The Cabrera Lab Podcast #94: Fast. Right. Adaptive. The Power of Practicing Is/Is Not List
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Nov 19, 2025 Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera delve into the powerful thinking skill of defining what something is and is not. This essential distinction helps clarify communication, fosters personal growth, and reduces confusion in relationships and teams. They break down complex ideas like construct validity in social sciences and emphasize how clear boundaries lead to efficient decision-making. With practical examples, they illustrate how mastering these distinctions accelerates thinking, ultimately making it faster and more accurate. The conversation highlights the transformative effect of practice in navigating complexities.
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Meaning Comes From Organization
- Meaning equals information times organization, so organization creates meaning.
- People often argue about words instead of how information is organized.
Construct Validity Explains Disagreement
- Construct validity asks whether we measure what we claim to measure.
- Social constructs like empathy vary because people organize evidence differently.
Build An Is/Is Not List
- Use an 'Is / Is Not' list to draw boundaries for any concept.
- Explicitly list what X is and what X is not to create clarity.