Logic Breakdown

Passage Summary: The researcher claims that because good surveys don't give away what the 'right' answer is, people's natural tendency to tell the surveyor what they want to hear won't affect the results.

Conclusion: In well-constructed surveys, the desire of respondents to please the surveyor has no impact on the final data.

Reasoning: Well-constructed surveys are designed so that the questions do not hint at what the surveyor's preferred or expected answers might be.

Analysis: The researcher's logic is flawed because it assumes that if no *actual* indication of expectation is given, the respondent won't *perceive* or *imagine* one. Human psychology is a bit more complicated; people often invent expectations even when none are provided. Look for an answer that points out that respondents might still believe they know what the surveyor wants, regardless of how neutral the questions actually are.

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24.

The reasoning in the researcher's argument is questionable in that the argument overlooks the possibility that

Correct Answer
E
It points out that respondents’ answers can be influenced by their beliefs about the surveyor’s expectations even when those beliefs are unfounded. That undercuts the claim that masking expectations in the wording eliminates the effect of respondents’ desire to meet expectations.
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