It is widely assumed that people need to engage in intellectual activities such as solving crossword puzzles or mathematics problems in order to maintain mental sharpness as they age. In fact, however, simply talking to other people—that is, participating in social interaction, which engages many mental and perceptual skills—suffices. Evidence to this effect comes from a study showing that the more social contact people report, the better their mental skills.
Premise 1: There is a general assumption that people need to engage in intellectual activities (such as solving crossword puzzles or mathematics problems) in order to maintain mental sharpness as they age. (This is in the form of ‘some number of people, say X, however Y...”)
Premise 2: There is a study showing that the more social contact people report, the better their mental skills. (This study merely shows co-relation (positive co-relation) between the two events.)
Conclusion: In fact, however, simply talking to other people—that is, participating in social interaction, which engages many mental and perceptual skills—suffices.
Pre thinking:
Before diving into solution, lets take a moment to think the error/ flaw in reasoning:
The author makes a causal statement (social interaction increases mental skills, and is sufficient) basis a study which simply shows a positive correlation between Social Interaction and Mental Skills). So, any answer choice, which points to this flaw in reasoning will be a bang on point weakener. In addition, any answer choice, which weakens the cause-effect relationship will also be correct option:
A. As people grow older, they are often advised to keep exercising their physical and mental capacities to maintain or improve them.
This is ‘shell game’ trap, elements identical from the stimulus have been used, but this option is not weakening the conclusion in any way. Read closely, the stimulus already indicates that social interaction engages, many mental and perceptual skills. We can eliminate this.
B. Many medical conditions and treatments that adversely affect a person's mental sharpness also tend to increase that person's social isolation. This statement indicates that the two events are merely correlated. Further, it also indicates that mental sharpness tends to facilitate social interaction (indicating that the cause and effect relation is actually reversed, that is the stated cause is actually the effect, and the stated effect is actually the cause).
C. Many people are proficient both in social interaction and in solving mathematical problem. This is opposite of weaking. It is a strengthener, this is in line with the conclusion of the argument, “...... that the more social contact people report, the better their mental skills.”
D. The study did not itself collect data but analysed data bearing on the issue from prior studies. This is out of scope, and does not weaken because it does not mention anything about the ‘prior studies’ – we can’t assume that the prior studies were flawed or erred.
Note: This option could have been a 100% weakener, had it mentioned that the prior data was inaccurate or provided any evidence to the effect that the study used data was error in any way possible.
E. The task evaluating mental sharpness for which data was collected by the study were more akin to mathematical problem than to conversation. This option does two things: (i) it is validating the soundness of the study, and (ii) eliminating the possibility that cause-effect relationship can be reversed; and in each case it is strengthening the causation.
WillGetIt
It is widely assumed that people need to engage in intellectual activities such as solving crossword puzzles or mathematics problems in order to maintain mental sharpness as they age. In fact, however, simply talking to other people—that is, participating in social interaction, which engages many mental and perceptual skills—suffices. Evidence to this effect comes from a study showing that the more social contact people report, the better their mental skills.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the force of the evidence cited?
(A) As people grow older, they are often advised to keep exercising their physical and mental capacities in order to maintain or improve them.
(B) Many medical conditions and treatments that adversely affect a person's mental sharpness also tend to increase that person's social isolation.
(C) Many people are proficient both in social interactions and in solving mathematical problems.
(D) The study did not itself collect data but analyzed data bearing on the issue from prior studies.
(E) The tasks evaluating mental sharpness for which data were compiled by the study were more akin to mathematics problems than to conversation.
Similar Official Question : LINKStaying Sharp
Step 1: Identify the Question
The word weakens in the question stem indicates that this is a Weaken the Argument question.
Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument
Assump: intell activities nec to stay sharp w/ aging
BUT: study shows + social contact → + mental skills
© social contact is enough to stay sharp
Step 3: Pause and State the Goal
In a Weaken problem, the right answer will make the conclusion less likely to be correct. In this case, the right answer will suggest that social contact alone isn’t enough to maintain mental sharpness as one ages. It might suggest that the study’s conclusions were faulty, or that something else is needed in addition to social contact.
Step 4: Work from Wrong to Right
(A) This answer choice describes a suggestion that some people give to older people. The suggestion is based on a particular assumption: that older people need mental exercise in order to stay sharp. However, even though people buy into this assumption and even give advice based on it, it could still be incorrect. The well-meaning advisors could actually be basing their advice on incorrect information.
(B) CORRECT. The argument clams that social contact causes better mental skills. This might not actually be the case. If illness limits both social contact and mental acuity, then the study would be correct in noting that social contact is associated with better mental skills. However, it would be wrong to conclude that one causes the other, since a third factor—good health—actually causes both of them (i.e. healthy people are more likely to have strong mental sharpness and significant social interactions).
(C) This doesn’t weaken the link between social contact and mental sharpness. The answer choice doesn’t specify whether these proficient people are or aren’t mentally sharp. If they do maintain their mental sharpness, it could still be attributable to social contact, mental exercise, both, or neither. (Also, note that someone who is proficient in solving mathematical problems doesn’t necessarily solve math problems regularly.)
(D) This answer choice attacks the methods used by a study, rather than that study’s conclusions. Typically, as in this case, these answer choices are incorrect. The issue is that, only using the information in the argument and the answer choice, there’s no way to know whether studies that analyze data are less accurate than studies that collect original data. You may have personal beliefs about the matter, but the right answer to a Critical Reasoning problem will only ever use information found within the argument, with very few exceptions.
(E) The conclusion states that social contact improves mental skills. This could be true regardless of how mental skills are tested. Perhaps social contact improves performance on math problems.
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05 Apr 2024, 10:45
