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Updated on: 17 Oct 2018, 05:27
Originally posted by souvik101990 on 27 Jun 2017, 09:35.
Last edited by Bunuel on 17 Oct 2018, 05:27, edited 1 time in total.
Last edited by Bunuel on 17 Oct 2018, 05:27, edited 1 time in total.
Renamed the topic and edited the question.
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Cultural anthropologists have hypothesized that smiling is a submissive gesture that signals lower social status.
In a recent study, researchers examined photographs in 200 newspapers and magazines and found that people with more wealth and influence were less likely to smile for photographs. Based on the results of this study, an advertising agency concluded that advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people would be more effective if those advertisements used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity.
The conclusion of the advertising agency is based on which of the following assumptions?
(A) Most people would be more attracted to a product if it makes them look more wealthy or influential than they actually are.
(B) Models who do not smile in photographs are generally wealthier and more influential than models who smile in photographs.
(C) Many advertisements for high-end products depict models engaging in activities that usually cause people of average wealth and influence to smile.
(D) Most wealthy and influential people view a person who smiles in a photograph as less wealthy and influential than themselves.
(E) In general, wealthy and influential people are attracted to products and images that convey higher social status and exclusivity.
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In a recent study, researchers examined photographs in 200 newspapers and magazines and found that people with more wealth and influence were less likely to smile for photographs. Based on the results of this study, an advertising agency concluded that advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people would be more effective if those advertisements used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity.
The conclusion of the advertising agency is based on which of the following assumptions?
(A) Most people would be more attracted to a product if it makes them look more wealthy or influential than they actually are.
(B) Models who do not smile in photographs are generally wealthier and more influential than models who smile in photographs.
(C) Many advertisements for high-end products depict models engaging in activities that usually cause people of average wealth and influence to smile.
(D) Most wealthy and influential people view a person who smiles in a photograph as less wealthy and influential than themselves.
(E) In general, wealthy and influential people are attracted to products and images that convey higher social status and exclusivity.
Verbal Question of The Day: Day 42: Critical Reasoning
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27 Jun 2017, 09:37
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The conclusion of the advertising agency is that advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people would be more effective if those advertisements used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity. How does the advertising agency arrive at that conclusion?
To summarize, author presents a hypothesis, presents evidence supporting that hypothesis, and then presents a conclusion based on that evidence. The conclusion is based on which of the following assumptions?
(A) The advertising agency wants to target people who are ALREADY wealthy and influential. It doesn't matter whether the products make those people look more wealthy or influential than they already are. The agency simply thinks the ads will be more effective if they convey higher social status and exclusivity. The conclusion is not based on the assumption stated in choice (A), so (A) can be eliminated.
(B) It doesn't matter whether the models themselves are actually wealthy and influential. All that matters is that, by not smiling, those models convey higher social status and exclusivity. The author's conclusion can be reached even if the models are not wealthy and influential, so (B) can be eliminated.
(C) The conclusion of the agency is simply that the ads would be more effective if they used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity. We don't care if the ads depict models engaging in activities that usually cause people with less wealth and influence to smile. Regardless of what the models are doing in the ads, the only requirement for increasing effectiveness, according to the agency, is that the models do not smile. The assumption stated in choice (C) is not necessary and can be eliminated.
(D) The conclusion is based on evidence suggesting that people with more wealth and influence are less likely to smile for photographs than people with less wealth and influence. Therefore, the ad agency thinks that, by using unsmiling models, ads for high-end products will be associated with higher status and exclusivity. It doesn't matter how the target audience (wealthy and influential people) views people who DO smile in photographs. What matters is how the target audience feels about people who do NOT smile in photographs. For example, members of the target audience might see a person smiling in a photograph and make no judgment of that person's wealth and influence. As long as the target audience associates the ABSENCE of a smile with higher status and exclusivity, the conclusion is still plausible. (D) can be eliminated.
(E) The advertising agency recommends using unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity. The agency believes that doing so would make advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people more effective. But what if wealthy and influential people are NOT attracted to products and images that convey higher social status and exclusivity? In that case, even if using unsmiling models in the ads DOES convey higher social status and exclusivity, those ads may not be any more effective than ads using smiling models.
The ad agency's conclusion is based on the assumption stated in choice (E), so (E) is the best answer.
- The author describes a hypothesis of cultural anthropologists: smiling is a submissive gesture that signals lower social status. This gives us some background information relevant to the conclusion.
- Then, the author provides evidence supporting that hypothesis: in a study examining photographs in 200 newspapers and magazines, researchers found that people with more wealth and influence were less likely to smile for photographs.
- Based on that evidence, the advertising agency reaches the conclusion that advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people would be more effective if those advertisements used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity.
To summarize, author presents a hypothesis, presents evidence supporting that hypothesis, and then presents a conclusion based on that evidence. The conclusion is based on which of the following assumptions?
(A) The advertising agency wants to target people who are ALREADY wealthy and influential. It doesn't matter whether the products make those people look more wealthy or influential than they already are. The agency simply thinks the ads will be more effective if they convey higher social status and exclusivity. The conclusion is not based on the assumption stated in choice (A), so (A) can be eliminated.
