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01 Feb 2026, 08:55
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Difficulty:
95%
(hard)
Question Stats:
31% (02:23) correct
69%
(02:34)
wrong
based on 51
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Several items for which a premium price is an enhancement are bought in order to show off, as anyone looking at the wine list in a bar knows. Indeed, conspicuous consumption and waste are important parts of social display. When used properly, these behaviours bring the rewards of status and better mating opportunities. For this strategy to be effective, it is helpful if the individual truly believes that what they are buying is both more expensive and superior to the alternatives. This self-delusion, therefore, is a crucial component of the social performance of conspicuous consumption.
The author's conclusion depends on which of the following assumptions?
A. People are generally aware of the social motivations behind conspicuous consumption.
B. The desire for status and better mating opportunities is a universal human drive.
C. The perception of an item's value is more important than its actual value in determining its status symbol potential.
D. Conspicuous consumption is an effective strategy for achieving social status and attracting mates in all cultures.
E. Individuals are capable of consciously deceiving themselves about the value of their possessions.
The author's conclusion depends on which of the following assumptions?
A. People are generally aware of the social motivations behind conspicuous consumption.
B. The desire for status and better mating opportunities is a universal human drive.
C. The perception of an item's value is more important than its actual value in determining its status symbol potential.
D. Conspicuous consumption is an effective strategy for achieving social status and attracting mates in all cultures.
E. Individuals are capable of consciously deceiving themselves about the value of their possessions.
Several items for which a premium price is an enhancement are bought in order to show off, as anyone looking at the wine list in a bar knows. Indeed, conspicuous consumption and waste are important parts of social display. When used properly, these behaviours bring the rewards of status and better mating opportunities. For this strategy to be effective, it is helpful if the individual truly believes that what they are buying is both more expensive and superior to the alternatives. This self-delusion, therefore, is a crucial component of the social performance of conspicuous consumption.
The author's conclusion depends on which of the following assumptions?
Several items are bought at premium prices to signal status. Conspicuous consumption works as a social display because it can bring status and mating advantages. For this to work well, the buyer needs to genuinely believe the item is expensive and superior. Therefore, the author concludes that self-delusion is crucial to conspicuous consumption.
A. People are generally aware of the social motivations behind conspicuous consumption.
The argument does not require people to be aware of their motivations. In fact, the emphasis on self-delusion suggests the opposite. This is not an assumption.
B. The desire for status and better mating opportunities is a universal human drive.
The author does not need this to be universal. The conclusion only requires that these motives operate often enough to make conspicuous consumption socially effective. Too strong.
C. The perception of an item's value is more important than its actual value in determining its status symbol potential.
The conclusion relies on the idea that believing an item is superior matters for social display, regardless of whether it truly is. This directly supports why self-delusion would be crucial. This is the required assumption.
D. Conspicuous consumption is an effective strategy for achieving social status and attracting mates in all cultures.
The argument does not need effectiveness in all cultures, only that it works in relevant contexts. Too broad and unnecessary.
E. Individuals are capable of consciously deceiving themselves about the value of their possessions.
The argument does not require self-deception to be conscious. It only requires that people genuinely believe in the superiority of what they buy. This goes beyond what is needed.
Answer: (C)
The author's conclusion depends on which of the following assumptions?
Several items are bought at premium prices to signal status. Conspicuous consumption works as a social display because it can bring status and mating advantages. For this to work well, the buyer needs to genuinely believe the item is expensive and superior. Therefore, the author concludes that self-delusion is crucial to conspicuous consumption.
A. People are generally aware of the social motivations behind conspicuous consumption.
The argument does not require people to be aware of their motivations. In fact, the emphasis on self-delusion suggests the opposite. This is not an assumption.
B. The desire for status and better mating opportunities is a universal human drive.
The author does not need this to be universal. The conclusion only requires that these motives operate often enough to make conspicuous consumption socially effective. Too strong.
C. The perception of an item's value is more important than its actual value in determining its status symbol potential.
The conclusion relies on the idea that believing an item is superior matters for social display, regardless of whether it truly is. This directly supports why self-delusion would be crucial. This is the required assumption.
D. Conspicuous consumption is an effective strategy for achieving social status and attracting mates in all cultures.
The argument does not need effectiveness in all cultures, only that it works in relevant contexts. Too broad and unnecessary.
E. Individuals are capable of consciously deceiving themselves about the value of their possessions.
The argument does not require self-deception to be conscious. It only requires that people genuinely believe in the superiority of what they buy. This goes beyond what is needed.
Answer: (C)
01 Feb 2026, 12:18
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Right Answer Explanation / Suggested Answer :
1. Incorrect. The argument implies that people might not be fully aware or may even deliberately ignore the deeper social motivations behind their consumption habits. Awareness is not necessary for the conclusion that this behavior is a part of social display and evolutionary benefit. The denial of this statement does not significantly affect the conclusion that self-delusion is crucial for the social performance of conspicuous consumption.2. Incorrect. Negating this statement could seem to undermine the conclusion, as the drive for status is part of the motivation for conspicuous consumption. However, the conclusion specifically hinges on the perceived value of items rather than the universality of the motive. Therefore, even if the desire isn't universal, the argument that self-delusion supports conspicuous consumption can still hold in contexts where it does apply.
3. Correct. This is the key assumption that supports the author's conclusion. If this is denied, the foundation of the argument collapses. The conclusion depends on the belief that items are more valuable and superior, supporting the strategy of conspicuous consumption. If perception were not more important, the entire rationale for the effectiveness of conspicuous consumption and self-delusion as a crucial component would be invalidated. This demonstrates that this assumption is necessary.
4. Incorrect. The passage does not claim the strategy is universally effective across all cultures. Denying this does not necessarily affect the conclusion since the argument could still hold true in specific cultures where it is effective. The argument does not require that the strategy works universally in all cultures to be valid; it only needs to work under the conditions and cultures discussed
5. Incorrect. Even if individuals are not consciously deceiving themselves, the conclusion about the role of self-delusion in conspicuous consumption could still hold. The argument centers on the belief in value, whether conscious or subconscious, thus the denial does not necessarily break the argument.
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