Argument53【0906G 文以载道三月四月作文小组】第2周第1作业 by timon_hacuna

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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
结论：
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、distress 和 shyness 的关系没有给出具体说明。
2、melatonin 与 初秋 与 shyness 的关系太过牵强。
3、study漏洞。



In this argument, the author concludes that increased levels of melatonin before birth cause shyness during infancy and this shyness continues into later life. To support the conclusion, the author provides researchers conducted thirteen years ago, which studied a group of 25 infants. In addition, he pointed out that these infants were more likely than other infants to have been conceived in early autumn, a time when their mothers' production of melatonin would naturally increase in response to decreased daylight. A careful examination of this argument would reveal how groundless the conclusion is.

The major problem with this argument is the unfounded causal relationship between signs of mild stress and shyness. Infants are easy to get mild stress, even a loud noise may frightened them. Maybe they were just more sensitive to these stimulates. And mild distress cannot be treated as shyness. This is just a reflection to the surroundings,

In the second place, since the arguer makes a conclusion about the shyness and melatonin in general. Samples for the researchers should be able to represent all the situations. However, from the research quoted in the argument, we find no sign of such procedures for random samplings. Even if these infants were more likely to be born in early autumn,melatonin is not the only difference between different seasons in mothers' body. Or even maybe these infants were just born in a same area where some other factors like big noise may lead to their shyness.

Last but not least, the author fails to point out that how the study was conducted when the teenagers identified themselves as shy. If the question were leading, people might echo with expected answers. Thus the conclusion would be greatly unconvincing.

To conclude, this argument is not persuasive as it stands. Before we accept the conclusion, the arguer must present more facts to prove that mild distress are connected to shyness. To solidify the argument, the arguer would have to provide more evidence concerning the study conducted earlier this year. If the argument includes these given factors, it would have been more thorough and adequate.