schizophrenics

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schizophrenics

by gkkk » Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:11 pm
A group of scientists have studied schizophrenics in an isolated community in Costa Rica with the objective of learning about the causes of schizophrenia worldwide. A flaw in this strategy is that schizophrenia is characterized by impaired emotional responses, and the way emotional responses are learned may differ across cultures of the world. It might even be fair to say that, on what is now a largely interconnected planet, a schizophrenic in an isolated community is a schizophrenic of no practical interest.

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument made above about the group's approach?


A - All schizophrenics have certain features in common which, if studied, would help scientists to learn about the causes of schizophrenia in general.

B - Living in an urban environment during childhood or as an adult doubles the risk of schizophrenia in an individual.

C - To understand schizophrenia, it is necessary to learn about not just impaired emotional responses, but also paranoid beliefs, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking.

D - The group of scientists will not draw conclusions about schizophrenics as a whole from their findings in the isolated community.

E - Of the schizophrenics present in the isolated community, more than half have travelled abroad in their adulthood.

OA - A

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by gkkk » Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:13 pm
In this question we need to prove that scientists approach is wrong. what is this approach ?? well they are trying to study SZ and they want to study an isolated community so that they can find cause for it. it caused by impaired emotional responses. which is different in different part of world. so study it on one community will not give right picture. you must read on diff communities to get a bigger picture.

A - All schizophrenics have certain features in common which, if studied, would help scientists to learn about the causes of schizophrenia in general. --- this seems like strengthening the approach.

B - Living in an urban environment during childhood or as an adult doubles the risk of schizophrenia in an individual. --- OFS

C - To understand schizophrenia, it is necessary to learn about not just impaired emotional responses, but also paranoid beliefs, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking. --- OFS

D - The group of scientists will not draw conclusions about schizophrenics as a whole from their findings in the isolated community. -- what we have thought.

E - Of the schizophrenics present in the isolated community, more than half have travelled abroad in their adulthood. -- no impact what so ever

It seems like D should be right answer, while official answer is A. Can someone please help me to point in right direction.

Thanks!

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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:24 am
In this question we need to prove that scientists approach is wrong. what is this approach ??
This is where you went wrong. Reread the initial question: Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument made above about the group's approach?

Our objective isn't to weaken the scientist's approach (to study schizophrenics in an isolated community) but to weaken the argument about the approach (the scientists are wasting their time by studying patients in this community.) In other words, if the argument about the scientists is that their approach will prove ineffective, then to weaken this argument, we need to show that their approach is actually worthwhile.

This is what A does. If the disease has universal features that can help us understand the root causes, then the scientists are not wasting their time in studying this community. So you were right that A strengthens the notion that the scientists' approach will work. But in doing so, it weakens the argument that the approach is not worthwhile.
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by gkkk » Wed Feb 15, 2017 4:20 pm
Thanks David. just now saw that.

Thats a silly one from my side. i need to read my questions more carefully next time.

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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Fri Feb 17, 2017 7:30 am
gkkk wrote:Thanks David. just now saw that.

Thats a silly one from my side. i need to read my questions more carefully next time.
More common than you'd think :) For the all the work test-takers put into learning grammar rules and internalizing strategies, sometimes the most important thing we can do in verbal is to read slowly and carefully, and, if necessary, reread.
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