Psychologists conducted a series of experiments to test the effect upo

Question

Psychologists conducted a series of experiments to test the effect upon schoolchildren of violence in films. In the first experiment, grammar school children were shown a film that included scenes of a male teenager engaging in violent acts against others, such as punching, pushing, and kicking. During a free-play session following the film viewing, 42 percent of the children were observed to engage in one or more violent acts similar to those in the film. In a second experiment, a different group of children was shown a similar film featuring a female teenager. Only 14 percent of the children were observed behaving violently afterward. The psychologists concluded that children are more likely to imitate violent behavior on film when a male model is shown than when a female model is shown.

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

(A) In both experiments, the victims of the filmed violence included both males and females.

(B) In the second experiment, 28 percent of the children appeared upset during the viewing the violent film scenes.

(C) The first group included 19 male students and 20 female students; the second group included 20 male students and 21 female students.

(D) In the first group, 58 percent of the children appeared bored during the showing of the film, and 12 percent fell asleep.

(E) The percentage of children known to have discipline problems prior to the experiment was greater in the first group than in the second group.

mikeCoolBoy · Accepted Answer

one more vote for E. Here's my line of reasoning.

This stimulus falls into a common reasoning pattern in which the author concludes that because two groups of people, one that is supplied with a product whereas the other is not, present differences between them. The author attributes this differences to the product but does not consider that the differences might have already been there before the supply.

As a analogy consider a product that claims to make people loose weight. Consider two groups of people. People in group 1 weight less than people in group 2. People in group 1 take the product for 6 weeks after of which they weight less than people in group 2. The study concludes that the product caused that lost in weight. This is clearly flawed.

Regarding the stimulus

A) In both experiments, the victims of the filmed violence included both males and females. 
This answer address the victims of the filmed that is not discussed in the stimulus. out
B) In the second experiment, 28 percent of the children appeared upset during the viewing the violent film scenes.
For this to weaken the argument you have to assume that when people view a film while they are upset the film does not influence them. Since we cannot make that assumption, we can rule B out.

(C) The first group included 19 male students and 20 female students; the second group included 20 male students and 21 female students.
The stimulus talks about percentages so raw numbers are useless
D) In the first group, 58 percent of the children appeared bored during the showing of the film, and 12 percent fell asleep.
That the children did not like the film does not weaken that the film influenced them. 
(E) The percentage of children known to have discipline problems prior to the experiment was greater in the first group than in the second group.
This states that the groups were different prior to the experiment. Correct

boeinz · Answer

E.

Weakens the explanation   by offering another explanation   for the difference.

mendelay · Answer

E

The expriment was not good because the two groups were not alike.

Posted from my mobile device

getmba · Answer

Straight E. If we have a biased group, then reasoning doesn't stand a chance.

mikeCoolBoy · Answer

Thank you, I always try to do my best. That people sometimes like my explanations encourages me to keep posting.

noboru · Answer

The point is that E implies that the 2 groups are different so the conclusion can not be made or that the discipline problems of the first groups also imply more violence among that group so is logical to conclude that group to be more violent?

sprtng · Answer

i think it implies the two groups are different and that is enough...because you cant use two different groups to argue the same thing...well to say the first group has more discipline problems also suggest they might have a higher chance of behaving violently...

noboru · Answer

discipline problems-->more violence, for me is assuming to much

sprtng · Answer

what it's implying here is that these are two different groups. of course the reaction might be different.

feruz77 · Answer

the initial contents of both groups were not equal, i.e. the first group has had health problems which does effect results of the expetiment.
Hence: E

TGC · Answer

Causal conclusion always weak.

Conclusion assumes that the data presented is true and thus concludes that

that children are more likely to imitate violent behavior on film when a male model is shown than when a female model is shown.

However, if we give some other premise stating that the data is an outcome of some other cause then that will weaken the conclusion.

Hence (E) gives the alternate cause of the data presented and the cause is not film viewing.

semwal · Answer

MY QUESTION FOR MIKE COOL BOY- ISNT 'A' BETTER AS AN ANSWER THAN 'E'-

conclusion says-  The psychologists concluded that children are more likely to imitate violent behavior on film when a male model is shown than when a female model is shown

A) In both experiments, the victims of the filmed violence included both males and females.  WEAKEN QUESTION CAN HAVE OUTSIDE INFO. BOTH EXPERIMENTS HAD VIOLENCE IN WHICH BOTH MALES AND FEMALES WERE VICTIMS. YET BOTH GROUPS BEHAVED DIFFERENTLY. THE REASON COULD' NT HAVE BEEN PRESENCE OF FEMALE AS THEY WERE PRESENT IN BOTH AND SUBJECTED TO VIOLENCE TOO. HENCE WEAKENS CONCLUSION WHICH SAYS----The psychologists concluded that children are more likely to imitate violent behavior on film when a male model is shown than when a female model is shown.

