大学入学共通テスト（英語） 過去問
令和6年度（2024年度）追・再試験
問42 (＜旧課程＞英語リーディング（第6問） 問4)
問題文
次の英文を読み、最も適当な選択肢を選びなさい。
Your English teacher has assigned this article to you. You need to prepare notes to give a short talk.
Belief Perseverance
There may be some out−of−date rules at your school. If you ask your teachers to update these rules， your ideas may be rejected. Of course， most of their objections will be reasonable， but some may be caused by belief perseverance， the psychological characteristic of maintaining an existing belief despite any new information. Although this tendency itself is neither good nor bad， it may cause conflicts ranging from personal problems to social phenomena.
A study published in 1980 by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues describes this human tendency. In the first stage of their experiment， the participants were presented with evidence that led them to conclude that firefighters who were willing to take risks performed their jobs better. Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions. Why is it difficult to change our beliefs？ This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs. Also， in some cases， the more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.
The case of Ignaz Philip Semmelweis demonstrates belief perseverance in one group in society. He was a 19th−century physician who wondered why more women died from a fever after giving birth in one place than in another. His data apparently indicated that handwashing could reduce the number of occurrences of the deadly fever. However， at that time， handwashing was not common among doctors. His potentially life−saving idea was ignored by the medical community， and many doctors rejected it and even harassed him. Semmelweis’ claim was eventually accepted long after his death. This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas. This social reaction was named the Semmelweis reflex after this incident.
Understanding belief perseverance can give us insights into the ways people behave. Imagine that you want to study abroad， and your family strongly opposes it because they believe that the city you plan to live in is dangerous. Even after showing them data on the city’s crime rate， you may find out that your efforts end up only adding fuel to the fire. If you encounter this backfire effect， an alternative approach might be needed. You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
If someone presents you with hard−to−believe information， be careful not to reject it immediately. If your internal voice warns you not to act on that information， it is time to remind yourself of belief perseverance. To be stubborn may not be good for you. However， in many cases， the persistence of existing beliefs is desirable or even necessary these days. Remember that the Internet conveys not only accurate but also unreliable information. Belief perseverance can also protect you from potentially fake information. In other words， take time to find out more before accepting new information. After all， we humans have developed belief perseverance over time to ensure our survival. Understanding human nature is one of the keys to keeping your life balanced.
Your notes：
Belief Perseverance（BP）
BP：
● is a tendency to maintain an existing belief despite any new information.
● can be（ 39 ）.
Outline by paragraph
1. Introduction to BP
2. Experiment and explanation
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. Final remarks
Stories mentioned in the article
● The firefighters story shows us that（ 42 ）.
● The Semmelweis story tells us that even a truly innovative idea with sufficient evidence can be initially rejected.
Practical lessons from the article
Learning about the nature of human psychology helps us to（ 43 ）.
Choose the best option for（ 42 ）.
Your English teacher has assigned this article to you. You need to prepare notes to give a short talk.
Belief Perseverance
There may be some out−of−date rules at your school. If you ask your teachers to update these rules， your ideas may be rejected. Of course， most of their objections will be reasonable， but some may be caused by belief perseverance， the psychological characteristic of maintaining an existing belief despite any new information. Although this tendency itself is neither good nor bad， it may cause conflicts ranging from personal problems to social phenomena.
A study published in 1980 by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues describes this human tendency. In the first stage of their experiment， the participants were presented with evidence that led them to conclude that firefighters who were willing to take risks performed their jobs better. Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions. Why is it difficult to change our beliefs？ This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs. Also， in some cases， the more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.
The case of Ignaz Philip Semmelweis demonstrates belief perseverance in one group in society. He was a 19th−century physician who wondered why more women died from a fever after giving birth in one place than in another. His data apparently indicated that handwashing could reduce the number of occurrences of the deadly fever. However， at that time， handwashing was not common among doctors. His potentially life−saving idea was ignored by the medical community， and many doctors rejected it and even harassed him. Semmelweis’ claim was eventually accepted long after his death. This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas. This social reaction was named the Semmelweis reflex after this incident.
