Dr. Maria Rodriguez and her team of cognitive psychologists explored the neurological basis behind sustained attention abilities when individuals enco...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Dr. Maria Rodriguez and her team of cognitive psychologists explored the neurological basis behind sustained attention abilities when individuals encounter interfering stimuli. The researchers employed transcranial magnetic stimulation to temporarily disable the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in experimental subjects, subsequently measuring their performance against a control cohort with normal DLPFC activity. During baseline assessments without interference, both experimental and control groups demonstrated comparable attention performance levels, however, when auditory interference was present, the control group with functioning DLPFC sustained their attention capabilities while the experimental group with disabled DLPFC experienced substantial attention deterioration, indicating that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
the DLPFC allows people to withstand auditory interference.
people automatically enhance DLPFC activity upon encountering distractions.
the ability to resist interference necessitates standard assessment environments.
improved concentration during interference is exclusive to specific people.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Dr. Maria Rodriguez and her team of cognitive psychologists explored the neurological basis behind sustained attention abilities when individuals encounter interfering stimuli." |
|
| "The researchers employed transcranial magnetic stimulation to temporarily disable the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in experimental subjects, subsequently measuring their performance against a control cohort with normal DLPFC activity." |
|
| "During baseline assessments without interference, both experimental and control groups demonstrated comparable attention performance levels," |
|
| "however, when auditory interference was present, the control group with functioning DLPFC sustained their attention capabilities while the experimental group with disabled DLPFC experienced substantial attention deterioration," |
|
| "indicating that ______" |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture
Main Point: The DLPFC is essential for maintaining attention when facing interfering stimuli.
Argument Flow: The study establishes a controlled comparison by temporarily disabling the DLPFC in some subjects while keeping it active in others. When both groups performed equally without distractions, it showed the groups were comparable. However, when auditory interference was introduced, only the group with functioning DLPFC maintained good attention, while the group with disabled DLPFC showed major deterioration, proving the DLPFC's critical role in resisting interference.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The key finding was clear: when interference was present, the group with functioning DLPFC maintained attention while the group with disabled DLPFC lost attention
- Since both groups were equal without interference, the difference must be due to the DLPFC's role
- The right answer should logically conclude that the DLPFC enables people to maintain attention despite interference
the DLPFC allows people to withstand auditory interference.
✓ Correct
- Directly matches our experimental findings
- Control group with functioning DLPFC sustained attention during auditory interference
- Perfectly completes the logical flow
people automatically enhance DLPFC activity upon encountering distractions.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims people automatically boost DLPFC activity when distracted
- The study measured normal vs disabled DLPFC, not enhanced activity
the ability to resist interference necessitates standard assessment environments.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on assessment environments rather than the brain region's function
- Misses the core finding about DLPFC's role
improved concentration during interference is exclusive to specific people.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests interference resistance is limited to specific people
- The study showed that anyone with functioning DLPFC can resist interference