Chapter 1, Problem 2FDD

Critical Thinking:

Do Male Symphony Conductors Really Live Longer?

Several media reports made the interesting observation that male symphony conductors live longer than other males. John Amaral wrote in Awaken that orchestra conductors “live longer than almost any other group of people by three to seven years.” Robert Levine wrote in Polyphonic.org that they live longer “because they stand up while working.” Some provided other explanations for this phenomenon, often referring to cardiovascular activity. But do male symphony conductors really live longer than other groups of males? The Internet can be researched for possible answers. Let’s also consider the following.

2. It is reasonable to assume that males do not become symphony conductors until they have reached at least the age of 40 years. When comparing life spans of male conductors, should we compare them to other males in the general population, or should we compare them to other males who lived until at least 40 years of age? Explain.