Understanding belief perseverance can give us insights into the ways people behave. Imagine that you want to study abroad， and your family strongly opposes it because they believe that the city you plan to live in is dangerous. Even after showing them data on the city’s crime rate， you may find out that your efforts end up only adding fuel to the fire. If you encounter this backfire effect， an alternative approach might be needed. You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
If someone presents you with hard−to−believe information， be careful not to reject it immediately. If your internal voice warns you not to act on that information， it is time to remind yourself of belief perseverance. To be stubborn may not be good for you. However， in many cases， the persistence of existing beliefs is desirable or even necessary these days. Remember that the Internet conveys not only accurate but also unreliable information. Belief perseverance can also protect you from potentially fake information. In other words， take time to find out more before accepting new information. After all， we humans have developed belief perseverance over time to ensure our survival. Understanding human nature is one of the keys to keeping your life balanced.
Your notes：
Belief Perseverance（BP）
BP：
● is a tendency to maintain an existing belief despite any new information.
● can be（ 39 ）.
Outline by paragraph
1. Introduction to BP
2. Experiment and explanation
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. Final remarks
Stories mentioned in the article
● The firefighters story shows us that（ 42 ）.
● The Semmelweis story tells us that even a truly innovative idea with sufficient evidence can be initially rejected.
Practical lessons from the article
Learning about the nature of human psychology helps us to（ 43 ）.
Choose the best option for（ 42 ）.
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問題
大学入学共通テスト（英語）試験 令和6年度（2024年度）追・再試験 問42（＜旧課程＞英語リーディング（第6問） 問4） （訂正依頼・報告はこちら）
次の英文を読み、最も適当な選択肢を選びなさい。
Your English teacher has assigned this article to you. You need to prepare notes to give a short talk.
Belief Perseverance
There may be some out−of−date rules at your school. If you ask your teachers to update these rules， your ideas may be rejected. Of course， most of their objections will be reasonable， but some may be caused by belief perseverance， the psychological characteristic of maintaining an existing belief despite any new information. Although this tendency itself is neither good nor bad， it may cause conflicts ranging from personal problems to social phenomena.
A study published in 1980 by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues describes this human tendency. In the first stage of their experiment， the participants were presented with evidence that led them to conclude that firefighters who were willing to take risks performed their jobs better. Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions. Why is it difficult to change our beliefs？ This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs. Also， in some cases， the more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.
The case of Ignaz Philip Semmelweis demonstrates belief perseverance in one group in society. He was a 19th−century physician who wondered why more women died from a fever after giving birth in one place than in another. His data apparently indicated that handwashing could reduce the number of occurrences of the deadly fever. However， at that time， handwashing was not common among doctors. His potentially life−saving idea was ignored by the medical community， and many doctors rejected it and even harassed him. Semmelweis’ claim was eventually accepted long after his death. This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas. This social reaction was named the Semmelweis reflex after this incident.
Understanding belief perseverance can give us insights into the ways people behave. Imagine that you want to study abroad， and your family strongly opposes it because they believe that the city you plan to live in is dangerous. Even after showing them data on the city’s crime rate， you may find out that your efforts end up only adding fuel to the fire. If you encounter this backfire effect， an alternative approach might be needed. You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
If someone presents you with hard−to−believe information， be careful not to reject it immediately. If your internal voice warns you not to act on that information， it is time to remind yourself of belief perseverance. To be stubborn may not be good for you. However， in many cases， the persistence of existing beliefs is desirable or even necessary these days. Remember that the Internet conveys not only accurate but also unreliable information. Belief perseverance can also protect you from potentially fake information. In other words， take time to find out more before accepting new information. After all， we humans have developed belief perseverance over time to ensure our survival. Understanding human nature is one of the keys to keeping your life balanced.
Your notes：
Belief Perseverance（BP）
BP：
● is a tendency to maintain an existing belief despite any new information.
● can be（ 39 ）.
Outline by paragraph
1. Introduction to BP
2. Experiment and explanation
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. Final remarks
Stories mentioned in the article
● The firefighters story shows us that（ 42 ）.
