Argument53 【0906G 文以载道三月四月小组】第2周第1次作业 by zeyiwang

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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.
13年前，研究者研究了一组在受到不熟悉的刺激比如不寻常的气味和未知声音的录音时表现出轻微紧张的25名婴儿。他们发现这些婴儿比其他婴儿更可能在早秋怀孕，而早秋是他们的母亲分泌的melatonin--一种已知会影响一些大脑功能的荷尔蒙--因日照的减少而增加的季节。在今年早些时候所作的跟踪调查中，这些表现出紧张迹象的儿童--现在已经是十几岁--有一半以上认为自己害羞。显然，出生前melatonin的增加导致婴儿期的羞涩并且这种羞涩将延续至生命更晚的阶段。
提纲：1.作者认定母亲在怀孕期间体内melatonin(m)的增多,导致婴儿在受到不熟悉的刺激时表现出轻微紧张.对于这层因果关系是不充分的,可以列举它因,比如:基因的差异,刚出生时的环境差异等等
      2.对于实验的数量可以质疑,25个婴儿是不足以反映全部问题的
      3.对于结论中"continues"的质疑,这种害羞的表现是否会持续下去,即便这些小孩现在确实表现出比同龄人更多的害羞,但是毕竟他们也只有十几岁,看不出来以后成人以后的性格.对于m对害羞的影响是否会持续,没有足够的证据
      基本上就是这样问题了.
ps:个人认为对于decreased daylight会导致m的增加,这点不需要质疑吧.欢迎大家讨论

The arguer concludes that shyness during infancy is caused by increased levels of melatonin(S)-a hormone known to affect some brain functions-before birth and this shyness continues into later life.To validify his standpoint,he also states that a study of 25 infants who were conceived more likey in early autumn 13 years ago indicates that they showd signs of mild distress when exposed to unfamiliar stimuli.In addition,now more than half of these children had shown signs of distress identified themselves as shy.At first glance,the conclusion seems to be correct,however,a close scrunity of these evidences reveals that none of them would lead a convining support for what he claims.

Most obviously,before drawing the conclusion the arguer assumes that the shy personality correlates with the high levels of M before birth,however there is no adequately cogent evidence to prove his correlation.In addition,the researchers failed to conduct an experiment going with a cogent counterpart. it is possible that the infants born at any other time of year may be observed finding some familiar phenomenon.That any other hormone might take an impact on the behavior of the infants is entirely possible.Nevertheless, what about their parents’ behaviors? Perhaps, they have shy and distress personalities in common, which will definitely influence their next generation. Without ruling out all the other possibilities, I remain unconvinced about the conclusion as it stands.

Furthermore, I question about the number of the infants involved in the experiment.To grantee a relative better availability of this experiment, it is essential to ensure a certain size of sample for excluding interpersonal difference.It is absolute that 25 infants is not adequate for draw a credible enough conclusion.

Last but not the least,the conclusion that this shyness continues into later life is open to doubt.The observation lasting one decade does not indicates the trend that this shyness will continues, And Even if the interval of the two-times experiment is twelve years, And the experimental infants are only twelve or thirteen years old currently, we are not able to conclude that they must be shy when they grow up to adults,and social activities might help them get away from the shadow of shyness in childhood.Furthermore, many factors which may influence ones' personality have been overlooked, such as education background, family atmosphere, the experience of speaking in public and so on.In a word,the assertion that the shyness personality would continue is unwarranted.

To sum up,the argument is not persuasive as he stands from several aspects.To soldify his standpoint,he should present more substantial facts to prove that there is a cause-and-effect relationship bewteen the high levels of M and shy personality.Furthermore,in order to better assess this argument we need be informed more information concerning that the study is based on scienifical analysis and well-considered.

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on liuguagua
A53
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