TRC #389: Left-Right Confusion + Cats Meow Only At Humans? + Superforecasting Review

left-and-rightOn this week’s show, Pat hands us an interesting segment about why some people have trouble telling their left from their right.  Adam “mewses” whether adult cats only meow at humans and not each other. Finally, Darren predicts you may find the recent book Superforecasting:The Art and Science of Prediction by Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner well worth a read.

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Left-Right Confusion

Test for Left Right Confusion – Washington University

Outpatient Surgery Article

Study – Self-report of Right-Left Confusion in College Men and Women

National Post: Left Right Confusion and Consequences In Hospitals

Research – Impact of Distraction On Left Right Confusion

IFLS: Why Some People Have Trouble Telling Left From Right

Study: Laterality Errors in Radiology Reports

Wikipedia: Sterile Cockpit Rule

CHPSO: Laterality Errors

Cats Meow Only At Humans?

Cat communication – Wikipedia

Meowing and Yowling – ASPCA

Superforecasting Review

Economist Review

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10 Responses to TRC #389: Left-Right Confusion + Cats Meow Only At Humans? + Superforecasting Review

  1. R. Marc says:

    I have R/L confusion. I always thought it was just me. I’m not sure if this elucidating, probably just anecdotal, but I’m the twin of a left handed sibling (I am right handed). She doesn’t have this problem. I’ve had this issue for as long as I remember. Also, another anecdote, police don’t believe this even when told (perhaps I need a doctors note). I’ve been taken downtown for a breathalyzer because of it.

    I’ll also note that I learned Spanish as an adult , and I don’t have this issue in that language. In fact, when I have my wife/children give me directions I insist they do it in Spanish; if they wanna get where they are going (they wife and children’s first language is Spanish).

  2. Kerstin says:

    More anecdotal evidence on cat communication: when I was seven, we moved to a neighborhood on the outskirts of town. My brother and I quickly noticed a cat and three kittens that were living wild in the surrounding fields and gardens. We learned from other neighbors that the former cat owner had died some time ago and the cat had been living on her own outside since then. The kittens obviously had never had human owners. We spent a lot of time, effort and food domesticating these cats. They never behaved like other house cats, and the lack of meowing was one notable example. As a consequence, I’ve always found more traditional pet cats, especially indoor cats, somewhat weird.

  3. Joey says:

    One of our cats meows at the other cats.

    I think our situation is a bit rare, as she spent 5 years in a rescue shelter surrounded by other cats, and has never acclimated to humans (including us). The main cat she meows to is her brother, Toonces (reunited after those 5 years). If they’re cuddling together, and Toonces leaves to seek our attention, his sister will clearly meow at him (looking in his direction) and will stop if he returns.

    She’ll also meow at the other female if she’s asleep or in a different room and we’re bringing food.

    The other two cats only meow at us.

  4. Sirena says:

    Do the meows have to be reciprocated?
    My cat is 7, male, 100% indoor only, and fixed as a kitten. There are stray cats in my neighborhood and they will sit in my yard and stair at my cat sitting in the window or at the back door. My cat meows at them, like he does at me, I do not believe I have heard the other cats meow at all. He also makes a really cute coo-ing sound when there are birds in the yard.

  5. are2dto says:

    It’s “University of Washington”, not “Washington University” 🙂

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