LSAT 111 | Section 1 | Logical Reasoning: Q13

LR Question 13 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Journal: In several psychological studies, subjects were…

QUESTION TYPE: Weaken

CONCLUSION: We continue to hold onto acquired beliefs even when there is no longer any evidence to support them.

REASONING: A psychological experiment was conducted. People were give statements that caused them to believe something new. Then they were told that the statement was wrong. But most people still thought their new belief was true.

ANALYSIS: This argument sounds good, but it doesn’t explain why the subjects held onto their beliefs. The right answer choice explains that they had new evidence. This contradicts the conclusion that they had no evidence.

___________

1. Not quite. If doesn’t matter if the beliefs were true or not. What matters is whether the subjects had any evidence they were true. The conclusion was that people hang on to beliefs even if they don’t have any evidence. 
2. This actually supports the journal by providing a reason for the observed behavior. People can’t keep track of whether all their beliefs are supported by facts.
3. This could explain why the subjects were led to form new beliefs. But it doesn’t change the fact that people kept believing even when told that the statement was false.
4. CORRECT. This means that it would be wrong to say that the subjects held on to their beliefs without evidence. They had acquired new evidence to support the beliefs. 
5. This makes it even more puzzling that the subjects held onto their beliefs so strongly.