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#25862
Complete Question Explanation

Assumption. The correct answer choice is (A)

This question highlights the value of paying attention to the details of the language used by stimulus authors. In this case, the psychologist’s use of the adjective “alleged” exposes a bias that leads to a flaw in the argument, and which produces a powerful prephrase opportunity.

The psychologist discusses birth-order effects, the alleged effects of when one was born relative to the birth of siblings. These effects have not been detected in studies of adult personality that use standard personality tests. But, the psychologist says, birth-order effects have been detected in birth-order studies that are based on parents’ and siblings’ reports of the subjects’ personalities. From this evidence, the psychologist concludes that birth order has no lasting effect on personality, but rather affects merely how a sibling’s behavior is perceived.

A flaw in this argument is that the psychologist relies on standard personality tests to determine that birth order does not have a lasting effect on personality. However, it may be the case that standard personality tests are not designed to identify birth order effects. A clue that this may be the case is the psychologist’s use of “alleged” in his description of the effect, indicating that birth-order effects may not be accepted by the psychological community at large and, therefore, would not necessarily be part of the standard personality testing.

In this Assumption question, the correct answer choice will likely the defend the conclusion against an attack on this potential weakness by stating that the standard personality tests do test for birth-order defects.

Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice, because it defends the conclusion against the idea that standard personality tests are not designed to identify birth-order effects. If the information in this choice were not the case, then the failure of standard personality tests to detect birth-order effects would not be evidence that they do not exist.

Answer choice (B): This choice is incorrect because the argument did not address the difference in a person’s behavior when they are in the presence of their family, but rather whether a person’s behavior in general is affected by their birth order.

Answer choice (C): This choice is incorrect because the argument was about the changes in an individual’s personality, rather than about the consistency of the perceptions of that person held by his parents and siblings.

Answer choice (D): Because the conclusion concerned whether adult personalities are effected, long-term, by birth-order, this choice, which addresses birth-order effects in young children, is incorrect.

Answer choice (E): This choice is incorrect because the accuracy of the perceptions of parents and siblings regarding the behavior patterns of family members is not relevant to the conclusion that birth-order has no lasting effect on personality.
 Kp13
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#13173
Hello,

I understand why answer choice A) is correct, however, what makes answer choice E wrong? To me they seem equivalent.

If negated, both would weaken the stimulus conclusion that "all of these birth-order studies, taken together, show that birth order has no lasting effect on personality; instead, birth order affects merely how a sibling's behavior is perceived."

Thank you,
 Nikki Siclunov
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#13201
Hi kp13,

The author's conclusion is primarily based on the results of standard personality tests: because no effects on personality were detected using such tests, birth-order has no effect on one's personality. Answer choice (A) provides a perfect Defender Assumption, stating that standard personality tests are at least somewhat accurate in detecting birth-order effects on personality.

Parents' and siblings' perceptions of the behavior patterns of other family members need not be accurate for the conclusion to work. In fact, the author believes that they are subjective, i.e. not 100% accurate. The author is not relying on the accuracy of these perceptions in reaching the conclusion: she claims that birth-order affects how a sibling's behavior is perceived, regardless of whether or not this perception is an accurate one. And indeed, judging from the rest of the argument, the siblings' perceptions differ from the results of standard personality tests. If the latter are accurate (answer choice A), then the siblings' reports are not (answer choice E).

Let me know if this helps!

Thanks :)
 Kp13
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#13221
Thanks again Nikki. This makes it much clearer now. :-D
 lanereuden
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#67365
As for C, if their perceptions did change, wouldn’t that skew the results, i.e. how sibling is perceived?
I mean, if it changes, then isn’t that an alternative cause for behavior being perceived?

So like,
Perception changes over time therefore sibling behavior perception changes
As opposed to:
Birth order effects therefore sibling behavior perception changes

???
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 Dave Killoran
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#67375
lanereuden wrote:As for C, if their perceptions did change, wouldn’t that skew the results, i.e. how sibling is perceived?
I mean, if it changes, then isn’t that an alternative cause for behavior being perceived?
Hi Lane,

I'm going to turn this one around on you. We know that this isn't how the test makers view it (since the answer is wrong!). Can you explain why that's not the case?

Thanks!

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