PrepTest 140

Incorrect. The stimulus never discusses depression rates among other groups, so this comparison is unwarranted. While the stimulus does note that it's a serious problem among this group, it could be a more serious problem among a separate group.

Incorrect. While it appears that access to a pet is one way to combat depression, there's no evidence strong enough to support it as the best method for doing so.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Must Be True

Stimulus Summary:
People in nursing homes are depressed, but those with pets had lower rates than those without pets.

Answer Anticipation:
This answer provides a comparison between two groups, showing that a certain thing (pets) is correlated with a certain effect (less depression). While correlation can't prove causation, it does provide evidence that a causal relationship might exist—so this situation does support that pets might help alleviate depression. Anything stronger than that would be incorrect, but let's find a weak answer that discusses this relationship.

Answer Explanation:
This answer is very weak, which makes it a likely candidate for a correct answer in a Must Be True question that asks for an answer most strongly supported and that doesn't have strong statements in the stimulus. Since forming a bond with a pet is correlated with a lower depression rate, there's some evidence that companionship does help with depression, and thus a lack of companionship might cause that depression. If this answer were any stronger ("probably results" or "primarily from"), then it'd be wrong, but it's weak enough that the correlation in the stimulus is enough to support the possibility that this causal relationship exists, justifying this answer.

Key Takeaway:
Correlation doesn't prove causation, but it's evidence for it. When there's a correlation, that provides evidence that the two correlated elements might be causally related. Don't go further than that and assume the causal relationship is probable, but possible is on the table.

Incorrect. This answer is too strong in saying that animals are required for psychological well-being. They seem to improve mental states, but that's a far cry from being required for them being healthy.

Incorrect. This answer is too extreme in stating that pets would "eliminate" depression.