People with high blood pressure are generally more nervous and anxious

Question

People with high blood pressure are generally more nervous and anxious than people who do not have high blood pressure. This fact show that this particular combination of personality traits-the so called hypertensive personality-is likely to cause a person with these traits to develop high blood pressure.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument

(A) fails to define the term “hypertensive personality” 
(B) presupposes that people have permanent personality traits 
(C) simply restates the claim that there is a “hypertensive personality” without providing evidence to support that claim. 
(D) takes a correlation between personality traits and high blood pressure as proof that the traits cause high blood pressure. 
(E) focuses on nervousness and anxiety only, ignoring other personality traits that people with high blood pressure might have

HKD1710 · Answer

The PATTERN this questions tests is also tested in GMAT quite frequently.

Premise says that two things happen together or seen together in someone, somewhere or something then one thing causes the other. Now such a conclusion is most prone to criticism if there is no other proof given in the argument to support such a causation.

If i say my father is an angry person and he is a cop. Would it be right that cops are generally angry men? of course not.

Hope your doubt is clear.

goforgmat · Answer

This concept is frequently tested.
Before reading the answer choices try to formulate what the flaw is in the argument.
It says that people who have A(high BP) also have B(Personality traits). this could be due to various reasons. For eg., A and B could be both side effects of something.
in the conclusion it concludes B to cause A.

This misinterpreted co-relation is what is mentioned in D.
Break down the sentence when you are confused to understand.

chessgiants · Answer

how to know that other options can safely be ruled out without ever checking twice all of those options?

sinha07 · Answer

I think for that you need to keep in mind the basic understanding of Assumption question:
1)In Assumption question the new information from the answer choice is considered correct.
2) Always remember the makers of the GMAT considered their Arguments to be airtight, that is they believe that there is now flaw in their argument.
Especially in case of Cause and effect problems keep the following point in mind:
a)there is only one cause for any effect.
b) if the cause happens then the effect will happen too.

Don't go gentle into that good night.
Sinha

chetan2u · Answer

hi..

lets rewrite the PARA in simple terms..
 people with high BP found with two negative personality traits. further the combination of these two traits leads to high BP in such people

clearly D flows out of it but lets see other choices also
A. fails to define the term “hypertensive personality” 
 the para is not about the definition

B. presupposes that people have permanent personality traits 
 Nowhere does it speak of permanent traits

C. simply restates the claim that there is a “hypertensive personality” without providing evidence to support that claim. 
 Again out of context

D. takes a correlation between personality traits and high blood pressure as proof that the traits cause high blood pressure. 
 This is what the para uses for argument.. CORRECT

E. focuses on nervousness and anxiety only, ignoring other personality traits that people with high blood pressure might have
 Likely to be mistaken as correct.. the para talks of the effect of the two traits and does not speak of others. even if there are other traits, it does not weaken the argument

D

niks18 · Answer

The argument states that "People with high blood pressure" let's assume this to be  A  are "more nervous and anxious", let's call this  B . The argument then goes on to state the reverse i.e people with  B  traits are likely to be  A .
Thus the argument assumes that reverse is true which may not be the case and hence can be criticized

A. fails to define the term “hypertensive personality” ------- Irrelevant

B. presupposes that people have permanent personality traits --------- does not breaks the causality

C. simply restates the claim that there is a “hypertensive personality” without providing evidence to support that claim.------ the passage is not trying to establish that there is a "hypertnesive personality". the passage is about a cause and effect relationship

D. takes a correlation between personality traits and high blood pressure as proof that the traits cause high blood pressure.----- Correct. the argument assumes that if A cause B then B must cause A

E. focuses on nervousness and anxiety only, ignoring other personality traits that people with high blood pressure might have------ Out of scope. the passage does not talk about "other personality traits"

deepudiscover · Answer

Statement says... A causes B .. Hence B will have A...

rajatbanik · Answer

People with high blood pressure are generally more nervous and anxious than people who do not have high blood pressure. This fact show that this particular combination of personality traits-the so called hypertensive personality-is likely to cause a person with these traits to develop high blood pressure.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the argument

(A) fails to define the term “hypertensive personality” 
(B) presupposes that people have permanent personality traits 
(C) simply restates the claim that there is a “hypertensive personality” without providing evidence to support that claim. 
(D) takes a correlation between personality traits and high blood pressure as proof that the traits cause high blood pressure. 
(E) focuses on nervousness and anxiety only, ignoring other personality traits that people with high blood pressure might have

I need help to understand the premise

{ this fact show that THIS particular combination of personality traits - what does Traits here refer to}
Is it referring to people who has high blood pressure and people who don't have high blood pressure} 
 GMATNinjaTwo

TaN1213 · Answer

The traits are nervousness and anxiousness. Combination- nervousness+anxiousness

High blood pressure(HBP) sometimes causes a person to show these traits(correlation). The conclusion wrongly takes this combination as the cause of HBP. 
Hope it helps.

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

People with high blood pressure are generally more nervous and anxious

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards