Chapter 9, Problem 16E

To determine

To describe the three different possible cause and effect explanations for this relationship.

Explanation of Solution

A researcher is studying violent behavior in elementary school children by asking children’s parents how much time each could spends playing computer games and has their teachers rate each child on the level of aggressiveness they display while playing with the other children. Suppose that the researcher finds a moderately strong positive correlation. Thus, the three different possible cause and effect explanations for this relationship are that the larger portion of time a child spends isolated on the computer results in less development in the child's social skills, leading to a more violent nature, the more violent nature of the child causes him/her to withdraw from social activity and spend more time on the computer as a result and the child is neglected at home, resulting in him/her reacting in a less friendly manner toward other children. The child finds the computer a coping mechanism of the neglect.