A survey was recently given to all high school students

Question

A survey was recently given to all high school students in a certain town to measure the effect of environmental factors on attitudes and behavior, and the results indicated that students who play a minimum of two hours per day of violent video games are more likely to engage in violent behavior in school and at home. Therefore, playing violent video games encourages violence among teens.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above?

A. The same survey was conducted in a neighboring town with similar results.

B. Playing violent video games keeps violent teenagers at home and prevents them from engaging in publicly aggressive behavior.

C. The survey used a standard question format that did not allow students to produce responses that could not be interpreted incorrectly.

D. Students who play violent video games often have a history of behavioral issues leading back to early childhood.

E. The survey was given over a period of days to ensure that all students attending the high school would participate.

apoorv601 · Answer

D
Conclusion - playing violent video games encourages violence among teens
Premises - results indicated that students who play a minimum of two hours per day of violent video games are more likely to engage in violent behavior in school and at home
Weaken - That violent students only play violent video games

Patronus · Answer

Conclusion: Playing video games encourages violence (C -> E)
Weakener: Alternate C -> E

A. The same survey was conducted in a neighboring town with similar results.
 Strengthens the argument

B. Playing violent video games keeps violent teenagers at home and prevents them from
engaging in publicly aggressive behavior.
 Just the first part "playing violent video games keeps violent teenagers" strengthens the argument

C. The survey used a standard question format that did not allow students to produce
responses that could not be interpreted incorrectly.
 Strengthens the argument by saying the survey was a fair representation of the group

D. Students who play violent video games often have a history of behavioral issues leading
back to early childhood.
 This (past history of behavioral issues) shows there is an alternate cause for their violent behavior and "playing video games" as the argument cited is not the ONLY reason for the effect

E. The survey was given over a period of days to ensure that all students attending the high
school would participate.
 Strengthens the argument by saying the survey was a fair representation of the group

Answer: D

sashibagra · Answer

I read and picked B ! but its a trap, no wonder. I went back and reanalyzed it. Like as it says, Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument above? Option D supports it most. Option B saying that by playing teens need to stay home more, but today we have access to many mobile devices like laptops, cell phones, tablets etc. so one doesn't really need to stay home and play with home PC for violent video games. On the other hand option D says that violent teens have behavioral issues leading back to early childhood. So D will be best here.

mvictor · Answer

we have a cause->effect argument.
cause - playing video games
effect - increased aggressiveness.

we can identify 3 possible weakeners:
1. effect happened before the cause
2. the effect led to the cause
3. there was another factor that led to the effect.

we can eliminate all but B and D. B seems to strengthen the argument. D seems more strong, and thus D is the best answer.

chesstitans · Answer

broall , do you know what the source of this question is?

Although this question and the answer D are two important patterns in gmat, I do not think this question will be one of official questions b/c this question sounds like a self-made question. Now, a moderator will verify the source of the question.

VerbalBot · Answer

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A survey was recently given to all high school students

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