Cognitive scientist: Using the pioneering work of

[AbeNeedsAnswers]

Cognitive scientist: Using the pioneering work of comparative psychologist Gordon Gallup as a model, several studies have investigated animals' capacity for mirror self-recognition (MSR). Most animals exposed to a mirror respond only with social behavior, such as aggression. However, in the case of the great apes, repeated exposure to mirrors leads to self-directed behaviors, such as exploring the inside of the mouth, suggesting that these animals recognize the reflection as an image of self. The implication of these studies is that the great apes have a capacity for self-awareness unique among nonhuman species.

The cognitive scientist makes which of the following assumptions in the argument above?

A. Gallup's work has established that the great apes have a capacity for MSR unique among nonhuman species.
B. If an animal does not have the capacity for MSR, it does not have the capacity for self-awareness.
C. If a researcher exposes an animal to a mirror and that animal exhibits social behavior, that animal is incapable of being self-aware.
D. When exposed to a mirror, all animals display either social behavior or self-directed behavior.
E. Animals that do not exhibit MSR may demonstrate a capacity for self-awareness in other ways.

B

Source: Official Guide 2020

[deloitte247]

OPTION A:- INCORRECT
This is an established fact into the argument, so it can't serve as an assumption made by the cognitive scientist in the argument.

OPTION B:- CORRECT
It is more befitting to agree that the cognitive scientist assumed that if an animal does not have the capacity for MSR, or displays social behavior like aggression, then it does not have the capacity for self awareness.

OPTION C:- INCORRECT
This can't serve as an assumption made by the cognitive scientist because, it is a fact in the argument that has been investigated through several studies as claimed by the argument.

OPTION D:- INCORRECT
This is the result of an investigated concept through several studies as claimed by the argument.

OPTION E:- INCORRECT
Well, this isn't the point that the argument is trying to prove, because the argument claims that most animals exposed to mirror respond only with social behavior like violence , there is no other indication or evidence to show that these animals can demonstrate a capacity for self awareness in other ways.

[Tingyu Xie]

Hi.....I have a question about answer B......Could anybody help me to understand this?Thanks in advance...

According to the passage, the fact that great apes have the capacity for MSR implies that great apes have the capacity for self-awareness. The gap here is

If an animal has the capacity for MSR, then the animal has the capacity for self-awareness.

But answer B actually says:
If the animal doesnt has the capacity for MSR, it doesn't has the capacity for self-awareness.
which means
"If the animal has the capacity for self-awareness, the animal has the capacity for MSR."
self-awareness is suffiecient for MSR,not the other way around......

If we negate answer B, we have
"There are some animals who have the capacity for self-awareness but don't have the capacity for MSR."
Which doesn't necessarily make the argument insufficient.......
If we accept the assumption"If an animal has the capacity for MSR, then the animal has the capacity for self-awareness."

Therefore.......Although I understand other answer choices are wrong,I feel uncertain B is right......

Could somebody help me point out my mistakes in reasoning and understand this answer choice?Thanks again!!!