Answer question to according to the text.

TEXT

    When making a decision, it is a common impulse
to look and see what others are doing. Nevertheless, it is
often unclear whether the path that everyone else may
be following is good for us as well. After all, sometimes
[5] following the crowd has merit - at other times, it is simply
peer pressure blinding us.

    The phenomenon of looking to others and
following the crowd _______ by social science for a long
time. Nevertheless, those findings do not always make
[10] their way to individual decision-makers. Therefore, let’s
review why people conform to the crowd – and under
what conditions it is a god idea to go your own way
instead. 

    To start, individuals tend to look to the opinions of
[15] others, especially when they are unsure and lack
information from other sources. This dynamic was
supported by classic research from Sherif (1937), who
explored how a person’s perception of a very ambiguous
stimuli can be influenced by the opinion of others. Sherif
[20] (1937) asked participants to watch a small light in a dark
and featureless room and evaluate how much that light
moved around. In actuality, however, the light never
moved at all – but the way our perception works in that
situation gives the possible illusion of movement (called
[25] the Autokinetic Effect). In this uncertain and ambiguous
perceptual situation, Sherif (1937) found that individuals
were quite susceptible to the influence of the opinions of
others when trying to decide how much light was
“moving”.

 [30]    Unfortunately, this phenomenon also extends to
individuals following the crowd, even when they can
clearly see that others are wrong. This was first
evaluated by Asch (1955), who asked participants to
pick a line from a few choices of varying lengths that
[35] matched up with another example line given to them.
From a perceptual standpoint, the task was easy – as
the correct choice of which lines were actually similar to
one another was clear. Nevertheless, when participants
were surrounded by other individuals giving the wrong
[40] answer, they often conformed and made the wrong
choice as well. Thus, even when the correct choice is
clear, and what others are doing is wrong, that peer
pressure can still cause us to doubt ourselves and follow
the crowd.

[45]    Why is it that we are so compelled to follow the
crowd, even when it is objectively clear that they are
wrong? According to more recent research, we may
simply be wired that way. Specifically, these social
influences can actually change our perceptions and
[50] memories (Edelson, Sharot, Dolan, & Dudai, 2011).
Therefore, rather than knowingly making the wrong
choice just to conform to peer pressure, the influence of
others may actually change what we see as the correct
choice in the moment and remember as the right thing
[55] after the fact. Beyond that, we might just have “herding
brains” with built-in components that monitor our social
alignments and make us feel good when we follow the
crowd too (Shamay-Tsoory, Saporta, Marton-Alper, &
Gvirts, 2019).

 [60]    Fortunately, this effect has good points as well. In
many cases, group decision-making can help individuals
look beyond their own private perspectives and make
more rational decisions (Fahr & Irlenbusch, 2011).
Furthermore, pro-social and altruistic behaviors can be
[65] influenced and shared through such conformity as well
(Nook, Ong, Morelli, Mitchell, & Zaki, 2016). Therefore,
sometimes following the crowd helps people get along
and make better decisions too.

    Given the above, when making a decision, it is
[70] important to consider whether following others is a good
idea – or is leading you astray instead. Some simple
steps can help you figure it out.

    Getting swept away by what everyone else is
doing is often an emotional and thoughtless process. We
[75] are conforming simply because we have not given
sufficient attention and effort toward considering any
other options. Therefore, unless you are in an
emergency situation and need to immediately follow
everyone else toward the nearest exit, it might be a good
[80] idea to switch to more deliberate thinking processes,
rather than just going with your initial reaction. 

    Some choices and decision-making situations
are more individual, while others are more social.
Therefore, it is important to consider the specific
[85] situation. Is this an individual choice, or does it involve
others? If you have sufficient information to make a clear
choice on your own, and you do not need group
approval, then you might want to make up your own
mind. If you are personally unsure, or you need the
[90] support of others to make something happen, then
taking the opinion of others into consideration might be a
good idea instead. 

    It is generally a good idea to evaluate your
choices and decisions from multiple perspectives. The
[95] same is true for following the opinion of others too.
Although it might not feel that way at times, especially in
the modern day of media coverage and social
networking, everyone is not doing it – whatever “it” is
that you are considering. Given that, before you follow
[100] the advice or choices of any particular group of people, it
might be a good idea to look at what other groups of
people are doing or choosing too. In addition, we can
learn a lot from people making choices contrary to
ourselves or our preferred group, particularly about
[105] potential down-sides to choices we might not be seeing.
Therefore, if you do need to look to others to help
provide information regarding a particular choice or
decision, then it might help to seek out people with a few
different opinions, weigh your options among them, and
[110] figure out what will work best for you.