(B) It doesn't matter whether the models themselves are actually wealthy and influential. All that matters is that, by not smiling, those models convey higher social status and exclusivity. The author's conclusion can be reached even if the models are not wealthy and influential, so (B) can be eliminated.
(C) The conclusion of the agency is simply that the ads would be more effective if they used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity. We don't care if the ads depict models engaging in activities that usually cause people with less wealth and influence to smile. Regardless of what the models are doing in the ads, the only requirement for increasing effectiveness, according to the agency, is that the models do not smile. The assumption stated in choice (C) is not necessary and can be eliminated.
(D) The conclusion is based on evidence suggesting that people with more wealth and influence are less likely to smile for photographs than people with less wealth and influence. Therefore, the ad agency thinks that, by using unsmiling models, ads for high-end products will be associated with higher status and exclusivity. It doesn't matter how the target audience (wealthy and influential people) views people who DO smile in photographs. What matters is how the target audience feels about people who do NOT smile in photographs. For example, members of the target audience might see a person smiling in a photograph and make no judgment of that person's wealth and influence. As long as the target audience associates the ABSENCE of a smile with higher status and exclusivity, the conclusion is still plausible. (D) can be eliminated.
(E) The advertising agency recommends using unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity. The agency believes that doing so would make advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people more effective. But what if wealthy and influential people are NOT attracted to products and images that convey higher social status and exclusivity? In that case, even if using unsmiling models in the ads DOES convey higher social status and exclusivity, those ads may not be any more effective than ads using smiling models.
The ad agency's conclusion is based on the assumption stated in choice (E), so (E) is the best answer.
General Discussion
27 Jun 2017, 10:01
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Cultural anthropologists have hypothesized that smiling is a submissive gesture that signals lower social status.
In a recent study, researchers examined photographs in 200 newspapers and magazines and found that people with more wealth and influence were less likely to smile for photographs. Based on the results of this study, an advertising agency concluded that advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people would be more effective if those advertisements used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity.
The conclusion of the advertising agency is based on which of the following assumptions?
(A) Most people would be more attracted to a product if it makes them look more wealthy or influential than they actually are. --> We are looking for something that discusses the effectiveness of the advertisements and not the product in general. The target set is wealthy and influential people. Not concerned about most people.
(B) Models who do not smile in photographs are generally wealthier and more influential than models who smile in photographs. --> Models need not be wealthy to sell the product to target set. Their economic status is irrelevant to the effectiveness of the advertisement.
(C) Many advertisements for high-end products depict models engaging in activities that usually cause people of average wealth and influence to smile. --> The target set is wealthy and influential people. Not concerned about average people. More concerned about effectiveness of the advt. and not about people smiling.
(D) Most wealthy and influential people view a person who smiles in a photograph as less wealthy and influential than themselves. --> Irrelevant. The advertisement aims to sell a product to target group. comparing the model's economic status with self (for wealthy) is not within the scope. Nor does the argument imply anything.
(E) In general, wealthy and influential people are attracted to products and images that convey higher social status and exclusivity.
This seems to be the correct answer. Using negation technique --
In general, wealthy and influential people are NOT attracted to products and images that convey higher social status and exclusivity.
If that's the case, then the conclusion that "advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people would be more effective if those advertisements used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity. " is affected.
IMO -- Option E
In a recent study, researchers examined photographs in 200 newspapers and magazines and found that people with more wealth and influence were less likely to smile for photographs. Based on the results of this study, an advertising agency concluded that advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people would be more effective if those advertisements used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity.
The conclusion of the advertising agency is based on which of the following assumptions?
(A) Most people would be more attracted to a product if it makes them look more wealthy or influential than they actually are. --> We are looking for something that discusses the effectiveness of the advertisements and not the product in general. The target set is wealthy and influential people. Not concerned about most people.
(B) Models who do not smile in photographs are generally wealthier and more influential than models who smile in photographs. --> Models need not be wealthy to sell the product to target set. Their economic status is irrelevant to the effectiveness of the advertisement.
(C) Many advertisements for high-end products depict models engaging in activities that usually cause people of average wealth and influence to smile. --> The target set is wealthy and influential people. Not concerned about average people. More concerned about effectiveness of the advt. and not about people smiling.
(D) Most wealthy and influential people view a person who smiles in a photograph as less wealthy and influential than themselves. --> Irrelevant. The advertisement aims to sell a product to target group. comparing the model's economic status with self (for wealthy) is not within the scope. Nor does the argument imply anything.
(E) In general, wealthy and influential people are attracted to products and images that convey higher social status and exclusivity.
This seems to be the correct answer. Using negation technique --
In general, wealthy and influential people are NOT attracted to products and images that convey higher social status and exclusivity.
If that's the case, then the conclusion that "advertisements for high-end products targeting wealthy and influential people would be more effective if those advertisements used unsmiling models to convey higher social status and exclusivity. " is affected.
IMO -- Option E
