how the english/international studies major is not only the wordiest, but also the only one who mentions the amorality of cannibalism. The engineering major seems to be focused on solving the problem (aka securing the food), while the future OT is focused on the results/consequences. Unfortunately, the future magazine editor does not offer much data on this question, as she seems relatively unfazed by the question.

Question 2: Why is it that if someone told you there are a billion stars, you would believe him, but if someone told you there was wet paint on the wall, you would have to touch it to be sure?
*There is not much difference between answers here, but notice the differences in wording, and the oddball :)

Answers:
Because how would you test that theory? If someone said there are a billion stars, you couldn't prove or disprove that. Now, wet paint on the wall - that you can check yourself.
Because you can't verify that there are a billion stars, but you can make sure that the paint is in fact wet or that the person is a lying bufoon.
Experiential learning! (shameless shoutout to Keuka!)- People naturally learn by figuring things out themselves.
I wouldn't touch it.
Analysis: Lame answer from the engineer. Also, notice how the future editor spins her answer - it is way more dramatic and attention grabbing than the other answers - like a headline.

Question 3: What do you plant to grow a seedless watermelon?
Answers:
Pollination
The rind from a seedless watermelon
Plant the whole watermelon. Or just plant the seeds. They're just a variation.
Why do we as humans create species/mutations that cannot naturally reproduce? Then again, we use this same theory on humans. By prolonging the lives of people with genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, we are allowing for those genes to be carried on.
Analysis: Everyone but the future OT gives a direct and reasonably logical answer. The OT relates it to health care. What a suprise.

Question 4: What would a chair look like if your knees bent the other way?
Answers:
Spherical, like an exercise ball.
The same.
We wouldn't have chairs. I can't picture them. My mind doesn't work that way.
The chairs would have to be more like a recliner, and be able to stand you up like those chairs they make for paraplegics - or that guy's chair in Private Practice. The whole world would have to be redesigned. Proves that humans are designed quite well.
Analysis: Lame answer from the engineer again. I mean, especially because your job is going to be to design stuff. The english/international studies major shows why she is majoring in and aspiring to more social fields. She does not think with that visual/design component like the engineer needs to. Her job will be based on people skills and networking.The OT's answer shows that her education is serving her well. Most suprising though is the editor's answer. Maybe people's job choice isn't dependent on their thinking style, I mean, the editor gives a wonderful and out of the box answer, which shows why interdisciplinary cooperation is useful.