   (Adapted from https://www.psychologytoday.com. Access on March 25th, 2021)

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    Some of the world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) researchers are calling for a pause on research into AI, claiming that safety issues must first be urgently addressed. If not, the outcomes could be devastating for humanity. Others say any pause in development would not only be impractical to enforce on a global scale, but could also stand in the way of advances that could both improve and save lives.

    The AI that is currently available already has the power to radically alter society, in new ways that we are seeing every day. So how might it progress over the coming years? Are we on the brink of an artificial intelligence-powered utopia or dystopia?

    Firstly, technology has been automating jobs since the Industrial Revolution, though never before has it happened on this scale. Everyone from truck drivers to voice over artists are at risk of being replaced by AI. A recent study found that just over 30 jobs are considered safe from automation in the near future. They range from mechanics to athletes, though they represent just a sliver of the current labour market. While new jobs will be created, there is a significant chance that the majority of the population will be left jobless. This could either lead to:

    Utopia: A new leisure class emerges, living off a universal basic income funded by taxes on robots and the companies that operate them.

    Dystopia: Mass unemployment results in social unrest, similar to the way laid off factory workers trashed the machines that replaced them. With so many jobs at risk and the potential for huge wealth inequality, some fear it could ultimately result in societal collapse.

    Secondly, artificial intelligence is already contributing to major scientific advances, dramatically accelerating the time it takes to make discoveries. It has been used to invent millions of materials that did not previously exist, find potential drug molecules 1,000 times faster than previous methods, and improve our understanding of the universe. This could either lead to:

    Utopia: Cancer and all other life-threatening diseases are cured, leading to a new age of health and prosperity. Scientists are already using AI tools to make breakthroughs in longevity medicine, which aims to end or even reverse ageing.

    Dystopia: The same AI-enabled technology could be used for malevolent purposes, creating entirely new diseases and viruses. These could be used as bioweapons, capable of devastating populations that don’t have access to cures or the tech needed to develop them.

(Anthony Cuthbertson. www.independent.co.uk, 03.05.2023. Adaptado.)

Read the text carefully.

Folic acid

What are folic acid and folate?

    Folic acid is the man-made form of folate. Folate is found naturally in certain fruits, vegetables and nuts. Folic acid is found in vitamins and fortified foods. Both are different forms of vitamin B9.

    Folic acid and folate help the body make healthy new red blood cells. 5 Red blood cells carry oxygen to all the parts of your body. If your body does not make enough red blood cells, you can develop anemia. Anemia happens when your blood cannot carry enough oxygen to your body, which makes you pale, tired, or weak. Also, if you do not get enough folic acid, you could develop a type of anemia called folate-deficiency anemia.

Why do women need folic acid?

² Everyone needs folic acid to be healthy. But it is especially important for women:

    Before and during pregnancy. Folic acid protects unborn children against serious birth defects called neural tube defects. These birth defects happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. ³ Folic acid might also help prevent other types of birth defects and early pregnancy loss (miscarriage). Since about half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, experts recommend all women get enough folic acid even if you are not trying to get pregnant.

    To keep the blood healthy by helping red blood cells form and grow. Not getting enough folic acid can lead to a type of anemia called folate-deficiency anemia. Folate-deficiency anemia is more common in women of childbearing age than in men.

How do I get folic acid?

     You can get folic acid in two ways.

     Through the foods you eat. Folate is found naturally in some foods, including spinach, nuts, and beans. Folic acid is found in fortified foods (called "enriched foods"), such as breads, pastas, and cereals. Look for the term "enriched" on the ingredients list to find out whether the food has added folic acid.

     As a vitamin. Most multivitamins sold in the United States contain 400 micrograms, or 100% of the daily value, of folic acid. Check the label to make sure.

     What can happen if I do not get enough folic acid during pregnancy?

      ¹If you do not get enough folic acid before and during pregnancy, your baby is at higher risk for neural tube defects.

     Neural tube defects are serious birth defects that affect the spine, spinal cord, or brain and may cause death. These include:

     Spina bifida. This condition happens when an unborn baby's spinal column does not fully close during development in the womb, leaving the spinal cord exposed. As a result, the nerves that control the legs and other organs do not work. Children with spina bifida often have lifelong disabilities. ⁴ They may also need many surgeries.

     Anencephaly. This means that most or all of the brain and skull does not develop in the womb. Almost all babies with this condition die before or soon after birth.[…]

Retrieved from: . Access: 27/05/2019 (adapted).