4.33 Causes: Manipulable causes (Discussion)

• Q: Can we manipulate height/ethnic background?
  
  
  

• Generally differentiate between..

  1. Variables on which individuals can change throughout their life
  2. Variables on which individuals can not change throughout their life
     • …but we can always think of a thought experiment!

• Visualize variables that are constant and changable across time in front of your eye.
  
  

• Can variables that do not change interact with variables that can change?

  • Q: Why are women paid less on average for the same job? What is the mechanism?

• Q: Are manipulable causes potentially more interesting for social scientists? Why?
  • See debate on genopolitics
    • Bartels: Your genes influence your political views. So what?
      • Hibbing: Why biology belongs in the study of politics (more 1, 2, 3)