LSAT (Law School Admission Test)Logical ReasoningEasy
A recent study found that children who regularly eat breakfast perform better academically than children who frequently skip breakfast. The study concluded that eating breakfast directly improves cognitive function, leading to higher grades.
- AThe academic performance of children who eat breakfast varies widely depending on the school they attend.
- BSome children who skip breakfast may have learning disabilities that also affect their academic performance.
- CThe study did not account for the nutritional content of the breakfasts consumed by the children.
- DChildren from wealthier families are more likely to eat breakfast regularly and also have access to better educational resources.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Children from wealthier families are more likely to eat breakfast regularly and also have access to better educational resources.
The argument concludes that eating breakfast directly causes better academic performance. Option A provides an alternative cause: socioeconomic status. If wealthier families provide both regular breakfast and better educational resources, then the correlation between breakfast and grades could be explained by wealth, not by breakfast itself.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This points to variability in academic performance but doesn't explain the correlation between breakfast and grades, nor does it offer an alternative cause for the observed correlation.
- B. This suggests an alternative cause for *poor* academic performance among breakfast-skippers, but doesn't challenge the positive causal impact of *eating* breakfast.
- C. While nutritional content could be relevant, the argument is about eating breakfast versus skipping it, not the quality of the breakfast itself. This doesn't directly weaken the causal link between 'eating breakfast' and 'academic performance'.
Confounding Variable
A variable that influences both the dependent variable and independent variable, causing a spurious association.
- Creates an apparent causal link where none exists.
- Must be related to both the presumed cause and the presumed effect.
- Not considered in the original argument.
Memory trick: Don't just link, rethink the blink!