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Difficulty: MediumRole in Argument

Economist: Traditional economic models assume that imposing monetary fines will reliably reduce unwanted behavior. However, empirical studies in childcare centers show that instituting late-pickup fees actually doubled tardiness, as parents began viewing late arrivals as a purchasable service rather than a breach of social obligation. Thus, introducing financial penalties into social-trust settings undermines intrinsic moral norms. Consequently, policymakers should avoid using monetary fines to regulate behavior in civic domains governed predominantly by community standards.

Based on the argument, in what sequence do the following claims function in the chain of logical support, ordered from foundational empirical evidence, through the intermediate conclusion, to the argument's main conclusion?

  1. 1Instituting late-pickup fees at childcare centers led parents to reframe tardiness as a purchasable commodity, resulting in twice as many late arrivals.
  2. 2Introducing financial penalties into social-trust settings undermines intrinsic moral norms.
  3. 3Policymakers should avoid using monetary fines to regulate behavior in civic domains governed predominantly by community standards.

Answer

The correct logical sequence begins with the empirical evidence regarding childcare center fees, proceeds to the intermediate conclusion that financial penalties erode moral norms, and ends with the main conclusion advising policymakers against utilizing fines in community domains.
The structural flow of the argument moves systematically from concrete evidence to a conceptual generalization and finally to a normative prescription: the empirical daycare observation provides the primary factual support for the intermediate conclusion regarding the erosion of moral norms, which in turn serves as the necessary justification for the overall conclusion directing policymaker actions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the foundational empirical premise
The observation that childcare fees reframed tardiness and doubled late arrivals serves as direct factual evidence.
Foundational premises provide unproved starting evidence upon which broader claims depend.
2
Identify the subsidiary or intermediate conclusion
The claim that financial penalties undermine intrinsic moral norms is derived from the daycare evidence.
This claim generalizes the specific study to explain a broader psychological mechanism and bridges the evidence to the policy recommendation.
3
Identify the overarching main conclusion
The normative recommendation that policymakers should avoid fines in civic settings represents the final claim.
The entire argument is structured to justify this final policy recommendation, which receives support from the intermediate conclusion without supporting any subsequent claim.

Key Concept

Identifying hierarchical structural dependency in multi-tiered arguments
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Role in Argument

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