PrepTest 123

[lcid:3590] Prep Test 123 LSAT — Logical Reasoning — S3 Logical reasoning

Question prompt

Therapist:  Cognitive psychotherapy focuses on Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: B

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Argument

Valid or Flawed

Flawed

Question Type

Strengthen Questions / Sufficient & Necessary Questions

Stimulus Summary

CP focuses on changing conscious beliefs, and only conscious beliefs are under conscious control. Therefore, CP is likely more effective at fixing psychological problems than therapy that focuses on unconscious beliefs.

Answer Anticipation

The conclusion is all about what forms of therapy are more and less effective at fixing psychological problems. However, the premises never discuss what makes a form of psychotherapy effective. Since the conclusion compares CP, which focuses on conscious beliefs under a patient's control, to other forms which focus on unconscious beliefs not under a patient's control, the gap in this argument is between effectiveness and this difference between the forms of therapy. To strengthen the argument, an answer choice should connect conscious belief and control to effectiveness.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Psychological problems are frequently Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Incorrect. This answer choice connects a focus on unconscious beliefs to effectiveness, so, if anything, it weakens the argument.
  2. B
    It is difficult for Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B matches the stem
    Correct. This answer choice connects effective therapy to therapy that focuses on mental states under control. Since CP does this and the therapies the conclusion compares CP to do not, this answer strengthens the conclusion that CP is more effective than these alternatives.
  3. C
    Cognitive psychotherapy is the Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    Incorrect. While this answer choice clearly draws a distinction between CP and other therapies by pointing out a unique feature of it, the conclusion is about therapies that we already know are different than CP in this way, so this answer doesn't strengthen the argument since it doesn't present any relevant new evidence. Additionally, it doesn't address effectiveness at all.
  4. D
    No form of psychotherapy Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Incorrect. What a convoluted answer choice! The much shorter paraphrase is that psychotherapy that focuses on unconscious beliefs must also help change conscious beliefs to be effective. However, the alternatives to CP might very well help to change conscious beliefs; all we know is that they focus on unconscious beliefs, but it doesn't say they do so exclusively. While an answer that hurts the effectiveness of alternatives to CP may strengthen this argument, since we don't know if this answer applies to the other psychotherapies listed, we don't know if it has an impact.
  5. E
    All of a patient's Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Incorrect. If anything, this suggests a focus on unconscious beliefs might be required for effective therapy. However, that's a step past what the answer actually says, so it should be eliminated.

What this tests

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