Which of the following is a plausible alternative explanation for a correlation between media-depicted and actual violence that does not blame the media for real-life violence?
A) People who are otherwise passive can suddenly erupt into violent behavior.
B) Media-depicted violence conveys the message that violence solves all problems.
C) Media-depicted violence mellows out a person who's had a bad day.
D) People whose general view tends toward aggressiveness gravitate to violent media fare.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The alternative explanation suggests that individuals with a pre-existing inclination towards aggression are more likely to seek out violent media, rather than the media causing the violence. This reverses the direction of causality implied by blaming media for real-life violence.

Which of the Following Is a Plausible Alternative Explanation for a Correlation