Logical Reasoning

PT127 · S1 · Q16 Psychologist: The obligation to express

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Psychologist: The obligation to express gratitude cannot be fulfilled anonymously.

Conclusion

The obligation to express gratitude cannot be fulfilled anonymously.

Intermediate Conclusion (Thus)

The important social function of positively reinforcing helpful behaviors can be served only if the helping person knows the source of the gratitude.

Evidence

Human psychology is driven primarily by personal interaction.

Evaluate

Whenever we do Main Conclusion or Role (but only for these two question types), we prime our brain before reading the paragraph with the reminder that LSAC usually puts the Main Conclusion earlier than at least some of the Supporting ideas.

We listen specifically for "1st Sentence Conclusions" and "Rebuttal Conclusions".

Does this first sentence sound like the author expressing an opinion?

Yeah, sure. She's saying That sounds like an opinion.

Does she go on to try to convince us that we should let people know that it's us who are thanking them?

She does. She says that human psychology is still driven by personal interaction (the opposite of anonymous interaction). The social value of expressing thanks can be served only if the thankee knows who the thanker is.

Since the first sentence was an opinion and then the rest of the paragraph supports that opinion, we know we (once again) have a First Sentence Conclusion on Main Conclusion / Role.

Goal

Now we look at which claim the question stem is asking about and see they're asking about the first sentence.

So let's look for an answer that says or means Main Conclusion.

16.

Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the psychologist's argument by the claim that the obligation to express gratitude cannot be fulfilled anonymously?

  1. It is an illustration of

    Wrong Role

    This says it helps illustrate something that helps support the conclusion. We want an answer that says, "It is the conclusion."

    15% picked this

  2. It is used to counter

    Wrong Role

    This is saying it's anticipating an objection to the conclusion and dealing that objection. No, it's just the main conclusion.

    4% picked this

  3. It is used to support

    Wrong Role

    This answer would apply to the claim "Human psychology is still driven primarily by personal interaction", since that claim supports the final sentence, which is then used to support the main conclusion in the first sentence. But since the claim we're asked about is the first sentence, we just want to see "it's the conclusion".

    14% picked this

  4. It is used to identify

    Wrong Role

    This is making the first sentence out to be a neutral context-provider, as though it's just identifying the specific topic that the author will go on to make an argument about in subsequent claims. But that's not capturing its role, for it's the conclusion of the argument, not just a launching pad for an argument to come.

    3% picked this

  5. Correct

    It is the conclusion that

    Why this is right

    This says "main conclusion".

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

    64% picked this

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