Question

What is the reason that researchers sometimes rely on pattern and parsimony to investigate causality?

o it may not be ethical or practical to manipulate certain variables. t
o he pattern and parsimony technique controls for all possible third-variable explanations.
o it is difficult to conduct multiple studies on the same theory.
o the pattern and parsimony technique can effectively examine multiple theories at the same time.

Answer 1

Researchers rely on pattern and parsimony to investigate causality for various reasons, including ethical and practical constraints, controlling for third-variable explanations, and examining multiple theories simultaneously.

Step-by-step explanation:

Researchers sometimes rely on patterns and parsimony to investigate causality for a variety of reasons. One reason is that it may not be ethical or practical to manipulate certain variables in an experimental study. For example, if researchers want to study the effects of malnutrition on elementary school performance, it would not be ethical to intentionally malnourish a group of students. In these cases, researchers can use observational studies or surveys to gather data and identify patterns.

Pattern and parsimony technique is also useful because it controls for all possible third-variable explanations. When researchers observe a consistent pattern in their data, it strengthens the argument for a causal relationship between variables. Additionally, the use of parsimony, or simplicity, allows researchers to choose the most likely explanation when multiple theories exist. This technique helps to streamline research and focus on the most plausible explanations.

In addition, relying on patterns and parsimony allows researchers to effectively examine multiple theories simultaneously. By observing patterns in the data and applying the principle of parsimony, researchers can compare and contrast different theories to determine the most likely causal relationship between variables.