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Difficulty: EasySampling and Generalization Flaws

A survey conducted at an exclusive luxury health resort found that 85 percent of guests exercise for at least six hours every week. Based on these survey results, a researcher concluded that most adults in the general population maintain a highly active lifestyle involving at least six hours of weekly exercise. Which of the following best expresses the flaw in the researcher's reasoning?

  1. The argument draws a conclusion about the general adult population based on a sample of individuals who are unlikely to be representative of that population.Answer
  2. B
    The argument assumes that exercising six hours per week is a necessary requirement for maintaining long-term physical health.
  3. C
    The argument fails to specify whether the surveyed resort guests spent their exercise hours indoors or outdoors.
  4. D
    The argument assumes that an increase in weekly exercise hours directly reduces overall medical expenditures.
  5. E
    The argument relies on a detailed comparison between guests at luxury resorts and members of municipal community centers.

Answer

The argument draws a conclusion about the general adult population based on a sample of individuals who are unlikely to be representative of that population.
The correct answer identifies that guests at a luxury health resort are self-selected fitness enthusiasts who cannot be assumed to reflect the habits of the general adult population. Inferring a characteristic about a broad population from a non-representative subgroup is a classic sampling flaw.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the conclusion and the supporting evidence
Evidence: 85% of luxury resort guests exercise 6+ hours weekly. Conclusion: Most adults in the general population exercise 6+ hours weekly.
Understanding the gap between premise and conclusion is essential for identifying reasoning flaws.
2
Evaluate the relationship between the sample and the target population
Luxury resort guests choose to attend a health resort and have the resources to do so, making them far more likely to prioritize exercise than an average member of the general population.
A valid inductive generalization requires a sample that fairly represents the target group.
3
Select the choice that pinpoints the sampling bias
The statement highlighting that the sample is unlikely to represent the broader population accurately describes the flaw.
Generalizing from a skewed, non-random sample constitutes a classic sampling flaw.

Key Concept

Sampling and Generalization Flaws
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Topics

Sampling and Generalization Flaws

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