Using a sample of young adolescents, Dr. Nguyen finds a correlation of .55 between scores on a measure of neglectful or uninvolved parenting and scores on a measure of delinquent behavior. Which of the following might Dr. Nguyen legitimately conclude?
A) Uninvolved parenting causes juvenile delinquency.
B) Parenting that is more uninvolved is related to a higher degree of delinquent behavior.
C) Uninvolved parenting is unrelated to delinquency.
D) There is a negative relationship between uninvolved parenting and delinquent behavior.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient of .55 indicates a moderate positive relationship between uninvolved parenting and delinquent behavior. This means that as scores on uninvolved parenting increase, scores on delinquent behavior also increase. It is important to note that correlation does not equal causation, so Dr. Nguyen cannot conclude that uninvolved parenting causes juvenile delinquency. Rather, the correlation suggests that there is a relationship between the two variables.

Using a Sample of Young Adolescents, Dr