PrepTest 46, Section 2, Question 19
In an experiment, researchers played a series of musical intervals—two-note sequences—to a large, diverse group of six-month-old babies. They found that the babies paid significantly more attention when the intervals were perfect octaves, fifths, or fourths than otherwise. These intervals are prevalent in the musical systems of most cultures around the world. Thus, humans probably have a biological predisposition to pay more attention to those intervals than to others.
In an experiment, researchers played a series of musical intervals—two-note sequences—to a large, diverse group of six-month-old babies. They found that the babies paid significantly more attention when the intervals were perfect octaves, fifths, or fourths than otherwise. These intervals are prevalent in the musical systems of most cultures around the world. Thus, humans probably have a biological predisposition to pay more attention to those intervals than to others.
In an experiment, researchers played a series of musical intervals—two-note sequences—to a large, diverse group of six-month-old babies. They found that the babies paid significantly more attention when the intervals were perfect octaves, fifths, or fourths than otherwise. These intervals are prevalent in the musical systems of most cultures around the world. Thus, humans probably have a biological predisposition to pay more attention to those intervals than to others.
In an experiment, researchers played a series of musical intervals—two-note sequences—to a large, diverse group of six-month-old babies. They found that the babies paid significantly more attention when the intervals were perfect octaves, fifths, or fourths than otherwise. These intervals are prevalent in the musical systems of most cultures around the world. Thus, humans probably have a biological predisposition to pay more attention to those intervals than to others.
Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
Several similar experiments using older children and adults found that these subjects, too, had a general tendency to pay more attention to octaves, fifths, and fourths than to other musical intervals.
None of the babies in the experiment had previous exposure to music from any culture.
All of the babies in the experiment had been exposed to music drawn equally from a wide variety of cultures around the world.
In a second experiment, these same babies showed no clear tendency to notice primary colors more than other colors.
Octaves, fifths, and fourths were played more frequently during the experiment than other musical intervals were.
Explanations
This argument concludes that humans probably have a biological predisposition toward musical intervals like perfect octaves, fifths, and fourths.
Why? Because the six-month-old babies from a certain experiment paid considerably more attention to these kinds of intervals than others and because these musical intervals are pervasive amongst world cultures.
Not the worst argument ever, but certainly not proven.
We're asked to strengthen the argument, so we need to increase the likelihood that humans probably do have this alleged biological predisposition to octaves, fifths, and fourths.
Let's see.
Tricky, but no. We need to help prove that this is a biological predisposition, not one that might develop across cultures in infancy that follows us through adolescence and into adulthood.
Yes, this does it. If none of the babies in the study had any prior exposure to music, then their preference for these specific intervals is surprising, especially in these are babies from many different cultures.
Nah, this weakens. If each baby from the study had heard music from many different parts of the world already, then their preferences might just come from familiarity.
Nope. This is irrelevant to the argument's conclusion. The babies' color preferences have no bearing on their musical preferences or predispositions.
No, this weakens, too. If this is true, then the experiment's results are biased, at best.
0 Comments