12 Days of Christmas GMAT Competition - Day 4: In a certain experiment

Manhattan Prep Official Explanation

Step 1: Identify the Question

The word weaken in the question stem indicates that this is a Weaken question.

Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument

In this argument, the conclusion is stated at the end of the paragraph: Body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation. Although the Interviewers claimed to be able to predict which Respondents were lying based on their body language, their predictions were little better than random guessing—that is, not accurate.

Step 3: Pause and State the Goal

What assumptions are the researchers making? The researchers conducted this experiment in a way that introduces at least two concerns. First, there is no stated attempt to create a control group in the experiment. A better version of the experiment could have included a group of Interviewers and Respondents who were given no special directions on how to reply to the questions. Second, the researchers draw a conclusion about everyday life from one experiment conducted with conditions that differ substantially from real-life situations.

Another possible concern may be the participants themselves. There is no mention of whether the Interviewers have received even cursory instructions of how body language might indicate whether a person is lying. What if body language is a reliable indicator of lying, but only when evaluated by a trained eye?

Step 4: Work From Wrong to Right

(A) This answer choice suggests that the Interviewers may have been more attuned to the body language of the Respondents. However, if anything, this answer choice would suggest that the Interviewers’ predictions should have been more accurate. Since the predictions were not accurate, despite expectations, this answer choice actually strengthens the argument.

(B) People who are lying maintain continuous eye contact; what about people who are telling the truth? Even if one assumes that liars intentionally maintain eye contact and truth-tellers do not, that interpretation would strengthen the argument by reinforcing the expectation that body language would be an effective tool to determine whether a person was lying.

(C) CORRECT. This answer choice may seem irrelevant. Of course people in real life do not normally speak the truth or lie 100% of the time! But if people do not adhere to the strict roles of the experiment in real life, then the results of this experiment cannot be convincingly extrapolated to real-life. In other words, the experiment was too artificial to serve as an everyday life substitute, so the author’s conclusion is weakened.

(D) If anything, this answer choice would strengthen the argument, because it removes one potential variable from the experiment. If some of the participants were previously acquainted before the experiment, then some of the participants might have non-body language related clues to tell when someone was lying or telling the truth.

(E) If anything, this choice would strengthen the argument, because it removes one potential variable from the experiment. For example, what if the questions touched on very personal beliefs held by participants? The emotional impact of the question itself might somehow distort a Respondent’s behavior and make body language a less useful clue to whether that Respondent was lying. This answer choice removes that possible concern and would actually increase the expectation that body language would be a reliable indicator of whether a person is lying. Since body language was not a reliable indicator in this experiment, the researchers’ conclusion would be more convincing.
_________________

In a certain experiment, participants were placed into one of two groups: Interviewers or Respondents. Each Interviewer was given a standard list of questions to address to one Respondent, while observing the body language of that Respondent. Respondents were privately told either to lie in every response or to tell the truth in every response. Although each Interviewer reported that such indicators as shifting posture, level of eye contact, and hesitation before speaking allowed them to confidently predict who was or was not lying, the overall accuracy of the Interviewer’s predictions was little better than random guessing. The researchers concluded that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the researchers’ conclusion?

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it.
(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking.
(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth.
(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment.
If none of the participants know each other then researcher conclusion is not accurate.
(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs.

Summary:
Conclusion: body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation
Premise: Based on experiment.
Experiment: Interviewers (asks questions, observes body language) and Respondents (either always lie or never lie)
Result: overall accuracy was little better than random guessing

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the researchers’ conclusion?
-- to weaken it, we must see how body language must still be a good indicator (despite the results of this particular experiment)

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it.
- this will only make their predictions more reliable because they are observing properly, but results are not that convincing, so the conclusion stands

(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking.
- this is just a description of one possible difference in body language but it does not tell us why body language may still eb a good indicator

(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth.
- while this is true, it does not tell us why body language in this experiment would still be a good indicator. even in this case, if they are lying and body language is a good indicator of truthfulness, they should be caught -- but data is as good as random guesswork

(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment.
- that is fine. one may think that if they knew each other beforehand, they would know the mannerisms better and predict more accurately, but it will bias the experiment too. this still does not tell us why body language would still be a good indicator

(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs.
- if the individual does not feel strongly about the questions at all, they would not show any physical signs of lying because they may or may not strongly support any of the answers in their mind for the questions asked. this can seriously bias the study and its results

Answer: E

Note: Attempted this as a part of the Christmas challenge (answers not revealed yet). Let me know if there is an error.

