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For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated on how to achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly about why they want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.
 To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.
Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly.   Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”.    They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.
Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPT
  • a)
    The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised. 
  • b)
    In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.
  • c)
    The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.
  • d)
    People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.
  • e)
    People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows....
Passage Analysis
Summary and Main Point
This is a Detail except question. Your job in this question is to rule out every answer choice that deals with a piece of information that is mentioned in the passage from the point of view of the study authors and choose the one that either goes against the given information or is unrelated to the contents of the passage. 
Answer Choices
A
The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised. 
Correct: Out of Context
This is a misinterpretation of the detail given at the end of the passage.  
Per the passage, the study’s authors indicate that if the original plan turns out to be not feasible, then those who understand the why aspect can leverage other opportunities to achieve the goal. This does not imply that those who understand this aspect are more likely to devise plans that are more feasible. 
B
In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This detail is given in the first sentence of the final paragraph. Please refer to relevant section below:
Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the “best” was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly.
Since this group performed best, it did perform better than the group that made explicit plans.
C
The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This detail is stated in the last sentence of the passage where the study’s authors suggest two situations in which their recommended strategy is particularly or especially successful. 
D
People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This information is given to us in the last sentence of the second paragraph. Please refer to the relevant section below:
In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.
E
People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This information is given to us in the second last sentence of the second paragraph:
they (how aspect people) become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans.
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Most Upvoted Answer
For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows....
Passage Analysis
Summary and Main Point
This is a Detail except question. Your job in this question is to rule out every answer choice that deals with a piece of information that is mentioned in the passage from the point of view of the study authors and choose the one that either goes against the given information or is unrelated to the contents of the passage. 
Answer Choices
A
The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised. 
Correct: Out of Context
This is a misinterpretation of the detail given at the end of the passage.  
Per the passage, the study’s authors indicate that if the original plan turns out to be not feasible, then those who understand the why aspect can leverage other opportunities to achieve the goal. This does not imply that those who understand this aspect are more likely to devise plans that are more feasible. 
B
In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This detail is given in the first sentence of the final paragraph. Please refer to relevant section below:
Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the “best” was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly.
Since this group performed best, it did perform better than the group that made explicit plans.
C
The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This detail is stated in the last sentence of the passage where the study’s authors suggest two situations in which their recommended strategy is particularly or especially successful. 
D
People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This information is given to us in the last sentence of the second paragraph. Please refer to the relevant section below:
In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.
E
People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This information is given to us in the second last sentence of the second paragraph:
they (how aspect people) become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans.
Free Test
Community Answer
For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows....
Passage Analysis
Summary and Main Point
This is a Detail except question. Your job in this question is to rule out every answer choice that deals with a piece of information that is mentioned in the passage from the point of view of the study authors and choose the one that either goes against the given information or is unrelated to the contents of the passage. 
Answer Choices
A
The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised. 
Correct: Out of Context
This is a misinterpretation of the detail given at the end of the passage.  
Per the passage, the study’s authors indicate that if the original plan turns out to be not feasible, then those who understand the why aspect can leverage other opportunities to achieve the goal. This does not imply that those who understand this aspect are more likely to devise plans that are more feasible. 
B
In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This detail is given in the first sentence of the final paragraph. Please refer to relevant section below:
Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the “best” was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly.
Since this group performed best, it did perform better than the group that made explicit plans.
C
The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This detail is stated in the last sentence of the passage where the study’s authors suggest two situations in which their recommended strategy is particularly or especially successful. 
D
People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This information is given to us in the last sentence of the second paragraph. Please refer to the relevant section below:
In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.
E
People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.
Incorrect: Stated in the passage
This information is given to us in the second last sentence of the second paragraph:
they (how aspect people) become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans.
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Question Description
For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2025 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for GMAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for GMAT Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice For once, the whys are turning out to be more important than the hows. A study shows that consumers who become fixated onhowto achieve a goal probably face more difficulty in achieving their aims than people who think abstractly aboutwhythey want to do something. The authors of the study conducted four experiments to examine consumer behavior when it came to the goal of saving money. In one such experiment, some people were asked to make a specific plan to save money, whereas others were not asked to plan. Then some people were asked to focus on why they wanted to save money. Later on all participants were given the opportunity to buy candy. Subjects who were thinking concretely and formed a specific plan were less able to avoid the candy purchase than those who had not formed a plan at all.To elucidate the results, the authors cite the instance of person who wants to save money and hence makes a plan for achieving this goal. This person plans to save money by purchasing fewer clothing items at the mall. On investigating how this plan influences the person's response to other money-saving opportunities, for example, would the person be more likely to order a cheaper meal at a restaurant, avoid making an impulse purchase, or combine errands to save money on gas etc., the authors found that when people focus on concrete aspects of how they want to achieve goals, they become more closed-minded and consequently less likely to take advantage of opportunities that fall outside their plans. In contrast, people who focus on the why aspect are more likely to consider out-of-plan opportunities to achieve their goals.Furthermore, in the same experiment, the group that performed the best was the one that was asked to focus on the “why” and had formed a plan implicitly. Accordingly the authors conclude that planning is more effective when people plan with the complete understanding of “why”. They suggest that this strategy is particularly effective when the original plan turns out to be unrealistic in terms of feasibility or when other goal-directed activities become available.Each of the following is a statement that is mentioned with respect to the study described in the passage EXCEPTa)The feasibility of a plan is dependent on whether a person has an understanding of why the plan is devised.b)In the experiment to save money, those who planned explicitly did not perform better than those who understood why but planned implicitly.c)The strategy to keep an open mind and focus on the reason behind achieving the goal can help when alternate means of achieving the goal exist.d)People focusing on the reason behind achieving a particular goal are likely to consider other goal-directed activities that may not have been a part of the original plan.e)People fixated on the how aspect of a plan tend to ignore such opportunities that are not a part of their original plan.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice GMAT tests.
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