● The Semmelweis story tells us that even a truly innovative idea with sufficient evidence can be initially rejected.
Practical lessons from the article
Learning about the nature of human psychology helps us to（ 43 ）.
Choose the best option for（ 42 ）.
Your English teacher has assigned this article to you. You need to prepare notes to give a short talk.
Belief Perseverance
There may be some out−of−date rules at your school. If you ask your teachers to update these rules， your ideas may be rejected. Of course， most of their objections will be reasonable， but some may be caused by belief perseverance， the psychological characteristic of maintaining an existing belief despite any new information. Although this tendency itself is neither good nor bad， it may cause conflicts ranging from personal problems to social phenomena.
A study published in 1980 by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues describes this human tendency. In the first stage of their experiment， the participants were presented with evidence that led them to conclude that firefighters who were willing to take risks performed their jobs better. Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions. Why is it difficult to change our beliefs？ This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs. Also， in some cases， the more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.
The case of Ignaz Philip Semmelweis demonstrates belief perseverance in one group in society. He was a 19th−century physician who wondered why more women died from a fever after giving birth in one place than in another. His data apparently indicated that handwashing could reduce the number of occurrences of the deadly fever. However， at that time， handwashing was not common among doctors. His potentially life−saving idea was ignored by the medical community， and many doctors rejected it and even harassed him. Semmelweis’ claim was eventually accepted long after his death. This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas. This social reaction was named the Semmelweis reflex after this incident.
Understanding belief perseverance can give us insights into the ways people behave. Imagine that you want to study abroad， and your family strongly opposes it because they believe that the city you plan to live in is dangerous. Even after showing them data on the city’s crime rate， you may find out that your efforts end up only adding fuel to the fire. If you encounter this backfire effect， an alternative approach might be needed. You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
If someone presents you with hard−to−believe information， be careful not to reject it immediately. If your internal voice warns you not to act on that information， it is time to remind yourself of belief perseverance. To be stubborn may not be good for you. However， in many cases， the persistence of existing beliefs is desirable or even necessary these days. Remember that the Internet conveys not only accurate but also unreliable information. Belief perseverance can also protect you from potentially fake information. In other words， take time to find out more before accepting new information. After all， we humans have developed belief perseverance over time to ensure our survival. Understanding human nature is one of the keys to keeping your life balanced.
Your notes：
Belief Perseverance（BP）
BP：
● is a tendency to maintain an existing belief despite any new information.
● can be（ 39 ）.
Outline by paragraph
1. Introduction to BP
2. Experiment and explanation
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. Final remarks
Stories mentioned in the article
● The firefighters story shows us that（ 42 ）.
● The Semmelweis story tells us that even a truly innovative idea with sufficient evidence can be initially rejected.
Practical lessons from the article
Learning about the nature of human psychology helps us to（ 43 ）.
Choose the best option for（ 42 ）.
- BP appears to have an influence on anyone， even in situations one wouldn’t expect
- confirmation bias is found when people want to believe new information
- the backfire effect often happens when a stubborn person’s opinion is rejected
- the Semmelweis reflex is often observed in occupations where risks are common
正解！素晴らしいです
残念...
