If a researcher finds a negative correlation between the number of hours that students play computer games and grades, this means that
A) computer game playing causes a decrease in grades.
B) computer game playing causes an increase in grades.
C) lower grades cause a student to be disinterested in studying and more interested in playing computer games.
D) an experiment would have to be conducted to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between video game playing and grades.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A negative correlation indicates a relationship where as one variable increases, the other decreases, or vice versa. However, correlation does not imply causation, meaning it does not tell us whether one variable causes the change in the other. To establish a cause-and-effect relationship, an experiment with controlled variables would be necessary.

If a Researcher Finds a Negative Correlation Between the Number