Critical Reasoning

Recent research has indicated that married people are not only happier than unmarried people, but also healthier. This study has been widely reported by the media, with most commentators concluding that being married is good for one's health and attitude.

The conclusion of the media commentators depends on which of the following assumptions?

A. The longer people are married, the happier and healthier they become.

B. Married couples who had a large, extravagant wedding are happier than those who had a small, simple ceremony.

C. Married people cannot get depressed.

D. Single people with depression or health problems are just as likely to get married as are other single people.

E. Some marriages are more harmonious than others.

Got right but was not convinced while eliminating C.. OA is D

Is it the case that C is inclining towards saying that since married people cannot get depressed, marriage does not play any role in these people getting depressed and so invalidates the argument without negating the option ??
Not sure !!

It is quite the contrary to what you are saying, adi. The research finds a correlation between being married and people staying happy and healthy. It is the commentators who take the result of the study one step further and conclude that marriage brings about happiness.

In order for the commentators conclusion to hold, any single person depressed or otherwise would be inclined to get married if they want to live a happy life

I think even if we considered that married people do get depressed it does not invalidate the statement that married people are more happier that unmarried. Since it might be possible that married people get less depressed than unmarried and hence still the statement holds true. The answer choice D is much stronger than C.

The answer choice is D coz. if single people with depression not marrying will directly skew the conclusion.

Option C: Irrelevant. As it's nowhere mentioned in the argument about depression and its dependence on marriage/happiness.