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Although this positive correlation appears to support the researcher’s hypothesis, it cannot be
taken to indicate that viewing violent television causes aggressive behavior. Although the
researcher is tempted to assume that viewing violent television causes aggressive play,
Figure 2.2.2
there are other possibilities. One alternate possibility is that the causal direction is exactly
opposite from what has been hypothesized. Perhaps children who have behaved aggressively at
school develop residual excitement that leads them to want to watch violent television shows at
home:
Figure 2.2.2
Although this possibility may seem less likely, there is no way to rule out the possibility of such
reverse causation on the basis of this observed correlation. It is also possible that both causal
directions are operating and that the two variables cause each other: