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- Thu May 11, 2017 3:39 pm
#34758
Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14088)
The correct answer choice is (E)
To prephrase this Specific Reference question, return to the passage and consider the term “forces of persuasion” in context. The author uses the term “forces of persuasion” to refer to the forces that have “come to inform our instinctive judgment about things.” Since this passage is about the manipulation of consumers’ perceptions of their physical and emotional needs by means of advertising, our prephrase is that the author uses the term “forces of persuasion” to refer to the advertising techniques that create the psychological associations between the real and false needs.
Answer choice (A): This answer choice is attractive, because the Marcusian view certainly casts advertising in a negative light, and tells us that advertising creates false needs. However, the passage does not indicate that the claims made in advertising are intentionally dishonest, only that they intentionally create false needs. In fact, the author tells us that “regulations prohibit misinformation in advertising claims.” (Lines 39-40).
Answer choice (B): Here, the answer choice is incorrect because the instinctual drives that it references are what the “forces of persuasion” manipulate.
Answer choice (C): Although advertising likely uses these emotional pressures to create the false need for products, the passage is dealing with the advertising itself, not the emotional pressure exerted by society generally.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is inconsistent with the passage because there is no indication that “the state” sponsors the advertising at issue. Rather, corporations are the forces behind the manipulative advertisements.
Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice because it best captures the author’s meaning in using the term “forces of persuasion.” The Marcusian view is that consumers are incapable of distinguishing between their real needs and those created by advertising, indicating that the consumers do not recognize the manipulative influences being applied to them.
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=14088)
The correct answer choice is (E)
To prephrase this Specific Reference question, return to the passage and consider the term “forces of persuasion” in context. The author uses the term “forces of persuasion” to refer to the forces that have “come to inform our instinctive judgment about things.” Since this passage is about the manipulation of consumers’ perceptions of their physical and emotional needs by means of advertising, our prephrase is that the author uses the term “forces of persuasion” to refer to the advertising techniques that create the psychological associations between the real and false needs.
Answer choice (A): This answer choice is attractive, because the Marcusian view certainly casts advertising in a negative light, and tells us that advertising creates false needs. However, the passage does not indicate that the claims made in advertising are intentionally dishonest, only that they intentionally create false needs. In fact, the author tells us that “regulations prohibit misinformation in advertising claims.” (Lines 39-40).
Answer choice (B): Here, the answer choice is incorrect because the instinctual drives that it references are what the “forces of persuasion” manipulate.
Answer choice (C): Although advertising likely uses these emotional pressures to create the false need for products, the passage is dealing with the advertising itself, not the emotional pressure exerted by society generally.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice is inconsistent with the passage because there is no indication that “the state” sponsors the advertising at issue. Rather, corporations are the forces behind the manipulative advertisements.
Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice because it best captures the author’s meaning in using the term “forces of persuasion.” The Marcusian view is that consumers are incapable of distinguishing between their real needs and those created by advertising, indicating that the consumers do not recognize the manipulative influences being applied to them.