Sitting in the park one sunny day, Chaim notices that people who are walking dogs smile at him more often than people without dogs. Chaim concludes that people who own dogs are happier than those who do not own dogs. Based on the principles of psychological research, what is the biggest problem with Chaim's conclusion?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Just because people with dogs smile more does not necessarily mean they are happier because there may be other factors that contribute to this association. Chaim also did not consider the possibility that people who are happier are more likely to own dogs, rather than the other way around. Therefore, his conclusion is not well-supported by psychological research. Options A and D are also valid concerns, but they are not as directly related to Chaim's conclusion as the issue of correlation versus causation. Option B is not relevant since Chaim's observation only pertained to people with dogs, not cats.

Sitting in the Park One Sunny Day, Chaim Notices That