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Difficulty: MediumSampling and Survey Flaws

Consumer advocate: A recent survey of readers of the magazine *Luxury Auto Weekly* asked whether they prioritize fuel efficiency or engine performance when purchasing a new vehicle. Over 70 percent of respondents indicated that engine performance is their primary consideration. Therefore, automakers should focus less on fuel efficiency, since it is clear that most car buyers prioritize engine performance.

Which of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the consumer advocate's reasoning?

  1. bases a generalization about a large population on a subgroup that is highly unlikely to be representative of that populationAnswer
  2. B
    presumes, without providing justification, that consumers always act in strict accordance with the preferences they express in surveys
  3. C
    mistakes a claim about the proportion of a surveyed group for a claim about the absolute number of individuals in that group
  4. D
    treats a mere correlation between reading a specific magazine and prioritizing engine performance as proof of a causal connection
  5. E
    uses the phrase "primary consideration" in two distinct and incompatible ways over the course of the argument

Answer

The argument is flawed because it generalizes about all car buyers based on a highly unrepresentative sample (readers of a luxury auto magazine).
The correct answer accurately targets the argument's use of an unrepresentative sample. The consumer advocate attempts to draw a broad conclusion about the preferences of all car buyers. However, the evidence is derived entirely from a survey of individuals who read 'Luxury Auto Weekly'. It is highly probable that consumers who read a magazine dedicated to luxury automobiles care significantly more about engine performance than the average, everyday car buyer does. Because the sample is skewed, it cannot reliably support a generalization about the wider population.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the conclusion of the argument.
Automakers should focus less on fuel efficiency because most car buyers prioritize engine performance.
Finding the main conclusion is the necessary first step to evaluate any logical flaw.
2
Identify the premise supporting the conclusion.
Over 70 percent of surveyed readers of Luxury Auto Weekly prioritize engine performance.
Understanding the evidence allows you to find the gap between the premise and the conclusion.
3
Evaluate the relationship between the premise and the conclusion to spot the logical gap.
The argument jumps from evidence about 'readers of a luxury car magazine' to a conclusion about 'most car buyers'.
This identifies the specific vulnerability in the argument's structure.
4
Characterize the logical flaw based on the identified gap.
The sample group is heavily biased. People who read luxury auto magazines are inherently more likely to care about engine performance than the general population of car buyers.
Pinpointing the exact nature of the flaw leads directly to the correct answer choice.

Key Concept

Unrepresentative Sample (Selection Bias)
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Topics

Sampling and Survey Flaws

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