LSAT 121 – Section 1 – Question 03

LSAT 121 - Section 1 - Question 03

December 2005

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Question
QuickView		 Type Tags Answer
Choices		 Curve Question
Difficulty		 Psg/Game/S
Difficulty		 Explanation
PT121 S1 Q03
+LR
Strengthen +Streng
A
6%
156
B
2%
160
C
91%
164
D
1%
155
E
0%
170
129
139
150
 +Easier 145.604 +SubsectionMedium

A recent study proves that at least some people possess an independent “sixth sense” that allows them to detect whether someone is watching them. In the study, subjects were seated one at a time in the center of a room facing away from a large window. On average, subjects decided correctly 60 percent of the time whether or not they were being watched through the window.

Summarize Argument: Phenomenon-Hypothesis
The author concludes that some people have a “sixth sense.” Her evidence is a study where people guessed correctly 60% of the time whether or not they were being watched.

Notable Assumptions
60% is only slightly higher than chance, so the author must believe that the sample size is large enough to account for this. Moreover, the author must believe participants in the survey couldn’t have identified any useful pattern or clue (i.e. a reflection from the window) that would help them detect whether or not they were being watched. Anything besides an independent “sixth sense” would compromise the study.

A
Most of the time, subjects said they were being watched.
We don’t care how often they said they were being watched or not watched. The participants were right 60% of the time, and we’re trying to strengthen the claim they were right because of a “sixth sense.”
B
The person recording the experimental results was careful not to interact with the subjects after the experiment ended.
We don’t care what happened after the experiment ended.
C
A similar result was found when the subjects were watched from another room on a video monitor.
This tells us that the window didn’t give the participants any hints as to whether or not they were being watched. Moreover, it replicates an experimental result. In turn, this increases sample size.
D
The room in which the subjects were seated was not soundproof.
If the room wasn’t soundproof, then the subjects might’ve heard the person who was watching them. This weakens the author’s argument.
E
The subjects were mostly graduate students in psychology from a nearby university.
Irrelevant. It’s hard to see how the choice of subjects could make a difference in this experiment.

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LSAT PrepTest 121 Explanations

Section 1 - Logical Reasoning

Section 2 - Reading Comprehension

Section 3 - Reading Comprehension

Section 4 - Logical Reasoning

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