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gmatrant
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78. A group of children of various ages was read stories in which people caused harm, some of those people
doing so intentionally, and some accidentally. When asked about appropriate punishments for those who had
caused harm, the younger children, unlike the older ones, assigned punishments that did not vary according
to whether the harm was done intentionally or accidentally. Younger children, then, do not regard people’s
intentions as relevant to punishment.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion above?
(A) In interpreting these stories, the listeners had to draw on a relatively mature sense of human psychology
in order to tell whether harm was produced intentionally or accidentally.
(B) In these stories, the severity of the harm produced was clearly stated.
(C) Younger children are as likely to produce harm unintentionally as are older children.
(D) The older children assigned punishment in a way that closely resembled the way adults had assigned
punishment in a similar experiment.
(E) The younger children assigned punishments that varied according to the severity of the harm done by the
agents in the stories.
OG Explanation
Choice A, the best answer, indicates that younger children might be unable to tell whether the harm in the stories
was produced intentionally. Thus, even if younger children do regard people’s intentions as relevant, they might
be unable to apply this criterion here. Therefore, A undermines the conclusion’s support.
Choice B and E support the conclusion by suggesting that another factor-severity of harm-either possibly
(choice B) or actually (choice E) motivated variations in the punishments assigned by younger children. Neither
choice C nor choice D affects the conclusion. The conclusion concerns what children recognize about others’
behavior, not children’s own behavior (choice C). The similarity between older children’s and adult’s assignment
(choice D) leaves open the question of why younger children’s assignments differed.
I quite dont agree with the explanation and the choice, in fact the justification offered in OG seems self contradictory. By saying "Choice A, the best answer, indicates that younger children might be unable to tell whether the harm in the stories was produced intentionally." they themselves support the conclusion that the children were unable to regard the people's intention relevant to the punishment.
Please let me know your thoughts on this.
doing so intentionally, and some accidentally. When asked about appropriate punishments for those who had
caused harm, the younger children, unlike the older ones, assigned punishments that did not vary according
to whether the harm was done intentionally or accidentally. Younger children, then, do not regard people’s
intentions as relevant to punishment.
Which of the following, if true, would most seriously weaken the conclusion above?
(A) In interpreting these stories, the listeners had to draw on a relatively mature sense of human psychology
in order to tell whether harm was produced intentionally or accidentally.
(B) In these stories, the severity of the harm produced was clearly stated.
(C) Younger children are as likely to produce harm unintentionally as are older children.
(D) The older children assigned punishment in a way that closely resembled the way adults had assigned
punishment in a similar experiment.
(E) The younger children assigned punishments that varied according to the severity of the harm done by the
agents in the stories.
OG Explanation
Choice A, the best answer, indicates that younger children might be unable to tell whether the harm in the stories
was produced intentionally. Thus, even if younger children do regard people’s intentions as relevant, they might
be unable to apply this criterion here. Therefore, A undermines the conclusion’s support.
Choice B and E support the conclusion by suggesting that another factor-severity of harm-either possibly
(choice B) or actually (choice E) motivated variations in the punishments assigned by younger children. Neither
choice C nor choice D affects the conclusion. The conclusion concerns what children recognize about others’
behavior, not children’s own behavior (choice C). The similarity between older children’s and adult’s assignment
(choice D) leaves open the question of why younger children’s assignments differed.
I quite dont agree with the explanation and the choice, in fact the justification offered in OG seems self contradictory. By saying "Choice A, the best answer, indicates that younger children might be unable to tell whether the harm in the stories was produced intentionally." they themselves support the conclusion that the children were unable to regard the people's intention relevant to the punishment.
Please let me know your thoughts on this.
