deepti1206 wrote:
In an experiment, researchers played a series of musical intervals - two-note sequences - to a large diverse group of six-month old babies. They found that the babies paid significantly more attention when the intervals were perfect octaves, fifths, or fourths than otherwise. These intervals are prevalent in the musical systems of most cultures around the world. Thus, humans probably have a biological predisposition to pay more attention to those intervals than to others.
Which one of the following, if true most strengthens the argument?
(A) Several similar experiments using older children and adults found that these subjects, too, had a general tendency to pay more attention to octaves, fifths, and fourths than to other musical intervals.
(B) None of the babies in the experiment had previous exposure to music from any culture.
(C) All of the babies in the experiment had been exposed to music drawn equally from a wide variety of cultures around the world.
(D) In a second experiment, these same babies showed no clear tendency to notice primary colors more than other colors.
(E) Octaves, fifths, and fourths were played more frequently during the experiment than other musical intervals were.
EXPLANATION FROM POWER SCORE
Hmm. The evidence is, “Babies pay more attention to perfect octaves,” and, “Perfect octaves are prevalent in music around the world.” The conclusion is, “Therefore humans have a biological predisposition to pay more attention to perfect octaves.”
This seems fairly reasonable I suppose, but if I were the opposing attorney I would hammer on the “biological disposition” part. How do we know babies didn’t learn to pay attention to perfect octaves from their parents? What came first: the chicken or the egg? Isn’t it possible, since perfect octaves are prevalent around the world, that babies immediately start to be indoctrinated with perfect octaves as soon as they’re born (nay, while they are in the womb!), and therefore tend to pay attention to perfect octaves in scientific experiments? The speaker here hasn’t proven this theory impossible, therefore it’s a hole in the argument.
We’re asked to strengthen the argument, so my first guess is that the correct answer will plug the hole we have identified. Something like, “It’s impossible to learn to pay attention to perfect octaves,” would plug the gap nicely. Let’s see.
A) This is irrelevant, since the issue is whether humans have a “biological disposition” to perfect octaves. In other words, older kids and adults are irrelevant. The point is: do newborns do it? How about babies in the womb? That’s what we’re really interested in.
B) Okay, this is good. If this is true, then the babies in the study couldn’t have been indoctrinated. Instead, they’re
naturally paying attention to perfect octaves. I like this answer.
C) Nah, who cares. It’s just not relevant if they heard music from one culture, or all cultures. What’s relevant is if they’d heard any music at all. B gets to that point.
D) Colors? **** off with that. Irrelevant.
E) I don’t see how this would possibly strengthen the argument. In fact, it’s probably a weakener, because if this is true then maybe the babies
got indoctrinated during the study itself.
Our answer is B.