gmatnmein2010 wrote:A researcher studying corporate executives found that they tend to have "take charge" personalities, with the predominant traits of assertiveness, decisiveness, and self-confidence. The researcher concluded that people who are more "take charge" than the average person are more likely to become corporate executives.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the researcher's conclusion?


1)Holding the job of a corporate executive causes people to develop "take charge" personality traits.


2)When working on charitable or community projects, corporate executives often use their ability to make decisions and lead people to make those projects successful.


3)Some people who are not executives have stronger "take charge" personalities than some people who currently serve as corporate executives.


4)Many people who aspire to become executives exhibit different management styles in their current jobs.


5)The executives that the researcher studied were often unsuccessful when they tried to manage their family activities as they do their business activities.

gmatnmein2010 wrote:A researcher studying corporate executives found that they tend to have "take charge" personalities, with the predominant traits of assertiveness, decisiveness, and self-confidence. The researcher concluded that people who are more "take charge" than the average person are more likely to become corporate executives.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the researcher's conclusion?

Cause : take charge personalities
effect : become corporate executives

1)Holding the job of a corporate executive causes people to develop "take charge" personality traits.
Correct : This weakens the conclusion by reversing roles of causal relationship. (Cause : job of corporate executive Effect: develop 'take charge' personalities)

2)When working on charitable or community projects, corporate executives often use their ability to make decisions and lead people to make those projects successful.
Incorrect : 'Charitable or community projects of corporate executives does nothing do undermine the conclusion.

3)Some people who are not executives have stronger "take charge" personalities than some people who currently serve as corporate executives.
Incorrect : Comparison between corporate executives and ppl who are not executives is irrelevant here.

4)Many people who aspire to become executives exhibit different management styles in their current jobs.
Incorrect : Management styles of ppl who 'aspire' to become executives does nothing to weaken the conclusion.

5)The executives that the researcher studied were often unsuccessful when they tried to manage their family activities as they do their business activities.
Incorrect : Family activities blah blah blahhhh IRRELEVANT here.