For A Television Program About Astrology, Investigators Went Into GMAT Critical Reasoning

Question: For a television program about astrology, investigators went into the street and found twenty volunteers born under the sign of Gemini who were willing to be interviewed on the program and to take a personality test. The test confirmed the investigators' personal impressions that each of the volunteers was more sociable and extroverted than people are on average. This modest investigation thus supports the claim that one's astrological birth sign influence one's personality.

Which one of the following, if true, indicates the most serious flaw in the method used by the investigators?

(A) The personality test was not administrated or scored personally by the investigators.
(B) People born under astrological signs other than Gemini have been judged by astrologers to be much less sociable than those born under Gemini.
(C) The personal impressions the investigators first formed of other people have tended to be confirmed by the investigators' later experience of those people.
(D) There is not likely to be a greater proportion of people born under the sign of Gemini on the street than in the population as a whole.
(E) People who are not sociable and extroverted are not likely to agree to participate in such an investigation.

“For a television program about astrology, investigators went into”- is a GMAT question requiring critical thought. A candidate may choose to present an illogical argument or look for evidence to contradict it in order to address the question. The GMAT critical reasoning test assesses a candidate's analytical and logical skills. Candidates must identify the argument's advantages, disadvantages, and logical flaws with regard to this topic. The CR section of the 36 GMAT verbal questions consists of ten to thirteen critical reasoning questions.

Answer: E
Explanation:

Twenty volunteers born under the sign of Gemini were found in the street by investigators for a television show about astrology. They were willing to participate in an interview and a personality test. The experiment supported the researchers' subjective observations that each volunteer was more outgoing and extroverted than the general population. Thus, this modest investigation backs up the idea that one's personality is influenced by their astrological birth sign.

Let's examine each choice in exclusion to discover the answer. The correct answer, if true, reveals the biggest flaw in the investigators' approach.

Option A : Incorrect

According to this option, the investigators did not administer or score the personality test themselves. As long as the results are reliable, we don't care who administered or scored the test. As a result, this option is to be eliminated.

Option B : Incorrect

According to this option, astrologers have found that those born under signs other than Gemini are much less sociable than those born under Gemini. This is about the judgment of astrologers, which is irrelevant here. Our work is scientific. As a result, this option is to be eliminated.

Option C : Incorrect

This option states that the later experiences the investigators had with those people tended to confirm the initial impressions the investigators had of them. This would demonstrate the investigators' ability to assess moral character rather than any connection between astrology and moral character. As a result, this option is to be eliminated.

Option D : Incorrect

According to this option, there is not likely to be a higher percentage of Gemini-born individuals in the general population than on the street. This is irrelevant. The searchers had specifically targeted 20 geminis. It makes no difference how many of them were on the street. They might be the only 20 Geminis on the street if personality traits are influenced by astrology. As a result, this option is to be eliminated.

Option E : Correct

This option states that introverts are less likely to consent to take part in such an investigation. This offers yet another explanation for why the sample might have been friendlier than usual. This if true would definitely prove that there is a flaw in the method. As a result, this option is the right choice.

From the explanations given above, it is clear that the final option is the correct answer.

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