Psychologists wanted to test how young children think about rewards and fairness. In an experiment, two teachers handed out rewards...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Psychologists wanted to test how young children think about rewards and fairness. In an experiment, two teachers handed out rewards while children (ages four to six) watched. The teachers gave out the same number of rewards, but one of them counted the rewards out loud. The children were then asked who was fairer. 73% chose the teacher who counted. The psychologists think that counting showed the children that the teacher wanted to be fair. The children may have believed that the teacher who did not count did not care about fairness.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
Psychologists think children cannot understand the concept of fairness until they are six years old.
An experiment found that counting out loud is the best way to teach mathematical concepts to children.
Psychologists think young children expect to be rewarded when the children show that they care about fairness.
An experiment showed that the way rewards are given out may affect whether young children think the situation is fair.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Psychologists wanted to test how young children think about rewards and fairness.' |
|
| 'In an experiment, two teachers handed out rewards while children (ages four to six) watched.' |
|
| 'The teachers gave out the same number of rewards, but one of them counted the rewards out loud.' |
|
| 'The children were then asked who was fairer.' |
|
| '73% chose the teacher who counted.' |
|
| 'The psychologists think that counting showed the children that the teacher wanted to be fair.' |
|
| 'The children may have believed that the teacher who did not count did not care about fairness.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: An experiment showed that when children watch teachers distribute rewards, they are more likely to view the teacher who counts the rewards aloud as fairer, possibly because counting signals intentional attention to fairness.
Argument Flow: The passage begins by establishing the research goal of understanding children's fairness perceptions, then describes a simple experiment where the only difference between two reward-giving teachers was that one counted aloud. The strong preference for the counting teacher (73%) leads to the researchers' interpretation that counting serves as a fairness signal to young children.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The main idea of the entire text
What type of answer do we need? A statement that captures the central message/finding of the passage
Any limiting keywords? 'Main idea' - we need the overarching point, not just a detail
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The right answer should capture that this was an experiment about children's perceptions of fairness
- That involved different ways of giving out rewards (counting vs. not counting)
- And showed that the method of distribution affected how fair children thought the situation was
- It should reflect that this is about perception/judgment of fairness rather than about actual fairness or math skills
Psychologists think children cannot understand the concept of fairness until they are six years old.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims psychologists think children cannot understand fairness until age 6
- Passage actually shows 4-6 year olds making fairness judgments successfully
An experiment found that counting out loud is the best way to teach mathematical concepts to children.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on teaching mathematical concepts through counting
- Passage is not about math education - it is about fairness perceptions
Psychologists think young children expect to be rewarded when the children show that they care about fairness.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests children expect rewards when they show they care about fairness
- Reverses the actual relationship - children judged teachers based on perceived fairness, not the other way around
An experiment showed that the way rewards are given out may affect whether young children think the situation is fair.
✓ Correct
- States that how rewards are distributed affects children's fairness perceptions
- Captures both the experimental nature and the main finding about fairness judgments