A researcher conducted an experiment inspired by studies suggesting that people may benefit from feeling frightened in certain circumstances, such...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
A researcher conducted an experiment inspired by studies suggesting that people may benefit from feeling frightened in certain circumstances, such as when watching scary movies or visiting haunted attractions. The researcher recruited several participants and had them walk through a local haunted house attraction. Immediately after exiting the attraction, each participant completed a survey about their experience. Based on the survey responses, the researcher claims that feeling frightened in controlled situations can boost a person's mood and confidence.
Which quotation from a participant would best illustrate the researcher's claim?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "A researcher conducted an experiment inspired by studies suggesting that people may benefit from feeling frightened in certain circumstances, such as when watching scary movies or visiting haunted attractions." |
|
| "The researcher recruited several participants and had them walk through a local haunted house attraction." |
|
| "Immediately after exiting the attraction, each participant completed a survey about their experience." |
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| "Based on the survey responses, the researcher claims that feeling frightened in controlled situations can boost a person's mood and confidence." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A researcher concluded from a haunted house experiment that experiencing fear in controlled situations can improve people's mood and confidence.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes background research suggesting fear might be beneficial, describes a simple experiment where participants went through a haunted house and completed surveys, then presents the researcher's claim that controlled frightening experiences boost mood and confidence.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which participant quotation would best support or illustrate the researcher's specific claim.
What type of answer do we need? A quote that demonstrates both mood improvement AND confidence boost from the frightening experience.
Any limiting keywords? "best illustrate" means we need the strongest, most direct evidence of the claim.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The researcher's claim has two key components: that controlled fear boosts (1) mood and (2) confidence
- The correct quote must show evidence of both elements
- We need a participant saying something that indicates they felt better emotionally (mood boost) and more confident after the scary experience
- Shows both mood boost ("less stressed") and confidence boost ("accomplished")
- Directly connects these positive feelings to the haunted house experience
- Perfectly matches both parts of the researcher's claim
- Describes friends laughing during the experience
- Shows no evidence of mood or confidence improvement for the speaker
- Focuses on others' reactions rather than the participant's own psychological state
- Describes becoming less scared over time, but this doesn't demonstrate mood/confidence boost
- Shows adaptation to fear rather than psychological benefits from fear
- Mentions relief at the end, but relief isn't the same as mood/confidence boost
- Compares to scary movies without showing actual psychological benefits