Psychologist: Most people's blood pressure rises when they talk. But

Question

Psychologist: Most people's blood pressure rises when they talk. But extroverted people experience milder surges when they speak than do introverted people, for whom speaking is more stressful. This suggests that the increases result from the psychological stress of communicating rather than from the physical exertion of speech production.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the psychologist's argument?

(A) Medications designed to lower blood pressure do not keep the people who take them from experiencing blood-pressure fluctuations when speaking.

(B) In general, the lower one's typical blood pressure, the more one's blood pressure will increase under stress.

(C) Introverted people who do not have chronically high blood pressure often sense the rises in blood pressure that occur when they speak in conversation.

(D) Deaf people experience increased blood pressure when they sign, but no change when they move their hands for other reasons.

(E) Extroverted people are more likely to have chronically high blood pressure than are introverted people and are more likely to take medication to lower their blood pressure.

Rege1988 · Answer

Can you explain why is the answer is D and not E?

RahulSax · Answer

Stimulus 
Most people's blood pressure rises when they talk.
Extroverts experience smaller increases than introverts.
Since speaking is more stressful for introverts, the psychologist concludes that the increase in blood pressure is due to the psychological stress of communicating, not the physical exertion of producing speech.

Conclusion 
The rise in blood pressure is caused by the psychological stress of communication, rather than the physical act of speaking.

Assumption 
If communication occurs without speech, blood pressure should still rise. This would show that communication—not speech production—is responsible.

Evaluate the Options 
(A) Medications designed to lower blood pressure do not keep people from experiencing blood-pressure fluctuations when speaking.
Talks about medication.
Does not distinguish between psychological stress and physical exertion.
 Verdict:  ❌ Irrelevant

(B) In general, the lower one's typical blood pressure, the more one's blood pressure will increase under stress.
Introduces a relationship between baseline blood pressure and stress.
Does not address whether communication or speech causes the increase.
 Verdict:  ❌ Irrelevant

(C) Introverted people who do not have chronically high blood pressure often sense the rises in blood pressure that occur when they speak.
Whether people notice the increase has no effect on its cause.
 Verdict:  ❌ Irrelevant

(D) ✅ Correct Answer
Deaf people experience increased blood pressure when they sign, but no change when they move their hands for other reasons.
Why this strengthens:
Signing = communication without speech.
Blood pressure still rises while communicating.
Mere hand movement without communication causes no increase.
This isolates the true cause:
❌ Not physical movement.
✅ Psychological stress of communication.
This directly supports the psychologist's conclusion.
Verdict: ✅ Strongly Strengthens

(E) Extroverted people are more likely to have chronically high blood pressure than introverted people and are more likely to take medication to lower their blood pressure.
Introduces an alternative explanation.
Smaller increases among extroverts could be due to medication rather than lower communication stress.
Verdict: ❌ Weakens the argument

Final Answer : (D)

guddo · Answer

Psychologist: Most people's blood pressure rises when they talk. But extroverted people experience milder surges when they speak than do introverted people, for whom speaking is more stressful. This suggests that the increases result from the psychological stress of communicating rather than from the physical exertion of speech production.
 
 Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the psychologist's argument?

The psychologist argues that blood-pressure increases during speaking are caused by the stress of communicating, not by the physical effort of producing speech.  The strongest support should separate communication from physical speech production  and show that communication itself can raise blood pressure.

(A) Medications designed to lower blood pressure do not keep the people who take them from experiencing blood-pressure fluctuations when speaking.

This does not distinguish psychological stress from physical speech production. It only says medication does not eliminate fluctuations.

(B) In general, the lower one's typical blood pressure, the more one's blood pressure will increase under stress.

This discusses stress generally, but it does not connect speaking-related increases specifically to communication rather than physical speech effort.

(C) Introverted people who do not have chronically high blood pressure often sense the rises in blood pressure that occur when they speak in conversation.

This confirms that introverts notice the rise, but it does not explain whether the cause is stress or physical exertion.

(D) Deaf people experience increased blood pressure when they sign, but no change when they move their hands for other reasons.

This is correct. Signing involves communication but not speech production. If blood pressure rises during signing but not during other hand movement, that supports the idea that the rise comes from the  stress of communicating , not from physical movement.

(E) Extroverted people are more likely to have chronically high blood pressure than are introverted people and are more likely to take medication to lower their blood pressure.

This does not strengthen the argument. It introduces other possible explanations for differences in blood-pressure changes.

Answer: (D)

Stella5200 · Answer

The way I did it was:

After-read: what would strengthen?: That it is communication strain and not physical strain that increases BP:

D is the only one that shows that there is a communication strain but not a physical strain.

you must pre-answer accurately.

Psychologist: Most people's blood pressure rises when they talk. But

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Psychologist: Most people's blood pressure rises when they talk. But

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