Which of the following studies most clearly has the directionality problem?
A) a study on whether or not a person was sexually abused as a child and how paranoid he or she is as an adult
B) a study on the relationship between losing a limb and one's self-esteem
C) a study relating college students' study habits to their final exam performance
D) a study on the correlation between how much negative emotion a person has and how many physical symptoms he or she has

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The directionality problem occurs when it is unclear which variable influences the other. In option D, it's unclear whether negative emotions lead to more physical symptoms or if having more physical symptoms leads to more negative emotions.

Which of the Following Studies Most Clearly Has the Directionality