Dr Phen is conducting a study of happiness among employees who work in various types of jobs. He surveys people about the type of work they do and measures how happy they are. He finds that individuals who have white-collar occupations report higher levels of happiness than people who have blue-collar occupations. What should Dr Phen conclude about the results of this correlational study?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The results of this correlational study show that there is a relationship between job type and happiness. Specifically, individuals who work in white-collar occupations report higher levels of happiness than those who work in blue-collar occupations. However, this study does not allow Dr Phen to make causal inferences. It is possible that other factors, such as income or job security, could be contributing to the differences in happiness levels. Additionally, there may be individuals who are naturally predisposed to being happy or unhappy who self-select into certain types of occupations. Therefore, while Dr Phen can predict the happiness level of a person to some degree based on their job type, it is important to remember that this is just one factor that may be influencing their overall well-being.

Dr Phen Is Conducting a Study of Happiness Among Employees