Research Design and Analysis
-Peiffer recently conducted a study on marital satisfaction. After surveying 100 married couples, she found that couples who commit to a date night once a week report higher marital satisfaction than those who do not date weekly. What term describes Dr. Peiffer's findings?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dr. Peiffer's finding support a correlation between regular date nights and marital satisfaction. However, her findings cannot predict whether the dates contribute to marital satisfaction, or if happy couples are more likely to date. It is also unknown whether or not a third variable shared by the happy couples in the study, such as having more money or time, contributes to both dating and marital satisfaction. Therefore, the correlation does not prove causation.