In a study of the cognitive abilities of white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator), researchers neglected to control for the physical...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
In a study of the cognitive abilities of white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator), researchers neglected to control for the physical difficulty of the tasks they used to evaluate the monkeys. The cognitive abilities of monkeys given problems requiring little dexterity, such as sliding a panel to retrieve food, were judged by the same criteria as were those of monkeys given physically demanding problems, such as unscrewing a bottle and inserting a straw. The results of the study, therefore, ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
could suggest that there are differences in cognitive ability among the monkeys even though such differences may not actually exist.
are useful for identifying tasks that the monkeys lack the cognitive capacity to perform but not for identifying tasks that the monkeys can perform.
should not be taken as indicative of the cognitive abilities of any monkey species other than C. imitator.
reveal more about the monkeys' cognitive abilities when solving artificial problems than when solving problems encountered in the wild.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In a study of the cognitive abilities of white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator), researchers neglected to control for the physical difficulty of the tasks they used to evaluate the monkeys." |
|
| "The cognitive abilities of monkeys given problems requiring little dexterity, such as sliding a panel to retrieve food, were judged by the same criteria as were those of monkeys given physically demanding problems, such as unscrewing a bottle and inserting a straw." |
|
| "The results of the study, therefore, ______" |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A study of monkey cognitive abilities failed to control for the physical difficulty of tasks, creating a methodological problem that affects the validity of the results.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a research study, identifies a specific methodological flaw (not controlling for physical task difficulty), provides examples of easy versus difficult tasks that were judged equally, and sets up the logical consequence of this flawed approach.
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 issue is that cognitive ability and physical dexterity are different things
- When researchers don't control for physical difficulty, monkeys might appear to have different cognitive abilities when the real difference is in their physical skills or the physical demands of their tasks
- The right answer should explain that the results might show apparent cognitive differences that don't actually reflect real differences in cognitive ability
could suggest that there are differences in cognitive ability among the monkeys even though such differences may not actually exist.
✓ Correct
- This perfectly captures the logical consequence of the methodological flaw
- When physical task difficulty isn't controlled, performance differences might reflect physical challenges rather than cognitive differences
are useful for identifying tasks that the monkeys lack the cognitive capacity to perform but not for identifying tasks that the monkeys can perform.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the results are useful for identifying what monkeys can't do but not what they can do
- This doesn't logically follow from the setup about uncontrolled physical difficulty
should not be taken as indicative of the cognitive abilities of any monkey species other than C. imitator.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on generalizability to other species
- The passage's concern is about the methodology within this study, not about applying results to other species
reveal more about the monkeys' cognitive abilities when solving artificial problems than when solving problems encountered in the wild.
✗ Incorrect
- Contrasts artificial versus wild problems
- The passage doesn't distinguish between artificial and natural tasks - the real issue is physical difficulty, not the artificial nature of the tasks