(E) The percentage of children known to have discipline problems prior to the experiment was greater in the first group than in the second group.  THE CHILDREN OF FIRST GROUP WERE MORE INDISCILPLINED( MAYBE JUST 1% MORE)- NOT VIOLENT. SHELL GAME. INDISCIPLINED DOESNT MEAN VIOLENT. BUT THE STATISTICS OF THE RESULT WERE STARCKINGLY DIFFERENT. IT DOESNT WEAKEN THE CONCLUSION THAT VIOLENCE IN THE MOVIE CAUSED THEIR BEHAVIOUR , AS THEY DID., AFTER THE EXPERIMENT.

COMMENTS PLEASE. THANKS......

gauravkaushik8591 · Answer

Just saying males and females present doesn't necessarily mean they're present in equal number.

WHAT IF GROUP A HAD 1 FEMALE AND 100 MALES, AND GROUP B HAD 100 FEMALES AND 1 MALE?

Doesn't this ratio kinda strengthen the argument?

Another point, 'THE REASON COULD' NT HAVE BEEN PRESENCE OF FEMALE AS THEY WERE PRESENT IN BOTH AND SUBJECTED TO VIOLENCE TOO' -- it's nowhere mentioned that females were the subject of violence. the subjects have not been mentioned.

now it's mentioned that 'violent acts against others, such as punching, pushing, and kicking' and the indiscipline problems associated with children are generally the ones mentioned.

Now A says 'In both experiments, the victims of the filmed violence included both males and females.'

Which essentially means that 'hey if you thought that only males were present in the groups then wait! lemme tell you that In both experiments, the victims of the filmed violence included both males and females'

This is like trying to strengthen the argument by saying that both were present there so there's gotta be some other reason that males and females being present.

semwal · Answer

I COULD'NT GET YOUR LOGIC.....
 ratio of male to female doesnt matter  TILL BOTH MALE AND FEMALE ARE PRESENT. YES, YOU COULD SAY THAT SINCE THE STIMULUS GIVES "similar film featuring a female teenager", IN THE SECOND FILM A FEMALE TEENAGER WAS INVOLVED IN VIOLENCE. SO VIOLENCE WAS COMMON TO BOTH FILMS- HOWEVER THE accused either a male or female. and this difference in MODEL SEX led to the difference. IF THAT BE SO, THAN ONLY "E" COULD BE THE CORRECT ANSWER....BRINGING OUT DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO SAMPLES.

AditiSingh4 · Answer

The answer to this question is mentioned E. Option E talks about percentage. If the sample size of the two groups is different in that case their is possibility the absolute number of children with discipline problem prior to the experiment may be lesser than the second group. In that scenario option E is incorrect. We cannot assume sample size is equal or more. And percentage is based on the base right!

nandeta · Answer

Psychologists conducted a series of experiments to test the effect upon schoolchildren of violence in films. In the first experiment, grammar school children were shown a film that included scenes of a male teenager engaging in violent acts against others, such as punching, pushing, and kicking. During a free-play session following the film viewing, 42 percent of the children were observed to engage in one or more violent acts similar to those in the film. In a second experiment, a different group of children was shown a similar film featuring a female teenager. Only 14 percent of the children were observed behaving violently afterward. The psychologists concluded that children are more likely to imitate violent behavior on film when a male model is shown than when a female model is shown.

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

(A) In both experiments, the victims of the filmed violence included both males and females.
 Wrong. If the victims of the filmed violence included both males and female then the outcomes should have been the same.

(B) In the second experiment, 28 percent of the children appeared upset during the viewing the violent film scenes.
 Wrong. If only 28% of the children were upset then the remaining children should have been violent. Which is opposite of the argument stated.

(C) The first group included 19 male students and 20 female students; the second group included 20 male students and 21 female students.
 Wrong. It does not matter the ratio of male to female students as in the argument, school children has been addressed.
 
(D) In the first group, 58 percent of the children appeared bored during the showing of the film, and 12 percent fell asleep.
 Wrong. If this is the case then, school children wouldn't have been violent.. if they were bored or sleeping.

(E) The percentage of children known to have discipline problems prior to the experiment was greater in the first group than in the second group.
 Correct. If they had discipline problems then whether you show female or male violent character, it wouldn't matter.

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Psychologists conducted a series of experiments to test the effect upo

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