LSAT 106 – Section 1 – Question 23

LSAT 106 - Section 1 - Question 23

June 1999

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT106 S1 Q23
+LR
Except +Exc
Weaken +Weak
Causal Reasoning +CausR
A
56%
170
B
7%
162
C
18%
165
D
11%
163
E
8%
165
157
165
174
 +Hardest 152.148 +SubsectionHarder

Further evidence of a connection between brain physiology and psychological states has recently been uncovered in the form of a correlation between electroencephalograph patterns and characteristic moods. A study showed that participants who suffered from clinical depression exhibited less left frontal lobe activity than right, while, conversely, characteristically good-natured participants exhibited greater left lobe activity. Thus one’s general disposition is a result of the activity of one’s frontal lobe.

Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The author concludes that one’s general disposition (mood) is a result of the activity of the frontal lobe. This is based on a study that showed participants who suffered from clinical despression showed less left frontal lobe activity than right frontal lobe activity. Participants who were good-natured exhibited greater left frontal lobe activity.

Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that the correlation observed in the study is explained by lobe activity causing one’s mood. This overlooks the possibility that one’s mood causes different lobe activity and the possibility that one’s mood and one’s lobe activity are both a result of something else.

A
Many drugs prescribed to combat clinical depression act by causing increased left lobe activity.
If drugs act to address depression by causing increased left lobe activity, that suggests lobe activity does have a causal impact on one’s mood. This strengthens the argument, so it’s correct, since this is an EXCEPT question.
B
Excessive sleep, a typical consequence of clinical depression, is known to suppress left lobe activity.
This suggests the causal relationship might be reversed. Depression might lead to more sleep, which leads to less left lobe activity.
C
Frontal lobe activity is not subject to variation the way general disposition is.
If lobe activity does affect mood, we’d expect changes in lobe activity to change mood. This provides evidence that varying lobe activity doesn’t affect mood.
D
Earlier studies indicated that frontal lobe activity and emotive states are both caused by activity in the brain’s limbic system.
This suggests the correlation between lobe activity and mood are both a result of something else. So, the existence of the correlation doesn’t have to imply that lobe activity causes changes in mood.
E
Social interaction of the kind not engaged in by most clinically depressed people is known to stimulate left lobe activity.
This suggests the causal relationship might be reversed. Depressed people might not engage in as much social interaction, which could result in less left lobe activity than that experienced by good-natured people.

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LSAT PrepTest 106 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Logical Reasoning

Section 3 - Logical Reasoning

Section 4 - Reading Comprehension

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