hard · SAT Reading & Writing

A team of linguists studied 'phonetic convergence' in pairs of strangers. They measured how similar the participants' vowel sounds became after a 20-minute conversation. In pairs where the speakers reported high levels of mutual liking, vowel similarity increased by 22 percent. In pairs with neutral reports, similarity increased by 5 percent. In pairs with reported mutual dislike, vowel similarity decreased by 12 percent. The researchers concluded that phonetic convergence is not merely a cognitive reflex but is a socially motivated behavior used to signal affiliation or distance.

Which choice most effectively uses data from the study to support the researchers' conclusion?

The neutral pairs showed a 5 percent increase in similarity, which suggests that a small amount of convergence happens in almost every conversation.
Speakers who liked each other became 22 percent more similar in their pronunciation, while those who disliked each other actually became 12 percent less similar.
Vowel similarity was highest in the pairs that reported mutual liking, demonstrating that positive social interactions lead to better communication.
The study found that strangers naturally tend to mimic each other's speech patterns as a way to avoid conflict during a first meeting.

Which choice most effectively uses data from the study to support the researchers' conclusion?

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