この過去問の解説 （3件）
01
irefighters storyは2段落目（Experiment and explanation）で記載されています。
消防士の例が示すこととして正しいものを選びます。
消防士の話は、本文中で以下のように示されています。
実験の参加者は、消防士はリスクをいとわない方がよい仕事が出来るという証拠を示されます。驚いたことに、証拠が間違っていると示された後でも、結論を変えたがりませんでした。
和訳：BPは予測していない状況でさえ人々に影響を与える
正解です。
和訳：コンフィメーションバイアスは人々が新しい情報を信じたい時に見つけられた
不正解です。この例では、証拠が間違っているという新しい情報が受け入れられていません。
和訳：バックファイア効果は、頑固な人の意見が拒否されたときによく起こる
不正解です。バックファイア効果の説明に、頑固な人かどうかは記されていません。
和訳：センメルヴェイス反射は、リスクが共通している職業でよく起こる
不正解です。センメルヴェイス反射についての説明は、のちの段落で登場します。
さまざまな概念の説明があり混乱するため、この問題では該当段落に書いてあることに注目して読み取り、消去法で選ぶのがおすすめです。
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02
問の訳は以下の通りです。
記事で言及された事例
● 消防士の事例は（ 42 ）ことを示している。
● Semmelweisの事例は、十分な証拠がある革新的なアイデアでさえ、当初は拒絶されることがあることを教えてくれる。
消防士については、第2段落に記載があります。
本文を確認しましょう。
1980年にクレイグ・A・アンダーソンとその同僚たちが発表した研究は、この人間の傾向について述べています。実験の最初の段階では、参加者は、リスクを厭わない消防士ほど仕事のパフォーマンスが高いという結論に至る証拠を提示されました。驚くべきことに、その証拠が偽りであると告げられた後も、参加者は自分の結論を変えることを嫌がったのです。なぜ、自分の信念を変えることは難しいのでしょうか？その理由の一つは、確認バイアス、つまり、自分の既存の信念と一致する情報を探そうとする心理的傾向があるからです。また、場合によっては、他の人が自分の信念が間違っていることを証明しようとすればするほど、その信念に固執してしまうこともあります。これは逆効果効果と呼ばれています。
これを踏まえて、各選択肢を確認しましょう。
訳:BPは誰にでも影響を与えるようで、予想外の状況でも現れる
Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions.
驚くべきことに、その証拠が偽りであると告げられた後も、参加者は自分の結論を変えることを嫌がったのです。
この記載から、BPは誰にでも影響を与えることがわかります。
したがって、この選択肢が正解です。
訳:確認バイアスは、人々が新しい情報を信じたい時に生じる
This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs.
自分の既存の信念と一致する情報を探そうとする心理的傾向があるからです。
この記載より、人々は自分のすでに持っている考えを否定される出来事が起きたときに、確認バイアスが生じると考えられます。したがって、この選択肢は不正解です。
訳:逆効果は、頑固な人の意見が拒絶された時に頻繁に起こる
The more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.逆効果は、他人が私たちの信念が間違っていると証明しようとすればするほど、私たちはそれに固執するようになります。
この記載により、頑固な人かどうかにかからず、自分の持つ信念が否定されると怒ることがわかります。したがって、不正解です。
訳:Semmelweisの反射は、リスクが日常的な職業でよく観察される
Semmelweisの反射は、次の段落で紹介される、新しい発見に対する集団的な拒絶についての事例であり、消防士の事例として当てはまりません。したがって、不正解です。
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03
消防士の物語（実験）から学べる教訓を問われる問題です。
訳）BPは、予想もしないような状況でさえ、誰にでも影響を与えるようである
→正しい
アンダーソンらの実験では、普通の参加者（anyone）に対して、「リスクを冒す消防士の方が優秀だ」という偽の証拠を与えました。
驚くべきことに、その証拠が「嘘だった」と告げられた後（＝本来ならその信念を維持する理由が完全に消えた状況）でさえ、
人々は考えを変えようとしませんでした。
これは、特別な頑固者でなくても、ごく一般的な状況で誰にでもBPが働くことを示しています。
訳）確証バイアスは、人々が新しい情報を信じたい時に見つかる
→間違い
確証バイアスは「新しい情報」ではなく、「既存の信念（existing beliefs）」に一致する情報を探す傾向のことです。
訳）バックファイア効果は、頑固な人の意見が拒絶された時にしばしば起こる
→間違い
バックファイア効果は、意見を拒絶された時ではなく、「自分の間違いを証明されようとした（attempt to prove our beliefs wrong）」時に、より頑固になってしまう現象です。
訳）ゼンメルワイス反射は、リスクが一般的な職業においてしばしば観察される
→間違い
ゼンメルワイス反射は「新しい発見に対する集団的な拒絶」を指すものであり、
消防士のような「リスクの多い職業」に特有の現象ではありません。
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