LSAT (Law School Admission Test)Reading ComprehensionHard
Passage: "The 'Pygmalion effect,' also known as the self-fulfilling prophecy, describes a phenomenon where higher expectations lead to an increase in performance. It suggests that if a teacher expects more from certain students, those students will tend to perform better, not necessarily because they are inherently more capable, but because the teacher's expectations influence their behavior and the students' self-perception. Conversely, the 'Golem effect' describes the opposite: lower expectations leading to decreased performance. These effects highlight the powerful, often unconscious, role of expectations in shaping outcomes in various domains, from education to the workplace. The underlying mechanism involves subtle cues in communication, differential treatment, and changes in opportunities provided, all of which can alter an individual's motivation, effort, and confidence, ultimately affecting their actual performance." Which of the following is an unstated assumption made by the author regarding the Pygmalion effect?
- AThe Pygmalion effect is solely responsible for differences in student achievement.
- BStudents who are subject to the Pygmalion effect are inherently more intelligent than their peers.
- CExpectations can be communicated and perceived, even without explicit verbalization.
- DTeachers are consciously aware of how their expectations influence student performance.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Expectations can be communicated and perceived, even without explicit verbalization.
The passage states that the underlying mechanism 'involves subtle cues in communication, differential treatment, and changes in opportunities provided.' For 'subtle cues' and 'differential treatment' to influence performance without explicit verbalization, the author must assume that expectations can be communicated and perceived non-verbally or subtly. This is an unstated assumption necessary for the mechanism described.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The passage describes the effect as a factor, not the 'solely responsible' cause, and explicitly says 'not necessarily because they are inherently more capable.'
- B. The passage explicitly states that students perform better 'not necessarily because they are inherently more capable,' directly contradicting this option.
- D. The passage states the role of expectations is 'often unconscious,' directly contradicting this option.
Unstated Assumption
A belief or premise that the author takes for granted as true, even though it is not explicitly stated in the passage, and upon which the author's argument depends.
- It must be necessary for the author's argument to hold true.
- It will not be directly stated in the text.
- If the assumption were false, the author's conclusion or reasoning would be weakened or invalid.
Memory trick: Assumptions Are the Unspoken Foundations.