LSAT Explanation PT 41, S1, Q12: Poor nutrition is at the root

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Strengthen question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is E. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

First, let's summarize and analyze the argument in the passage. The argument claims that poor nutrition is at the root of violent behavior in many young offenders. This is based on an experiment where violent inmates who chose low-nutrient food items showed improvement in behavior when placed on a high-nutrient diet. The conclusion of the argument is that there is a link between poor nutrition and violent behavior. The experiment and its results serve as the premise for this conclusion.

To make this scientific concept more relatable, let's use a simple example. Imagine a group of students who consistently perform poorly on exams. Researchers notice that these students tend to eat junk food before their exams. When some of these students are given healthier meals before their exams, their test scores improve. This would suggest a link between poor nutrition and poor exam performance.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Were there any other factors that could have contributed to the improvement in behavior, besides the change in diet?"

Now, let's discuss the answer choices for the Strengthen question type, which asks us to find the option that most strengthens the argument.

a) Some of the violent inmates who took part in the experiment had committed a large number of violent crimes.

- This answer choice doesn't necessarily strengthen the argument, as it only provides information about the inmates' criminal history, not the relationship between their diet and behavior.

b) Dietary changes are easier and cheaper to implement than any other type of reform program in institutions for young offenders.

- While this may be true, it doesn't strengthen the argument about the link between nutrition and violent behavior. It only discusses the practicality of implementing dietary changes.

c) Many young offenders have reported that they had consumed a low-nutrient food sometime in the days before they committed a violent crime.

- This answer choice may appear to strengthen the argument, but it only provides anecdotal evidence and focuses on single food items rather than overall diet. It doesn't directly address the causal relationship between poor nutrition and violent behavior.

d) A further study investigated young offenders who chose a high-nutrient diet on their own and found that many of them were nonviolent.

- While this answer choice may seem relevant, it doesn't directly strengthen the argument. It doesn't show that a change in diet leads to a change in behavior, as the nonviolent offenders were already choosing high-nutrient diets.

e) The violent inmates in the institution who were not placed on a high-nutrient diet did not show an improvement in behavior.

- This answer choice strengthens the argument, as it suggests that the change in diet was the key factor in the improvement of behavior. By showing that violent inmates who didn't change their diet didn't improve, it supports the causal relationship between nutrition and violent behavior.

Therefore, the correct answer choice is (e), as it provides the strongest support for the argument's conclusion.