An economist noticed that nations with more TV sets have higher life expectancy.He established a strong positive association between length of life and number of TV sets.Describe three different possible cause-and-effect relationships that might be present.
A)Perhaps more TV sets cause higher life expectancy,higher life expectancy cause more TV sets,or both could be caused by a lurking variable such as the wealth of the nation.
B)There is only one cause-and-effect relationship: more TV sets cause higher life expectancy.
C)Perhaps more TV sets cause higher life expectancy,higher life expectancy cause more TV sets,or both could be caused by a lurking variable such as the TV sets brand.
D)There is only one cause-and-effect relationship: higher life expectancy cause more TV sets.
E)There are only two cause-and-effect relationships: more TV sets cause higher life expectancy,or higher life expectancy cause more TV sets.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The economist's observation establishes a correlation between two variables, but it does not necessarily imply a cause-and-effect relationship. There could be a third variable (a lurking variable) that is causing both variables to move in the same direction. Therefore, multiple causal relationships could exist, and the best answer is A, which acknowledges the potential presence of a lurking variable.

An Economist Noticed That Nations with More TV Sets Have