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Anthropologist study

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by hitmis » Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:10 pm
Source Gmat club test

An anthropologist studying the social function of human skin has stated that tattoos are an ancient form of body art. Tattoos, she argues, function as a mode of self-identification; the placement and design of images communicate ideas of central importance to those who bear them. She hypothesizes that the resurgence of tattooing in Western cultures over the last 10-15 years is due to increased desire to express individuality in an environment in which other personal decorations, including clothing and jewelry, are mass-produced.

Which of the following research studies, if completed, would be most likely to provide evidence directly relating to the anthropologist's hypothesis?

A study examining the attitudes in several Western cultures toward mass-produced clothing and jewelry.
A study that systematically interviews people with tattoos less than 15 years old to discover their reasons for tattooing.
A study surveying the work of other anthropologists on tattooing as a mode of self-identification.
A study of the most common designs for tattoos over the last 10-15 years that could determine correlations between popular images and culture.
A study comparing ancient and modern designs for tattoos that could reveal the way shifts in images reflect shifts in culture.

This is a good one which tricked me.
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Source: — Critical Reasoning |

by ashokkadam » Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:37 pm
hitmis wrote:Source Gmat club test

An anthropologist studying the social function of human skin has stated that tattoos are an ancient form of body art. Tattoos, she argues, function as a mode of self-identification; the placement and design of images communicate ideas of central importance to those who bear them. She hypothesizes that the resurgence of tattooing in Western cultures over the last 10-15 years is due to increased desire to express individuality in an environment in which other personal decorations, including clothing and jewelry, are mass-produced.

Which of the following research studies, if completed, would be most likely to provide evidence directly relating to the anthropologist's hypothesis?

A study examining the attitudes in several Western cultures toward mass-produced clothing and jewelry.
A study that systematically interviews people with tattoos less than 15 years old to discover their reasons for tattooing.
A study surveying the work of other anthropologists on tattooing as a mode of self-identification.
A study of the most common designs for tattoos over the last 10-15 years that could determine correlations between popular images and culture.
A study comparing ancient and modern designs for tattoos that could reveal the way shifts in images reflect shifts in culture.

This is a good one which tricked me.
Thanks for posting this CR question.

The answer to this question is B.
Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins.
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by goyalsau » Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:15 am
Very Good question.
I wonder How to solve these questions in less than 2 minutes.
For me sometimes it takes more than 3 minutes to understand that what is to be done.
Saurabh Goyal
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EveryBody Wants to Win But Nobody wants to prepare for Win.
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by psychomath » Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:00 am
Toughie!
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by g000fy » Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:08 am
Anthropologist's hypothesis in very simple language - Resurgence of tattoo is because people want to be different. They think that every other person wears same clothes/jewellery.

B provides a direct evidence in the form of responses from people who have a tattoo.
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by hitmis » Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:19 am
Right g000fy and ashokkadam.

OA is B.
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