Critical Reasoning

Psychological research indicates that college hockey and football players are more quickly moved to hostility and aggression than are college athletes in noncontact sports such as swimming. But the researchers’ conclusion—that contact sports encourage and teach participants to be hostile and aggressive—is untenable. The football and hockey players were probably more hostile and aggressive to start with than the swimmers.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the conclusion drawn by the psychological researchers?

(A) The football and hockey players became more hostile and aggressive during the season and remained so during the off-season, whereas there was no increase in aggressiveness among the swimmers.

(B) The football and hockey players, but not the swimmers, were aware at the start of the experiment that they were being tested for aggressiveness.

(C) The same psychological research indicated that the football and hockey players had a great respect for cooperation and team play, whereas the swimmers were most concerned with excelling as individual competitors.

(D) The research studies were designed to include no college athletes who participated in both contact and noncontact sports.

(E) Throughout the United States, more incidents of fan violence occur at baseball games than occur at hockey or football games.

A) The football and hockey players became more hostile and aggressive during the season and remained so during the off-season, whereas there was no increase in aggressiveness among the swimmers.

A is saying that hostility and aggression are by nature of the F & H players. Weakens the Q and supports author and not PR

(B) The football and hockey players, but not the swimmers, were aware at the start of the experiment that they were being tested for aggressiveness.

B says F & H know that they are being tested for aggression. Still they dont hide their aggression. Probably sports they play has to do something with it. Hold on to this choice

(C) The same psychological research indicated that the football and hockey players had a great respect for cooperation and team play, whereas the swimmers were most concerned with excelling as individual competitors.

Its not about team play and cooperation

(D) The research studies were designed to include no college athletes who participated in both contact and noncontact sports.

Is D saying that the research itself is skewed because it did not consider players who played both contact and non contact sports? Does not support


(E) Throughout the United States, more incidents of fan violence occur at baseball games than occur at hockey or football games.

Its not about fan violence or baseball (probably base ball is a contact sport)


To me only B made sense. It is tricky

i would say A because the hostility taught during sports in the playing season carried over to when they were not playing.

just my thoughts...

airan wrote:Psychological research indicates that college hockey and football players are more quickly moved to hostility and aggression than are college athletes in noncontact sports such as swimming. But the researchers’ conclusion—that contact sports encourage and teach participants to be hostile and aggressive—is untenable. The football and hockey players were probably more hostile and aggressive to start with than the swimmers.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the conclusion drawn by the psychological researchers?

(A) The football and hockey players became more hostile and aggressive during the season and remained so during the off-season, whereas there was no increase in aggressiveness among the swimmers.

(B) The football and hockey players, but not the swimmers, were aware at the start of the experiment that they were being tested for aggressiveness.

(C) The same psychological research indicated that the football and hockey players had a great respect for cooperation and team play, whereas the swimmers were most concerned with excelling as individual competitors.

(D) The research studies were designed to include no college athletes who participated in both contact and noncontact sports.

(E) Throughout the United States, more incidents of fan violence occur at baseball games than occur at hockey or football games.

First, we need to be careful about the question. Here, we have a stimulus with 2 opinions: the researchers and the author. Since the question asks us to strengthen the researchers' conclusion, that's the one we'll focus on as we read.

Researchers' conclusion: contact sports encourage and teach participants to be hostile and aggressive.

So, we want an answer that makes us believe that conclusion.

(a) The football and hockey players became more hostile and aggressive during the season and remained so during the off-season, whereas there was no increase in aggressiveness among the swimmers.

Perfect! The football/hockey players became more hostile and aggressive; even if they were somewhat hostile and aggressive to start, (a) shows that they became more so both while playing and when taking a break. Further, the swimmers didn't show an increase in hostility or aggression.

(b) who cares!

(c) outside the scope of affect of sport on aggression/hostility.

(d) we want to see impact of individual sports, not both, so while (d) shows that the methodology was good, it doesn't necessarily make us believe the conclusion.

(e) fan violence is outside the scope.

Focus on the conclusion:

the researchers’ conclusion—that contact sports encourage and teach participants to be hostile and aggressive—is untenable. because
The football and hockey players were probably more hostile and aggressive to start with than the swimmers.

(A) The football and hockey players became more hostile and aggressive during the season and remained so during the off-season, whereas there was no increase in aggressiveness among the swimmers.

A tells us that aggressiveness is a personal trait of football and hockey players surveyed (in the given context) and supports the conclusion.

netigen wrote:Focus on the conclusion:

the researchers’ conclusion—that contact sports encourage and teach participants to be hostile and aggressive—is untenable. because
The football and hockey players were probably more hostile and aggressive to start with than the swimmers.

(A) The football and hockey players became more hostile and aggressive during the season and remained so during the off-season, whereas there was no increase in aggressiveness among the swimmers.

A tells us that aggressiveness is a personal trait of football and hockey players surveyed (in the given context) and supports the conclusion.

I agree with the answer A, but in your reasoning you are focusing on the conclusion drawn by the author. Question is to strengthen the concusion drawn by the researchers.

In my opinion B is the most logical one.