A common finding in the study of aggression is that exposure to television is associated with increased aggressive behavior in children. You are curious as to whether peer pressure is really to blame (peer pressure encourages you to watch television and peer pressure encourages you to be aggressive). You are questioning which of the following criteria of causation?
A)the criterion of covariance
B)the criterion of temporal precedence
C)the third-variable criterion
D)the criterion of external validity

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The question is focusing on whether peer pressure is a third variable that may be responsible for both exposure to television and increased aggressive behavior in children. Therefore, the criterion being questioned is the third-variable criterion, which involves determining whether there is another variable that could explain the relationship between the predictor and outcome variables. The other criteria of causation (covariance, temporal precedence, external validity) are not directly relevant to this question.

A Common Finding in the Study of Aggression Is That