Logical Reasoning

PT137 · S3 · Q4 In a study of patients

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

  • Save & drill this skill — build targeted practice sets from questions like this one

  • Video walkthroughs — watch every question solved step by step

  • 81 official LSATs — as questions, timed sections & full-length tests

Start practicing free

In a study of patients who enrolled at a sleep clinic because of insomnia, those who inhaled the scent of peppermint before going to bed were more likely to have difficulty falling asleep than were patients who inhaled the scent of bitter orange.

Evidence

In a study of patients who enrolled at a sleep clinic because of insomnia, those who inhaled the scent of peppermint before going to bed were more likely to have difficulty falling asleep than were patients who inhaled the scent of bitter orange.

It is known that inhaling bitter orange does not help people fall asleep more easily.

Conclusion

This study shows that inhaling the scent of peppermint makes insomnia worse.

Evaluate

Finding an alternative cause is a safe way to undermine a conclusion that asserts causation after merely establishing a correlation. Since the correlation is a relative comparison, an answer that explains even a portion of the difference in the two groups would weaken the argument.

4.

Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument above?

  1. Several studies have shown that

    Out of Scope - Opposite Group

    This is for people who do not have insomnia, while the argument is about those who do.

    4% picked this

  2. Correct

    The patients who inhaled the

    Why this is right

    This provides the alternative cause in the form of a more severe case of insomnia to begin with for those who smelled peppermint before bed and who were more likely to have difficulty falling asleep.

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

    89% picked this

  3. Because the scents of peppermint

    Out of Scope

    Whether the patients were aware of which scents they were inhaling would not have an impact on their ability to fall asleep.

    4% picked this

  4. Some of the patients who

    Too Weak

    Which patients were the ones who had a hard time staying asleep once they fell asleep? Were the equally distributed between those who smelled peppermint and those who smelled bitter orange? Without further information this doesn’t make the conclusion any more or any less likely to be true.

    1% picked this

  5. Several studies have revealed that

    Strengthens

    Even though this only applies to certain pleasant scents and it is not stated whether peppermint is one of those pleasant scents, this does tend to strengthen the position that peppermint could make insomnia worse.

    2% picked this

Continue the review in LSAT Lab

Save this question, watch the video walkthrough, and drill similar questions in your LSAT Lab account.

Save and practice this skill
LSAT Lab

Turn this review into a targeted study plan.

Save this question, drill more like it, watch the video walkthrough, and track your progress in your LSAT Lab account.

Start practicing free