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helenlhh
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发表于 2006-7-20 21:27:37 |只看该作者 |倒序浏览

TOPIC: ARGUMENT53 - Thirteen years ago, researchers studied a group of 25 infants who showed signs of mild distress when exposed to unfamiliar stimuli such as an unusual odor or a tape recording of an unknown voice. They discovered that these infants were more likely than other infants to have been conceived in early autumn, a time when their mothers' production of melatonin-a hormone known to affect some brain functions-would naturally increase in response to decreased daylight. In a follow-up study conducted earlier this year, more than half of these children-now teenagers-who had shown signs of distress identified themselves as shy. Clearly, increased levels of melatonin before birth cause shyness during infancy and this shyness continues into later life.
WORDS: 416 TIME: 0:40:08 DATE: 2007-7-20

In this argument, the arguer concludes from a research and follow-up study that increased levels of meletonin before birth cause shyness during infancy that will continue into later life. A careful examination of this argument may reveal several logical problems.

The arguer firstly shows us an unconvincing research of 25 infants. It is common knowledge that such a small number of sampling is not enough for a study comparing to a large amount of population. Moreover, their observation of these infants cannot tell that they were actually shy. It may be considered natural that even an adult will present a sense of mild distress when exposed to unfamiliar stimuli such as an unusual odor or a tape recording of an unknown voice. If so, how can we expect infants to perform calm as usual. In this, the arguer fails to prove the study is suitable to explain whether these infants were shy or not.

Secondly, the arguer fails to present a causal relationship between shyness and the increase of melatonin, thought to be produced more in early autumn. The arguer points out that it is the increase of melatonin before birth that leads to the infants' shyness. Even if we admit that these infant were show more shyness than other infants, there is no sign that it is melatonin that is responsible for their shyness. It is quite possible that there exist some other factors that may contribute to the shyness, for example, other hormones.

Last but not least, the follow-up study is also in doubt. The author argues that more than half of these children are considered to be shy due to the shyness continues from their early time. As we all known that children's characters are strongly be influenced by the surroundings they live in and education. A shy child will become active in later life if he or she is trained to be brave. On the contrary, some children will become shy because of the loss of confidence no matter how brave he used to be. So it is not reasonable to say that these children still keep the character of being shy after some many years.

In sum, this argument is unsubstantiated for several flaws. To make this argument more convincing, the arguer should convince us that melatonin has a causal relationship with shyness. He also have to provide us a more reasonable survey to convince us that these infants are really shy and that may influence them in later life.

[ 本帖最后由 helenlhh 于 2006-7-20 21:28 编辑 ]

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