Dr. Ellen Langer

So here we have schools all over the country teaching these absolutes, propagated in magazines, newspapers, taught by our parents, taught to each other, all that are limiting us and causing the problems that we keep trying to solve and how easy it would be.

if we just acknowledge everybody doesn't know something, everybody knows something else, everybody can't do something, everyone can do something else. So when you're grading that paper and you're so sure that this paper just doesn't make it, to presume that every smart person in the world would evaluate that the same way, I find distasteful.

if we just acknowledge everybody doesn't know something, everybody knows something else, everybody can't do something, everyone can do something else. So when you're grading that paper and you're so sure that this paper just doesn't make it, to presume that every smart person in the world would evaluate that the same way, I find distasteful.

if we just acknowledge everybody doesn't know something, everybody knows something else, everybody can't do something, everyone can do something else. So when you're grading that paper and you're so sure that this paper just doesn't make it, to presume that every smart person in the world would evaluate that the same way, I find distasteful.

So, Constance, you know, you give tests in school to find out what people don't know. Give tests to find out what they do know.

So, Constance, you know, you give tests in school to find out what people don't know. Give tests to find out what they do know.

So, Constance, you know, you give tests in school to find out what people don't know. Give tests to find out what they do know.

And I think all of us, at least in this country- Well, what I'm saying is something a little different, is you're saying how to remember, which I agree with that completely. But I'm saying that when we're testing people, We, whoever the we is, decided what is important to know to see does that student know that, ignoring all the other things that student must know.

And I think all of us, at least in this country- Well, what I'm saying is something a little different, is you're saying how to remember, which I agree with that completely. But I'm saying that when we're testing people, We, whoever the we is, decided what is important to know to see does that student know that, ignoring all the other things that student must know.

And I think all of us, at least in this country- Well, what I'm saying is something a little different, is you're saying how to remember, which I agree with that completely. But I'm saying that when we're testing people, We, whoever the we is, decided what is important to know to see does that student know that, ignoring all the other things that student must know.

You know, I said this before that when I was lecturing in South Africa and they put me up in this very fancy hotel and I had taken a few hours off and I was down by the pool. And, you know, there was this enormous amount of the hotel space, real estate, that was totally unused. The only person who knew that was the lowly cabana boy. who nobody is going to ask what his opinion is.

You know, I said this before that when I was lecturing in South Africa and they put me up in this very fancy hotel and I had taken a few hours off and I was down by the pool. And, you know, there was this enormous amount of the hotel space, real estate, that was totally unused. The only person who knew that was the lowly cabana boy. who nobody is going to ask what his opinion is.

You know, I said this before that when I was lecturing in South Africa and they put me up in this very fancy hotel and I had taken a few hours off and I was down by the pool. And, you know, there was this enormous amount of the hotel space, real estate, that was totally unused. The only person who knew that was the lowly cabana boy. who nobody is going to ask what his opinion is.

You know, everybody has a perspective that can add to the, you know, the larger piece. And by having this idea of there are those of us on top, we really know, you know, people expect, and I'm given this genius award. And, you know, shortly afterwards, every time I say, and you're supposed to be a genius, I never claimed genius.

You know, everybody has a perspective that can add to the, you know, the larger piece. And by having this idea of there are those of us on top, we really know, you know, people expect, and I'm given this genius award. And, you know, shortly afterwards, every time I say, and you're supposed to be a genius, I never claimed genius.

You know, everybody has a perspective that can add to the, you know, the larger piece. And by having this idea of there are those of us on top, we really know, you know, people expect, and I'm given this genius award. And, you know, shortly afterwards, every time I say, and you're supposed to be a genius, I never claimed genius.

Labels hide all the ambiguity. We can use grades. When I give a student an A versus a B, it sounds like they're very different. But imagine, and I've studied this with respect to health,

Labels hide all the ambiguity. We can use grades. When I give a student an A versus a B, it sounds like they're very different. But imagine, and I've studied this with respect to health,

Labels hide all the ambiguity. We can use grades. When I give a student an A versus a B, it sounds like they're very different. But imagine, and I've studied this with respect to health,

that the person who gets an 89, so you go from an 80 to an 89, you get a B, a 90 to 100, you get an A, nobody in their right mind would think there's a real difference between the person who's gotten the 89 and the person who's gotten the 90. But their worlds become very different. You know, all the ambiguity is hidden. We studied this. It's the borderline effect, as we call it.