Argument53 【7\8\9\10】第三次作业 7.23

DemiquaverUID: 203651

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.

In the passage above, the author's conclusion that during infancy, increased levels of melatonin before birth cause shyness and this shyness continues into later life is based on two studies, on of which conducted thirteen years ago while other is done earlier this year. Under a close scrutiny, I found the passage depends on unsubstantiated assumption and ignores some elements which may influence the result of the studies.
To begin with, drawing such a conclusion, the author ignores a premise that melatonin leads to shyness. Insufficient statements are provided to describe the effect of melatonin on fetus. Although the author states that the hormone is known to affect some brain functions, no evidence shows the brain functions amounts to shyness. On the other hand, we are not informed that whom are affected by these brain functions, mothers or fetus? Without adequate and convincing descriptions on this point, the conclusion is incredible.

Furthermore, as far as I concerned, making the conclusion by citing the two studies is hasty, because there is no evidence in the argument demonstrates that signs of mild distress on infants in the study thirteen years ago were result of shyness. Perhaps they were just signs of physical pains caused by being exposed to unfamiliar stimuli such as an unusual odor or a tape recording of an unknown voice. On the other hand, the author is failing to consider some elements which may influent the result of the later study. Living conditions, educations, or some incidents may also lead to shyness of these teenagers.

Finally, the author unwarrantedly asserts that this shyness continues into later life of the 25 teenagers. Experience tells me that if a person is shy mainly depends on his temperament, living conditions, educations and so forth. However, situation among the above elements may convert, which means a shy person may become open. Since these 25 teenagers are still young, they possess possibilities to be extraverts by communicating more with others, getting treatment from psychologists and so forth. Consequently, the author's assertion seems to be arbitrary.

In sum, the conclusion of this argument that melatonin before birth cause shyness during infancy is dubious. To bolster it up,  the author should provide convincing evidence showing that melatonin leads to shyness and mild distress on infants is sign of  shyness. Meanwhile, the author should rule out possible causes which may influence the result of the second study. However, the assertion that the teenagers' shyness continues into their life is baseless.