LSAT 158 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q15

LR Question 15 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Psychologist: We measured the “cognitive plasticity” …

QUESTION TYPE: Strengthen

CONCLUSION: First-borns are usually less adventurous than their siblings.

REASONING: First-borns are less open to new ideas. People who are open to new ideas are likely to be adventurous.

ANALYSIS: First-borns having less cognitive plasticity (openness to new ideas) seems pretty solid since they measured it.

(I’ll caveat this by saying that you could obviously cast doubt on the validity of the study and their methodology etc, but this isn’t the biggest potential weak point of the argument).

The riskier move is where the author says it’s reasonable to think that people who are open to new ideas are more adventurous. That’s not evidence backed up by their study, it’s more of an assumption. That’s where you should focus.

We want to make the connection more solid. If people who are more cognitively flexible actually do behave in more adventurous or risk-taking ways, then the conclusion is much stronger.

___________

1. We don’t know how creativity factors into adventure or openness to new ideas, so this doesn’t help.
2. This supports their study by showing that younger siblings help the older siblings become more open to new ideas. But it still doesn’t solidify the connection to being adventurous.
3. CORRECT. Cognitive plasticity is tied to risk-taking, which is a form of being adventurous.
4. Similar to A – it’s not clear how leadership factors into the discussion.
5. How and why does their self-perception matter?