Use the excerpt from the “How Nellie Bly went undercover to expose abuse of the mentally ill” article to answer the question.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhich of the following would be an invalid inference to make about this excerpt?%0D%0A%0D%0A(1 point)%0D%0AResponses%0D%0A%0D%0APeople considered the mentally insane to be unable to determine their own status.%0D%0APeople considered the mentally insane to be unable to determine their own status.%0D%0A%0D%0APeople found it important to give the mentally insane a safe place to live.%0D%0APeople found it important to give the mentally insane a safe place to live.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe mentally insane were considered a danger to society.%0D%0AThe mentally insane were considered a danger to society.%0D%0A%0D%0AOnly someone who was medically qualified could declare someone mentally insane.%0D%0AOnly someone who was medically qualified could declare someone mentally insane.

Answer 1

To identify the invalid inference about the excerpt, we need to analyze the provided options:

1. People considered the mentally insane to be unable to determine their own status. - This inference aligns with the historical context of how society viewed mental illness, indicating a prevalent belief that mentally ill individuals lacked the capacity to assess their own condition.

2. People found it important to give the mentally insane a safe place to live. - While this statement could be interpreted positively, historically, the focus was often more on containment than on providing a safe environment, making this a potentially more dubious inference.

3. The mentally insane were considered a danger to society. - This inference reflects a common stereotype associated with mental illness, so it could be considered valid based on societal views during that time.

4. Only someone who was medically qualified could declare someone mentally insane. - This inference is also valid as historically, the determination of mental illness required medical expertise.

Among these options, the statement "People found it important to give the mentally insane a safe place to live." is likely the invalid inference, as it may misrepresent the historical attitude towards the mentally ill, emphasizing care whose importance may not have been widely acknowledged at the time.