Conclusion: The assumption that job-related stress is the most serious problem for workers in the corporate world is thus simply not warranted.
Why? We are told that even though workers may complain about many different things at work, stress is not high on the list. In a recent survey, a majority placed boredom a the top of their list of complaints.
The first thing that should pop out at you is that the conclusion is about "the most serious problem," while the evidence is about the problem that is most commonly placed at the top of a list of complaints. These are not necessarily the same thing. Just because a specific problem is one that is most commonly placed at the top of a complaint list does not mean that it is the most serious.
Answer choice (B) states: "Workers who complain of boredom exhibit more stress-related symptoms than do those who claim their work is interesting."
We are told that a majority of workers placed boredom at the top of their list of complaints. If it is true that those who complain of boredom, which the argument states is a majority of workers, exhibit more stress-related symptoms than do those who claim their work is interesting, then a majority of workers exhibit stress-related symptoms.
Thus, we have weakened the link between the premise and conclusion since previously we stated that the conclusion was valid because boredom, as opposed to stress, was at the top of worker complaints. However, if we take answer choice (B) to be true, then the majority of workers actually exhibit stress-related symptoms. Therefore, answer choice (B) most seriously weakens the argument.
Answer choice (C) does not necessarily weaken the argument. Even if workers responding to opinion surveys tend to emphasize those experiences that have happened most recently does not mean that job-related stress is necessarily the most serious problem. We have no information on when workers experience stress as opposed to boredom. It could be true that in the past workers experienced stress, but it could also be false. Thus, answer choice (C) does not necessarily do anything to the argument.
Hope that clears things up! Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Virginia_61092August 7, 2015
Thank you!
nelsonOctober 21, 2018
I do not understand the answer still because even if a majority of workers exhibited stress symptoms that doesn't mean it is the most serious problem. It does not even it is at the top of their list because they chose boredom over those symptoms. That just means job stress is one of the problems. I feel C shows that the survey is that demonstrating boredom is not necessarily the top complaint but rather the most recent one.
