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journal.
"A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys provides clues as to the
effects of birth order on an individual's levels of stimulation. The
study showed that in stimulating situations (such as an encounter
with an unfamiliar monkey), firstborn infant monkeys produce up to
twice as much of the hormone cortisol, which primes the body for
increased activity levels, as do their younger siblings. Firstborn
humans also produce relatively high levels of cortisol in stimulating
situations (such as the return of a parent after an absence). The study
also found that during pregnancy, first-time mother monkeys had
higher levels of cortisol than did those who had had several
offspring."
Write a response in which you discuss one or more alternative
explanations that could rival the proposed explanation and explain
how your explanation(s) can plausibly account for the facts
presented in the argument.
In this argument, the author claims that the birth order of rhesus monkeys
affects the simulation level by the referring to a study on an 18 monkeys sample.
This argument has logical flaws and possesses weak premises, which will
undermine the ultimate conclusion.
First of all this is a clear case of a sampling assumption. The sample size of 18
monkeys is too small to establish any concrete fact about a species of monkeys.
The sample size should be big enough to reflect the properties of the whole
species. It might be possible that that particular group of rhesus monkeys were
was showing signs of aberration from normal properties of rhesus monkeys.
Environment factors like natural habitat of the monkeys also affects the
monkeys metabolism, which could result into extraordinary hormone
production. The author claims the argument on the basis of cortisol hormone,
but there are many more hormones present in a living being which could affect
the simulation. No data about other hormones causing simulation is presented in
the argument.
Finally, the author fails to present any fact that will strengthen the relation
between monkeys and humans, so that a link can be established and an inference
made about monkeys can also be said about humans and vice versa.
The author states that during pregnancy, t. The first-time mother monkeys had
higher levels of cortisol than those who had had several offsprings. However,
the author dies not mention why the higher level of cortisol in mothers will lead
to higher level of cortisol in the first-born.
Finally, the cause of simulation in the case of monkeys and humans are very
different. In the case of rhesus monkey, encountering an unfamiliar monkey
caused the simulation, whereas in case of humans, it was caused after seeing
someone familiar after a long time. The contrast between the causes of
simulation affects the credibility of the authors claim.
Considering these plausible explanations, the authors argument lacks concrete
facts to back up the final conclusion.