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s2006041405 · 2009 October 28th, 03:10 AM

A study of adults who suffer from migraine headaches revealed that a significant proportion of the study participants suffer from a complex syndrome characterized by a set of three symptoms. Those who suffer from the syndrome experienced excessive anxiety during early childhood. As adolescents, these people began experiencing migraine headaches. As these people approached the age of 20, they also began to experience recurring bouts of depression. Since this pattern is invariant, always with excessive anxiety at its beginning, it follows that excessive anxiety in childhood is one of the causes of migraine headaches and depression in later life.
The reasoning m the argument is vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds?
(A) It does not specify the proportion of those in the general population who suffer from the syndrome.
(B) It fails to rule out the possibility that all of the characteristic symptoms of the syndrome have a common cause.
(C) It makes a generalization that is inconsistent with the evidence.
(D) It fails to demonstrate that the people who participated in the study are representative of migraine sufferers.
(E) It does not establish why the study of migraine sufferers was restricted to adult participants.

please help to explain..

mini_india · 2009 October 28th, 02:43 PM

I think, (B). Within the segment of people who suffer from the stated complex, the consistent pattern of symptoms could be just correlated to depression and migraine; the symptoms may be down to another common cause. The fact that the stated symptoms precede depression and migraine is not sufficient to establish a causal relationship.

nverma · 2009 October 30th, 05:49 PM

IMO C..

It been said that "childhood anxiety" may cause "Depression" in adolescence.. but this pattern is invariant.

So it is difficult to conclude, as given in the argument that

" excessive anxiety in childhood is one of the causes of migraine headaches and depression in later life"

IMO at the most, childhood anxiety can cause only migraine(definitely) not depression...

mr.sanjogm · 2009 October 31st, 06:55 AM

Ill go with B ...OA Please

nandini11 · 2009 October 31st, 07:26 AM

A study of adults who suffer from migraine headaches revealed that a significant proportion of the study participants suffer from a complex syndrome characterized by a set of three symptoms. Those who suffer from the syndrome experienced excessive anxiety during early childhood. As adolescents, these people began experiencing migraine headaches. As these people approached the age of 20, they also began to experience recurring bouts of depression. Since this pattern is invariant, always with excessive anxiety at its beginning, it follows that excessive anxiety in childhood is one of the causes of migraine headaches and depression in later life.
The reasoning m the argument is vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds?
-->From the sample observation , it is concluded that anxiety occurs in childhood then it will lead to migraine and depression in later life .
Need to find what weakens this reasoning.

(A) It does not specify the proportion of those in the general population who suffer from the syndrome.-->Not relevant as the argument mentions more than a significant proportion .

(B) It fails to rule out the possibility that all of the characteristic symptoms of the syndrome have a common cause.--> This does not weaken the reasoning (despite ruling out that the syndrome has a common cause , the conclusion is arrived at .. so including or not including does not make a difference to the conclusion .)

(C) It makes a generalization that is inconsistent with the evidence.
-->The evidence is that significant proportion exhibit the 3 symptoms , so the conclusion or generalization is consistent with the evidence .

(D) It fails to demonstrate that the people who participated in the study are representative of migraine sufferers.
-->RIGHT ANSWER.unless it can be shown that Earthlings who were studied represent all migraine sufferers drawing the conclusion would be incorrect and inconsistent.

(E) It does not establish why the study of migraine sufferers was restricted to adult participants.
-->Irrelevant .

Please post the OA .

romrubiens · 2009 October 31st, 07:30 AM

IMO B

2009 October 28th, 03:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
s2006041405 Eager! Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 40	migraine headaches A study of adults who suffer from migraine headaches revealed that a significant proportion of the study participants suffer from a complex syndrome characterized by a set of three symptoms. Those who suffer from the syndrome experienced excessive anxiety during early childhood. As adolescents, these people began experiencing migraine headaches. As these people approached the age of 20, they also began to experience recurring bouts of depression. Since this pattern is invariant, always with excessive anxiety at its beginning, it follows that excessive anxiety in childhood is one of the causes of migraine headaches and depression in later life. The reasoning m the argument is vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds? (A) It does not specify the proportion of those in the general population who suffer from the syndrome. (B) It fails to rule out the possibility that all of the characteristic symptoms of the syndrome have a common cause. (C) It makes a generalization that is inconsistent with the evidence. (D) It fails to demonstrate that the people who participated in the study are representative of migraine sufferers. (E) It does not establish why the study of migraine sufferers was restricted to adult participants. please help to explain..

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2009 October 28th, 02:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
mini_india Pay It Forward Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 89	I think, (B). Within the segment of people who suffer from the stated complex, the consistent pattern of symptoms could be just correlated to depression and migraine; the symptoms may be down to another common cause. The fact that the stated symptoms precede depression and migraine is not sufficient to establish a causal relationship.

2009 October 30th, 05:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
nverma Within my grasp! Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 174	IMO C.. It been said that "childhood anxiety" may cause "Depression" in adolescence.. but this pattern is invariant. So it is difficult to conclude, as given in the argument that " excessive anxiety in childhood is one of the causes of migraine headaches and depression in later life" IMO at the most, childhood anxiety can cause only migraine(definitely) not depression...

2009 October 31st, 06:55 AM	#4 (permalink)
mr.sanjogm 560 looser Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 123	Ill go with B ...OA Please

2009 October 31st, 07:26 AM	#5 (permalink)
nandini11 I JUST got here. Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 26	A study of adults who suffer from migraine headaches revealed that a significant proportion of the study participants suffer from a complex syndrome characterized by a set of three symptoms. Those who suffer from the syndrome experienced excessive anxiety during early childhood. As adolescents, these people began experiencing migraine headaches. As these people approached the age of 20, they also began to experience recurring bouts of depression. Since this pattern is invariant, always with excessive anxiety at its beginning, it follows that excessive anxiety in childhood is one of the causes of migraine headaches and depression in later life. The reasoning m the argument is vulnerable to criticism on which one of the following grounds? -->From the sample observation , it is concluded that anxiety occurs in childhood then it will lead to migraine and depression in later life . Need to find what weakens this reasoning. (A) It does not specify the proportion of those in the general population who suffer from the syndrome.-->Not relevant as the argument mentions more than a significant proportion . (B) It fails to rule out the possibility that all of the characteristic symptoms of the syndrome have a common cause.--> This does not weaken the reasoning (despite ruling out that the syndrome has a common cause , the conclusion is arrived at .. so including or not including does not make a difference to the conclusion .) (C) It makes a generalization that is inconsistent with the evidence. -->The evidence is that significant proportion exhibit the 3 symptoms , so the conclusion or generalization is consistent with the evidence . (D) It fails to demonstrate that the people who participated in the study are representative of migraine sufferers. -->RIGHT ANSWER.unless it can be shown that Earthlings who were studied represent all migraine sufferers drawing the conclusion would be incorrect and inconsistent. (E) It does not establish why the study of migraine sufferers was restricted to adult participants. -->Irrelevant . Please post the OA .

2009 October 31st, 07:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
romrubiens 2 beat 750 this time !!! Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 393	IMO B

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