Due to a Severe Thunderstorm, the Lights in a Crowded

question 46

Multiple Choice

Due to a severe thunderstorm, the lights in a crowded restaurant went out. At about the same time a diner was bothered by a bout of diarrhea. He went to the bathroom, which was located down a flight of stairs. Due to the lack of light, the diner fell while descending the stairs and broke his leg. Was the diner negligent for attempting to go down the stairs in the dark?

• A) Yes, everyone knows it is difficult to go up or down stairs in the dark.
• B) Yes, injury resulting from such a feat is foreseeable.
• C) No, the attempt to descend the stairs was not the proximate cause of the injury.
• D) No, the stairway was the only way to reach the bathroom, and the diner had a need that could not wait.

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Definitions:

Selective Attrition

Refers to the phenomenon where participants drop out of a study over time in a way that is not random, potentially skewing the results.

Demand Characteristics

Features of an experimental setting that lead participants to perceive and respond to what they believe are the expectations of the experimenter.

Falsifiable Theories

Theories or hypotheses that can be disproven or invalidated through empirical observation or experiment.

Comprehensive Explanations

Detailed and thorough explanations that cover or encompass all aspects or factors of a subject or phenomenon.