Question

A psychology student randomly selected 300 people from a group of people who indicated that they preferred to work alone. Those 300 people were given a task to work on individually and then asked whether they were happy or unhappy while doing the task. Of those surveyed, \(5 \%\) stated they were unhappy while doing the task. Which of the following inferences can appropriately be drawn from this survey result? A) Few people who prefer working alone will be unhappy doing this task. B) Few people who do not prefer working alone will be happy doing this task. C) Less than \(5 \%\) of people will be happy doing this task if they do not work alone. D) Less than \(5 \%\) of people will be unhappy doing this task if they work alone.

Short answer

A) Few people who prefer working alone will be unhappy doing this task.

Step-by-step solution

Evaluate Option A

Option A states that "Few people who prefer working alone will be unhappy doing this task." Analyzing the information given, \(5 \%\) of the 300 people who preferred working alone stated that they were unhappy while doing the task. This means that only a small percentage of people who prefer working alone were unhappy, which aligns with the statement in Option A. We can consider this option as potentially correct.

Evaluate Option B

Option B states that "Few people who do not prefer working alone will be happy doing this task." However, the given information only talks about people who prefer working alone and their happiness or unhappiness while doing the task. We have no information on people who don't like working alone, so we cannot infer anything about their happiness or unhappiness. So, Option B is not correct.

Evaluate Option C

Option C states that "Less than \(5 \%\) of people will be happy doing this task if they do not work alone." Again, the given information focuses on those who prefer working alone, and we have no information on people who don't like working alone. So, we cannot make any inference about their happiness or unhappiness. Thus, Option C is not correct.

Evaluate Option D

Option D states that "Less than \( 5 \% \) of people will be unhappy doing this task if they work alone." The given information tells us that \( 5 \% \) of the people who prefer working alone were unhappy while doing the task. This means that \( 5 \% \) of people will be unhappy doing this task if they work alone. The statement in Option D, therefore, does not align with the given information. So, Option D is not correct. Based on the evaluation of each option, the appropriate inference that can be drawn from the survey result is:

Answer

A) Few people who prefer working alone will be unhappy doing this task.

Key concepts

SAT Psychology Questions

Grasping the types of questions encountered in the SAT psychology portion requires an understanding of how data interpretation and inference are intertwined. Psychology oriented questions often involve interpreting survey data and inferring conclusions.

Consider an exercise where a psychology student surveys 300 individuals who prefer solitary work. The outcome shows 5% are unhappy working alone. To correctly answer this, it is critical to understand the variables at play - the preference for working alone and the emotional response to the task, whittling down to the core question: What can we rightly infer from these results about the broader population?

With psychology questions on the SAT, students must avoid extending conclusions beyond the surveyed group. In our example, without information on those who dislike working alone, the safest inference is about the surveyed group itself, leading to the correct, narrowly tailored conclusion.

SAT Survey Inference

The SAT often includes questions about inferring information from surveys, a critical skill involving careful reading and logical analysis. For instance, suppose you're presented with a survey result indicating a certain percentage of a given group experiences a particular emotion while performing a task. What can such data tell us?

While making inferences, it's essential to recognize the survey's scope. If only those who prefer working alone are surveyed, any inference must be limited to that group. Any statement extending to those outside the surveyed group is unsupportable.

To enhance success in solving these types of problems, remember the following tips:

• Identify the scope of the survey.
• Analyze what the data explicitly states.
• Avoid making unwarranted generalizations.

By focusing strictly on what the survey data reveals, you minimize the risk of choosing an incorrect inference.

SAT Critical Reading

Critical reading on the SAT requires not just understanding text at face value, but also deducing meanings, evaluating arguments, and discerning implications. When presented with survey data in a SAT context, keen attention must be paid to the given facts and what they inherently imply without making unfounded leaps of logic.

The example of the psychology student's survey is a testament to this skill. Students must parse the presented data meticulously, noting that just 5% of a specific subset – those who like working alone – were unhappy.

To excel at critical reading questions regarding surveys or studies:

• Read all data and answer choices carefully.
• Understand the context and limit of the study.
• Discern between what is expressly stated and what is implied

Enhanced comprehension will typically lead to recognizing the correct answer, supported by the presented data, without overstepping into conjecture.