Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers "Whatever…
2023
Analyse the following passage and provide appropriate answers "Whatever actions are done by an individual in different embodiments, [s]he reaps the fruit of those actions in those very bodies or embodiments (in future existences)".
A belief in karma entails, among other things, a focus on long run consequences, i.e., a long term orientation. Such an orientation implies that people who believe in karma may be more honest with themselves in general and in setting expectations in particular-a hypothesis we examine here. This research is based on three simple premises. First, because lower expectations often lead to greater satisfaction, individuals in general, and especially those who are sensitive to the gap between performance and expectations, have the incentive to and actually do “strategically” lower their expectations. Second, individuals with a long term orientation are likely to be less inclined to lower expectations in the hope of temporarily feeling better. Third, long term orientation and the tendency to lower expectations are at least partially driven by cultural factors. In India, belief in karma, with its emphasis on a longer term orientation, will therefore to some extent counter-act the tendency to lower expectations. The empirical results support our logic; those who believe more strongly in karma are less influenced by disconfirmation sensitivity and therefore have higher expectations.
Consumers make choices based on expectations of how alternative options will perform (i.e., expected utility). Expectations about the quality of a product also play a central role in subsequent satisfaction. These expectations may be based on a number of factors including the quality of a typical brand in a category, advertised quality, and disconfirmation sensitivity. Recent evidence suggests that consumers who are more disconfirmation sensitive (i.e., consumers who are more satisfied when products perform better than expected or more dissatisfied when products perform worse than expected) have lower expectations. However, there is little research concerning the role of culture-specific variables in expectation formation, particularly how they relate to the impact of disconfirmation sensitivity on consumer expectations.
Read the following statements carefully:
1. Temporary feelings and law of karma are independent
2. As per theory of karma, temporary feelings would not lower the expectation.
3. Temporary feelings and law of karma are contradictory.
Which of the following combination of statements is consistent with the second premise?
- A.
1 only
- B.
1 and 2 only
- C.
1 and 3 only
- D.
3 only
Attempted by 2 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
A statement is "consistent" with a premise when it can hold together with that premise without contradicting it -- and, just as importantly, without overstating the premise's degree of certainty. A premise stated in probabilistic terms ("likely", "less inclined", "tends to") is contradicted not only by its outright opposite but also by any statement that inflates that probability into an absolute, unqualified claim.
The second premise says individuals with a long-term orientation are "less inclined" -- a probabilistic claim, not a certainty -- to lower their expectations just to feel better in the short term. Checking each statement against this qualified claim:
Statement 1 says temporary feelings and the law of karma are independent of each other. The premise itself sets up a relationship between the two -- long-term orientation makes a person less inclined toward such behaviour -- so claiming no relationship at all contradicts the premise.
Statement 2 says temporary feelings "would not" lower the expectation under karma -- an absolute, certain claim. The premise only says "less inclined", a probability, not a certainty. Turning a probability into a certainty is exactly the kind of overstatement that breaks consistency.
Statement 3 says temporary feelings and the law of karma are contradictory (in tension with each other). This preserves the same qualified, probabilistic tension the premise describes, without denying the relationship (as statement 1 does) or turning it into an absolute rule (as statement 2 does).
Re-reading the second premise confirms it is qualified throughout -- "likely to be less inclined" -- so the option that keeps exactly that qualified, probabilistic tension is the one consistent with it: "3 only".