Logical reasoning PrepTest 141 · Section 2 · Question 2

Incorrect. If anything, this suggests the situation with the salesperson and the friend are similar, in that both are viewed as thanking for a favor, so it would enhance the paradox.

Incorrect. This doesn't explain why the customer responds with a, "Thank you," instead of, "You're welcome," as they do when a friend says it.

Incorrect. The behavior creating the paradox is on the part of the customer, so what the salesperson believes won't help to resolve that paradox.

Incorrect. Jeneta notes that she's noted the weird response to salespeople thanking customers is "[i]ncreasing[]" suggesting that it's not a customary response. Even if it were, that still wouldn't explain why it developed as a custom.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Paradox

Stimulus Summary:Person to salesperson: "Thank you!," "Thank you!"
Person to friend: "Thank you!," "You're welcome!"

Answer Anticipation:
The stimulus highlights different behavior taken by individuals in similar situations. When a salesperson thanks someone, they thank them back; when a friend thanks a person, they say, "You're welcome!"

We need to explain this different behavior. Since both situations have a similarity—someone says, "Thank you!"—the explanation probably won't come from that. However, the difference between the scenarios—who says it—will need to be tied into the different response. Anything that highlights a difference between friends and salespeople that would lead to the different response will serve to resolve the paradox.

Answer Explanation:
This answer highlights a relevant difference between a friend thanking you and a salesperson doing so. In the former, the benefit isn't mutual, so there's no reason to thank someone back. However, when buying something, the customer views themselves as receiving a benefit, thus creating a reason to thank the salesperson back. Since this answer highlights a relevant difference that can explain the different behavior, it's the correct answer.

Key Takeaway:
Paradox questions frequently deal with different responses to similar situations. When that happens, the correct answer should highlight a relevant difference that explains the different response. More broadly, Paradox questions are frequently about comparisons, and framing them through that lens can be helpful.