The Quality of a Discussion Often Depends on How Closely

question 53

Short Answer

The quality of a discussion often depends on how closely the parties attend to the same issue. For the passage below, determine whether the speakers are clearly disputing the same issue, or whether somebody is missing the point.
A: The banking industry is going the same direction as the savings and loan industry. If the government deregulates banks the way it did the S&Ls, taxpayers will have another financial disaster on their hands.
B: The whole regulatory system is archaic, and it oppresses innovation and initiative. If the banks aren't deregulated, they're going to be creating a financial disaster anyway.

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Definitions:

Environment

The surrounding physical, biological, and socioeconomic conditions and factors that influence the growth, development, and survival of organisms and human communities.

Personality

A set of emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral response patterns of an individual, distinguishing one person from another.

Norms

Unwritten rules and standards that govern the behavior of individuals within a group or society, guiding what is considered acceptable or unacceptable.

Sherif

Muzafer Sherif, a social psychologist known for his work on norm formation, social conformity, and the Robbers Cave Experiment.