IMO E
Since the respondents answers were not relevant to their personal beliefs, the respondents could provide opposite answers to the question thereby jeopardizing the experiment. Since the interviewers are focused with the physical response, they are also unaware about the exact response to the question

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it.

Correct Answer is A. not only body language is observed but the sentences and convocation style and voice changes are also observed.

Premise :
participants were placed into one of two groups: Interviewers or Respondents
Each Interviewer was given a standard list of questions to address to one Respondent, while observing the body language of that Respondent
Respondents were privately told either to lie in every response or to tell the truth in every response

each Interviewer reported that such indicators as shifting posture, level of eye contact, and hesitation before speaking allowed them to confidently predict who was or was not lying, the overall accuracy of the Interviewer’s predictions was little better than random guessing

conclusion :
The researchers concluded that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it. if asked to look into details of body language then people lying can be caught ...

(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking. .. this does not weaken conclusion
(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth. .. irrelevant to premise and conclusion
(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment. this does not weaken the conclusion

(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs. irrelevant

OPTION A is correct

We need to find option which says that body language is the accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness
(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it.No ,this does not weaken
(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking. This is strengthening the conclusion ,OUT
(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth.Out of scope
(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment. Correct .since participants cant compare the change in body language
(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs.Doesnot give any idea regarding the body language ,out

OA:D

Conclusion: researchers concluded that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday
conversation.
We have to weaken this conclusion

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it. - Extra attentive when told so. Not an accurate measure then. So doesn't weaken.
(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking. -Supports the conclusion
(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth. -- Too general statement
(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment. - Doesn't weaken or strengthen
(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs.
- This weakens. Because this can be the reason the predictions were not accurate.

In a certain experiment, participants were placed into one of two groups: Interviewers or Respondents. Each Interviewer was given a standard list of questions to address to one Respondent, while observing the body language of that Respondent. Respondents were privately told either to lie in every response or to tell the truth in every response. Although each Interviewer reported that such indicators as shifting posture, level of eye contact, and hesitation before speaking allowed them to confidently predict who was or was not lying, the overall accuracy of the Interviewer’s predictions was little better than random guessing.

Conclusion : The researchers concluded that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the researchers’ conclusion?


The statement does not weaken the researcher's conclusion that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation since more attention to body language should increase the accuracy and its prediction which did not happen.
Incorrect


The statement weakens the researcher's conclusion since people who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking actually increase the perceived truthfulness and confuse the interviewers. This can happen in everyday conversations also.
Correct


The statement does not weaken the researcher's conclusion that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation since it does not relate to the experiment and its result.
Incorrect


This statement strengthens the researcher's conclusion since experiment was done without prior acquaintance of the participants.
Incorrect


The statement does not weaken the researcher's conclusion that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation since the experiment was not about the questions types but about truthfulness in answering them and their perceived truthfulness.
Incorrect

IMO B

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the researchers’ conclusion? We are looking for an answer that tells us that body language is an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday life. The passage makes a generalization about everyday life based on results of an experiment.

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it.----Even if this is so we don't know whether body language is accurate. How people behave in certain circumstances does not matter'

(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking. -- Ok but we do not know what ppl intentionally telling the truth do. What if they also make continuous eye contact? Then how can we say that body language is an accurate indicator?

(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth.--- This weakens the conclusion by saying that the generalization does not hold as the situation applicable in the experiment is not the same as the situation in everyday life.

(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment.--We don't know how aquaintance relates to making a judgement
(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs.---We dont know how the situation would differ in case personal beliefs did hold

Ans C

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it.

- doesn't give reason to weaken

(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking.

-shows this is an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness(weaken)

(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth.

