PrepTest 156, Section 2, Question 22
Researcher: Experiences that are accompanied by increased secretions(37 more words not shown)
Which one of the following,(8 more words not shown)
- ASome experiences are(15 more words not shown)
- BAn individual will(18 more words not shown)
- CHighly pleasurable experiences(10 more words not shown)
- DFrightening experiences make(9 more words not shown)
- EIf an individual(20 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
My first thought is to question the cause: does adrenaline make an experience memorable, or does something about the experience produce both adrenaline and a strong memory?
But wait—that isn't the conclusion the researcher draws. The argument doesn't try to prove that adrenaline causes better memory. It takes the association between adrenaline and clearer memories as given, then compares frightening experiences with nonfrightening ones. Attacking the source of the association would miss that shift.
The important question is whether the two comparisons line up. We know fear produces adrenaline. Do we know only fear produces adrenaline?
What about excitement?
What we’re looking for
If a nonfrightening experience also comes with increased adrenaline, it could fall on the better-remembered side of the stated relationship. So I want a weakener showing another way to have increased adrenaline. That would challenge treating 'nonfrightening' as though it meant 'without the adrenaline increase.'
Working the answers
- A
Some exceptionally intense experiences could reverse the usual memory pattern while the general tendency still holds. A also doesn't tell us whether those exceptions are frightening or nonfrightening, or how they affect that comparison. It doesn't target the gap between the adrenaline categories and the fear categories.
- B
This concerns which details within an experience are most memorable. For example, someone wanting to escape danger might especially remember how they got away. But our question compares the clarity of memories from frightening and nonfrightening experiences. B doesn't show which of those kinds tends to be remembered more clearly.
- CCorrect
Highly pleasurable experiences can come with increased adrenaline too. That means some nonfrightening experiences receive the same memory-related association the researcher uses to favor frightening ones.
The premise compares experiences with increased adrenaline to those without it. The conclusion instead compares frightening experiences to nonfrightening ones. C shows why we can't simply substitute the second pair for the first: a pleasurable, nonfrightening experience can still belong to the increased-adrenaline group.
- D
How often frightening events occur doesn't tell us how clearly each tends to be remembered. An uncommon event could be especially memorable. A small share of all experiences therefore doesn't undermine the proposed difference in memory clarity.
- E
This says a dangerous situation that doesn't feel frightening won't produce the adrenaline increase. That fits rather than challenges the researcher's grouping in that situation. It doesn't show that nonfrightening experiences can have the adrenaline increase, which is the possibility that undermines the comparison.
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