In an experiment, researchers played

Answer choices

1. A

   Weak Impact27% picked this

   Several similar experiments using older children and adults found that these subjects, too, had a general tendency to pay more attention to octaves, fifths,

   This does strengthen somewhat, because more data points about people liking these intervals helps the plausibility of the author's hypothesis this is just a biological species-wide preference. But the older the data point gets, the more possible it is that the reason they like these intervals is because the musical system of their culture has trained their ear to like them. So the fact that six month old babies seem to care more about these intervals is still the strongest evidence we have that this preference is innate, not learned via exposure to most musical systems.

   27%
2. B

   Correct65% picked this

   None of the babies in the experiment had previous exposure to music

   Why this is right

   This rules out the alternate explanation that the babies had been exposed to "Mozart lullabies" or whatever there parents play on the car stereo, and had therefore absorbed a preferential listening filter for the intervals most common in music. If these babies have never heard any music (then child protection services should have a word with the parents, but also) they are completely immune to having been influenced by music. Thus, their preference for these intervals would seem to be an innate one, which supports the author's hypothesis.

   Skill tested: Strengthen · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   65%
3. C

   Weakens6% picked this

   All of the babies in the experiment had been exposed to music drawn equally from a wide variety

   This is the opposite of (B); it supplies the Alternate Explanation for why babies reacted more to those intervals: "It's not because they're innately programmed to listen for those intervals; it's because they've been exposed to a wide variety of music, and most of that music trains the listener's ear to care about those frequently occurring intervals".

   6%
4. D

   No Impact0% picked this

   In a second experiment, these same babies showed no clear tendency to notice primary colors

   Whether or not babies have preference for primary colors over other colors isn't going to tell us anything clear about whether or not babies have an innate preference for 1/8's, 1/5's and 1/4's. If we thought of those intervals as "the primary colors" of music, then this would actually weaken.

   0%
5. E

   Weakens, if anything1% picked this

   Octaves, fifths, and fourths were played more frequently during the experiment than other

   This weakly suggests an Alternate Explanation for why the babies paid more attention to 1/8's, 1/5's, and 1/4's: it's not because they have an innate preference for those intervals; it's because the babies heard more repetitions of those intervals and thus better learned to hear them

   1%