Section B – Verbal Ability and Logical Reasoning

69 As the information on air warfare tasks and stressors was being gathered and scenarios were being developed, a parallel effort ensued to identify a test bed simulation for air warfare teams. To maintain experimental control, it was determined by the designers that choosing a low physical fidelity simulation was acceptable as long as cognitive fidelity in a team simulation was maintained through subjecting soldiers to pressure situations in a simulated combat setting and attempting to ensure that naturalistic decision making of soldiers would not be compromised.

Which of the following statements, if true, weakens the logic of the above passage?

i. A number of studies have shown that high levels of physical stress lead to a weakening of the decision-making capabilities of human beings

ii. It has been convincingly demonstrated by various studies that human beings by nature are not designed to adapt to high levels of mental stress

iii. Numerous studies have shown that simulated environments can be designed to be good substitutes for real life combat situations

iv. Studies have shown that simulated exercises for armed forces personnel have tended to induce a systematic type of "correct" and common behaviour among the trainees

v. Officers, when short-listing soldiers for critical operations, pick up battle-hardened soldiers rather than those who have been trained through simulations.

A. i and ii B. ii and iii C. i and iv D. i, ii, iv, and v E. ii, iii, iv and v

Explanation:

Statements (i) and (ii) can be easily understood. Statements (iv) and (v) also contribute to weakening the argument because, in (iv), if the soldiers were following the herd, that too is a conditioning of a type, and they would not be exhibiting their individual and naturalistic decision making abilities; in (v), the officers do not consider simulation as valuable as sheer experience. Choice (D)