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Re: Argument Task - A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys pr [#permalink]
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Do not explain your reasoning using the first person.

use always the third.

Provide more examples (one or two for each paragraph) why the argument has flaws.

The sentences are a bit convoluted and not clear in their unfolding

For the rest, the counter reasons you expose are fairly good.

regards
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Re: Argument Task - A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys pr [#permalink]
Please see my response to the above mentioned argument. Any feedback is welcome and appreciated.


In the argument presented above tries to establish a correlation between secretion of hormone cortisol of First new born monkey and First new born humans. While the explanation offered above might seem valid at first glance, I believed that there are alternative argument that renders author's claim invalid.

Firstly,the author states that a recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys provides clues as to the effects of birth order on an individual's levels of stimulation. But concluding based on eighteen rhesus monkeys is not justified as sample size provided is very small. However the sample size is generally a large number with possibly variegated results characteristics among the sample for accurate result. Thus, the author does not provide any clear image. If the author provide more information, it can be investigated further.

Secondly, the author states the study showed that in stimulating situations (such as an encounter with an unfamiliar monkey), firstborn infant monkeys produce up to twice as much of the hormone cortisol, which primes the body for increased activity levels, as do their younger siblings. But it may be possible that several other monkeys will provide different result. However author did not provide any information about how many eighteen rhesus monkeys are parents. Thus if the author provide additional evidence, it might make his argument reliable and cogent.

Thirdly, author states that firstborn humans also produce relatively high levels of cortisol in stimulating situations. However it is possible that both humans and monkey have increase in hormone cortisol during pregnancy but it is quite possible that both have different results. Therefore there could be different condition in both monkeys as well as humans which cannot be compared. The fact that first-time mother monkeys had higher levels of cortisol than did those who had had several offspring groundless the argument because it may be possible based on argument but it is equally possible that it may not be true for humans. Thus if author provide additional information it can make an argument reliable and cogent.

In summary, by considering the discussion above it can be seen that facts mentioned in a letter are not enough to support author's suggestion. The argument in letter loses weight because it has no explanation for discussion above. Therefore if author provide further information, it can be investigated later.
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Re: Argument Task - A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys pr [#permalink]
Kindly provide feedback to my response

In a “letter to the editor” section of a scientific journal, the author cites an animal study about the effects of the mother’s level of stimulation on the outcome in the first born offspring. Using the example of a study done in monkeys, the author deduces the findings to be applicable in the human beings as well. Though based on some seemingly sound grounds, the arguments presented by the author in the letter can be highly doubted.

Firstly, the study, as cited by the author, presents no detailed accounts of the stimulating situations, apart from a simple encounter with an alien monkey. Such a rendezvous might otherwise be counterproductive than being a fruitful one, as suggested in the study. The author also fails to provide sufficient statistical evidences as to the causes of increased levels of the stated hormone, cortisol. This could possibly be the result of other factors such as the harsh wilderness of the animals’ habitat, amongst others. Moreover, the increased production of the cortisol in the first born monkey is probably specious if there were suboptimal levels in the other offspring, a possibility not addressed by the author.

Secondly, making a common inference of the finding in animal study to the similar finding in human being is another flawed argument made by the author. A situation which is stimulating in a monkey might not be related even distantly to a similar one in human being. Although, monkeys resemble humans on account of several physiological phenomena, they are uniquely different.

Last but not the least, the higher levels of cortisol in the first-time mother monkeys makes no sense to the point the author is trying to make. It could simply be because of an increased levels of stress in the first-time mother, which might not be present in the subsequent pregnancies. To add more, increased levels of such hormones in the mothers might not adequately explain the similar picture in their offspring as well. As presented, had it been a true case, the authors could have been able to produce substantial evidence to buttress his or her points.

In a nutshell, although the explanations seem to be superficially valid, the lack of statistical backings renders the arguments potentially fallacious and subject to critical scrutiny.
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Please make a comment if you could [#permalink]
In a scientific research, the researchers established a correlation between the order of geniture and the cortisol levels. The same study compared rhesus monkeys within and then ran similar tests in humans to measure cortisol level differences between firstborn and their respective siblings. The same research also looks into the pregnancy and suggests that first-time mother monkeys release higher levels of cortisols than those who have several offsprings. Although certain suggestions made by this research may seem valid, it seems like the audience needs more concrete evidence to accept these suggestions for multiple reasons.

First of all, the sample is relatively small to draw any similarities between monkeys and humans. During the experiments, only 18 rhesus monkeys were exposed to such stimulating situations which forces the reader to question the effectiveness of sample size. What if the firstborn monkeys used in the experiments were predisposed with certain genetic factors? Sample size of 18 prompts the reader to question the validity of the experiments.

Secondly, firstborn infant monkeys’ cortisol levels are compared to their younger siblings. There is no information about the age difference. An infant monkey certainly has a more developed brain than that of their younger siblings. Younger siblings may, simply, not be aware of the stimulating situation. Also, one should ask whether there is a positive relationship between age and levels of cortisol. What if monkeys produce more cortisol as they age? The levels of cortisol in these mentioned monkeys, during a neutral state, should also be measured to understand the secretion of cortisol during stimulation.

Furthermore, similar experiments were run in human beings to measure cortisol. One of the examples was the return of a parent after an absence.Again, due to the difference in age, older siblings might simply be more aware of the absence of their parents, in where the younger one may not be aware of his/her surroundings.

As is, the study needs to answer some of the questions mentioned above. The neutral state of the cortisol level especially may explain the variances in secretion levels. Moreover, since there is a positive relationship between age and brain development, older siblings’ ability to analyze their surroundings increases, hence the increased cortisol production. In summary, taking these missing points into account, further research is necessary to increase the validity of the above mentioned experiment.
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