Assessing Causal Inference in Dr. Reyes’s Exercise and Mood Study

QUESTION

Dr. Reyes is examining whether exercise is linked to mood. She recruits a sample of college students and asks them to answer whether they exercised at least three times last week (yes or no) and to rate their mood in the last week (1: Not happy at all to 5: Very happy). Her results show that students who exercised in the last week also reported happier moods. Can Dr. Reyes make a causal inference from her study? Select the best explanation for the response.

Group of answer choices

No, Dr. Reyes’s study meets only two of the three causal criteria: covariance and temporal precedence.

No, Dr. Reyes’ study meets only one the three causal criteria: temporal precedence.

Yes, Dr. Reyes’ study meets all three of the causal criteria.

No, Dr. Reyes’s study meets only one the three causal criteria: covariance.

QUESTION

 Assessing Causal Inference in Dr. Reyes’s Exercise and Mood Study

Introduction

In Dr. Reyes’s study, she examines the potential link between exercise and mood in college students. The participants were asked about their exercise habits over the last week and to rate their mood during the same period. The results indicate that students who exercised reported happier moods. The question at hand is whether Dr. Reyes can make a causal inference from her study, and this essay will explore the criteria necessary for causal inference and whether they are met in her study.

Causal Criteria for Inference

Covariance: This criterion requires that there is a statistically significant relationship between the independent variable (exercise) and the dependent variable (mood). In other words, there should be a correlation between exercise and mood ratings.

Temporal Precedence: This criterion demands that the cause (exercise) must precede the effect (mood). In Dr. Reyes’s study, she assesses whether participants exercised in the last week and rated their mood during the same period.

Elimination of Alternative Explanations: This criterion necessitates ruling out other possible factors that may be influencing the observed relationship between exercise and mood. This is achieved through proper experimental design and control.

Assessment of Dr. Reyes’s Study

Covariance: Dr. Reyes’s study indicates that students who exercised reported happier moods, demonstrating covariance between exercise and mood ratings.

Temporal Precedence: In her study, Dr. Reyes assesses exercise and mood during the same week, thereby meeting the criterion of temporal precedence.

 Elimination of Alternative Explanations: The essay does not provide information on how Dr. Reyes controlled for other potential factors that might influence mood ratings, such as stress levels, social interactions, or external events. Without such information, we cannot definitively determine if alternative explanations have been adequately eliminated.

Conclusion

Based on the information provided, Dr. Reyes’s study meets two out of the three causal criteria necessary for making a causal inference: covariance and temporal precedence. However, it does not address the third criterion, the elimination of alternative explanations. Without additional details on experimental design and control measures, we cannot conclusively determine whether exercise causes improvements in mood in the observed college students. Further research and attention to eliminating alternative explanations would strengthen the potential for causal inference in this study.