- doesn't go with the pre-thinking of body language playing role of gauging truthfulness

(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment.

-Out of Scope

(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs.

- Type of Questions don't impact conclusion

In a certain experiment, participants were placed into one of two groups: Interviewers or Respondents. Each Interviewer was given a standard list of questions to address to one Respondent, while observing the body language of that Respondent. Respondents were privately told either to lie in every response or to tell the truth in every response. Although each Interviewer reported that such indicators as shifting posture, level of eye contact, and hesitation before speaking allowed them to confidently predict who was or was not lying, the overall accuracy of the Interviewer’s predictions was little better than random guessing. The researchers concluded that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the researchers’ conclusion?

Pre-thinking. The researchers concluded that 'body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation' primarily because the accuracy of the predictions was only 'little' better than random guessing. A 'weakener' needs to show that accuracy was much higher vis-a-vis random guessing.

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it.

No effect on the conclusion..it's a bare fact

(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking.

Indicator through 'continuous eye contact' has the potential to increase the accuracy..therefore, CORRECT option, since it'll weaken the conclusion of the argument.

(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth.
Universal truth..no effect on the conclusion

(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment.
'Out of scope' prompt

(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs.
Neutral tone as far as the effect on the concluson is concerned

(B) is the correct answer
_________________

As usual, great q by MGMAT.

A) This is a statement of general knowledge that does not impact the argument. Out.

B) Trap choice. "level of contact" is one of the judgements used by Interviewer group, but it is not specified if they were gauging by lack of eye contact, or prolonged eye contact. Out.

C) This could be true, and the argument would still stand. It does not tell us anything about the accuracy of body language.

D) Interesting choice. If this is true, then it is possible that body language is accurate, but the two people were just not well acquainted enough. So it was the lack of knowing the other person that caused inaccuracy, rather than body language itself.

E) Could be true. There is no reason for us to believe that everyday conversation would have profound questions however. Out.

D.

Weaken: body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it.
Paying more or less attention to body language is not the issue here

(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking.
Weaken. If someone who lies always maintain eye contact, so it can be figured out through body language that the person is lying

(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth.
If anything it strengthens the conclusion

(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment.
Out of scope

(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs.
Out of scope

Hence option B

Answer is C
In a certain experiment, participants were placed into one of two groups: Interviewers or Respondents. Each Interviewer was given a standard list of questions to address to one Respondent, while observing the body language of that Respondent. Respondents were privately told either to lie in every response or to tell the truth in every response. Although each Interviewer reported that such indicators as shifting posture, level of eye contact, and hesitation before speaking allowed them to confidently predict who was or was not lying, the overall accuracy of the Interviewer’s predictions was little better than random guessing. The researchers concluded that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the researchers’ conclusion?

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it. not related to the conclusion.
(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking. Irrelevant
(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth. Correct. Directly attacks the construct of the experiment, making the underlying experiment biased and thus undermining the conclusion
(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment. Irrelevant
(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs. out of scope

E is the answer.

In a certain experiment, participants were placed into one of two groups: Interviewers or Respondents. Each Interviewer was given a standard list of questions to address to one Respondent, while observing the body language of that Respondent. Respondents were privately told either to lie in every response or to tell the truth in every response. Although each Interviewer reported that such indicators as shifting posture, level of eye contact, and hesitation before speaking allowed them to confidently predict who was or was not lying, the overall accuracy of the Interviewer’s predictions was little better than random guessing. The researchers concluded that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the researchers’ conclusion?

Question Type:
[i]WEAKEN[/i]

Conclusion:
The researchers concluded that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

Premises:
--Experiment Interviewers watch the Respondent's body language to determine if the Respondent is lying.
--Interviewers thought they recognized lying accurately.
--Interviewers are not very accurate!

Weakness in the Argument?
YES!
This experiment does not match "everyday conversation" in a multitude of ways. Two big examples of these are listed:
--The Respondent is not blinded, neither is the Interviewer.
--CHOOSING to lie may have different "tells" than natural lying "in everyday conversation."
--OTHERS--keep this in mind while searching for the correct answer!

Flaw:
--There is no evidence provided to assess body language in natural conversation.

General Prediction:
"I need a reason that body language CAN BE an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness IN EVERYDAY Conversation"... or at least I need to create NO cause and effect relationship between what is noticed in the experiment and what happens in real conversation.

As I have a good general prediction, I will skim first to see if my prediction brings out an answer immediately:
I found the answer, but it didn't relate to my general prediction.
It DOES relate to the second thought about no cause and effect relationship between what is seen in the experiment and its predictive value regarding natural conversation. The answer also relates to the FLAWS/Weaknesses in the conversation and thinking about them made me an engaged reader and, I believe, thereby more able to pull out the correct answer.
Interpret the correct answer:
(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs. If the questions were innocuous, they may not elicit the normal tells of lies in normal conversation. The experiment is indeed NOT representative of everyday conversation and therefore cannot be used as a predictor regarding everyday conversation. This absolutely relates to the weakness in the argument... the experiment is not representative and cannot be used to make the conclusion that is being made. This WEAKENS the argument. The cause and effect relationship between the experiment and the conclusion is BROKEN!


Now to consider the other answers and determine that/how they are WRONG:
(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it. This wouldn't help us. Our Observers/Interviewers KNEW they were looking for signs of lying yet they missed it anyway! This would not WEAKEN the argument.

(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking.
So? They could have other "tells." This is immaterial to the fact that the Observers/Interviewers missed the lying in all ways. This does not help us to weaken the argument.

(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth.
Who cares? The interviewers missed all signs of lying. This is simply IRRELEVANT!

(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before the commencement of the experiment.
Ughhh. I'm done. Irrelevant. Who cares? Out of the Scope.

Conclusion: Body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation

(A) Many people become more attentive to others’ body language when specifically instructed to observe it. - Incorrect- if being extra attentive to other's body language doesn't help much in getting truth about lying then it make sense to stop paying attention to body language. it actually kinda strengthen the argument.
(B) People who are intentionally lying often maintain continuous eye contact with the person to whom they are speaking. - Correct- This option this tells that there is pattern about people who are lying so we can gauge if a person is lying by checking the frequency of eye contact, this actually weakens the argument by stating that body language can actually help in spotting the liars.
(C) In everyday conversation, practically no one always lies or always tells the truth. - Incorrect- Irrelevant
(D) None of the participants in the experiment were acquainted with each other before commencement of the experiment. - Incorrect - Irrelevant
(E) The questions used in the experiment were innocuous questions with no relevance to an individual’s personal beliefs. - Incorrect - irrelevant

The conclusion of the prompt is that body language is not an accurate measurement of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

Inorder to weaken this we need to find an option where it provides evidence that body language is in fact a measure of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation.

A. This doesn't really weaken the conclusion since it does not tell us whether or not body language is a good measure or not hence not the answer
B. This one suggests that people who lie tend to maintain eye contact which the prompt addressed as being an indicator of perceived truthfulness -- often is a little vague this could mean some people do maintain eye contact when lying some people don't

C. doesn't tell us about body language -- not the answer
D. Doesn't relate to the conclusion in anyway

E. This one suggests that the questions were such that the participants would not have opinions of their own. So even if they were told to lie this would have no impact on body language since the participant likely doesn't feel like they are lying -- hence E is the answer that weakens the conclusion since it suggests that the research method was flawed

(A) Incorrect. This does not weaken the researchers' conclusion because it does not affect the accuracy of the Interviewers' predictions.
(B) Incorrect. This does not weaken the researchers' conclusion because it is consistent with the researchers' findings that the Interviewers were able to make confident predictions based on body language.
(D) Incorrect. This does not weaken the researchers' conclusion because the familiarity of the participants with each other is not relevant to the accuracy of the Interviewers' predictions.
(E) Incorrect. This does not weaken the researchers' conclusion because the nature of the questions being asked is not relevant to the accuracy of the Interviewers' predictions.

(C) This is correct. This would weaken the researchers' conclusion that body language is not an accurate gauge of perceived truthfulness in everyday conversation

C is the answer