Critical Reasoning

Child psychologist: Some studies in which children have been observed before and after playing video games with violent content have shown that young children tend to behave more aggressively immediately after playing the games. This suggests that the violence in such video games leads young children to believe that aggressive behavior is acceptable.

Each of the following, if true, strengthens the child psychologist's argument EXCEPT:

(A) Young children tend to be more accepting of aggressive behavior in others immediately after playing video games with violent content.

(B) Many young children who have never played video games with violent content believe that aggressive behavior is acceptable.

(C) Other studies have shown no increase in aggressive behavior in young children who have just played nonviolent video games.

(D) Older children are less likely before playing video games with violent content than they are afterwards to believe that aggressive behavior is acceptable.

(E) Young children tend to behave more aggressively immediately after being told that aggressive behavior is acceptable than they did beforehand.

OA is B

Tough strengthen question.
My doubt:- I was thinking that D could be the answer, but it is B. Can anyone please explain how D is the strengthener, and B is not.

Thanks

vinni.k wrote:Child psychologist: Some studies in which children have been observed before and after playing video games with violent content have shown that young children tend to behave more aggressively immediately after playing the games. This suggests that the violence in such video games leads young children to believe that aggressive behavior is acceptable.

Each of the following, if true, strengthens the child psychologist's argument EXCEPT:

(A) Young children tend to be more accepting of aggressive behavior in others immediately after playing video games with violent content.

(B) Many young children who have never played video games with violent content believe that aggressive behavior is acceptable.

(C) Other studies have shown no increase in aggressive behavior in young children who have just played nonviolent video games.

(D) Older children are less likely before playing video games with violent content than they are afterwards to believe that aggressive behavior is acceptable.

(E) Young children tend to behave more aggressively immediately after being told that aggressive behavior is acceptable than they did beforehand.

OA is B

Tough strengthen question.
My doubt:- I was thinking that D could be the answer, but it is B. Can anyone please explain how D is the strengthener, and B is not.

Thanks

The argument: playing video games ---> acceptance of aggression afterwards

B can't possibly strengthen this argument. If they've never played video games, they can't provide us any window into the difference in attitudes before playing the games and after, right?

(D) Older children are less likely before playing video games with violent content than they are afterwards to believe that aggressive behavior is acceptable.
This certainly strengthens the argument. The older children find violent behavior more acceptable after playing video games. That's exactly what the argument predicts should happen.

David,

Thanks for your reply.

I agree with B, but I am still not sure about D. It is talking about older children, but the stimulus is talking about young children being affected after playing violent video games. Can you please clarify.

vinni.k wrote:David,

Thanks for your reply.

I agree with B, but I am still not sure about D. It is talking about older children, but the stimulus is talking about young children being affected after playing violent video games. Can you please clarify.

That's a valid point. Here's my take: had you been looking for the answer choice that best strengthens the argument, the scope shift from younger kids to older kids would make D a dubious selection. But here, we're looking for the one that strengthens least. At least in D you have kids actually playing violent video games, so it gives some general support to the contention that video games have the effect claimed in the argument, even if it's not in the demographic that the argument is concerned with. Put another way, D may not be a great strengthener, but we want an answer that doesn't strengthen the argument at all. B just fits the bill better.

So, you mean to say that if the question had been:
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument ?
then D would have been doubtful.

However, the question is: Each of the following, if true, strengthens the argument EXCEPT ?
So, here even the least strengthen answer choice (D) lends credibility to the connection between video games and violent behavior.

Also, I can see that children is mentioned in the first line of the argument "Some studies in which children have been observed before and after playing video games"

So, from here we can also infer about older children or children in general.

Correct me if wrong.

Thanks

vinni.k wrote:So, you mean to say that if the question had been:
Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument ?
then D would have been doubtful.

However, the question is: Each of the following, if true, strengthens the argument EXCEPT ?
So, here even the least strengthen answer choice (D) lends credibility to the connection between video games and violent behavior.

Also, I can see that children is mentioned in the first line of the argument "Some studies in which children have been observed before and after playing video games"

So, from here we can also infer about older children or children in general.

Correct me if wrong.

Thanks

Sure. Just remember that it's not an inference question. To me, a more logical way to structure the argument would be if the conclusion were about children in general, and the stated premise was about younger children. Because the conclusion wouldn't specify age, a study involving older children children could still function as a viable strengthener.