Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

E-Letter responses to:

reports:
Jeffrey B. Bingenheimer, Robert T. Brennan, and Felton J. Earls
Firearm Violence Exposure and Serious Violent Behavior
Science 2005; 308: 1323-1326 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
*E-Letters: Submit a response to this article

Published E-Letter responses:

[Read E-Letter] Correlation and causality confused again
Susan B Collingwood   (3 June 2005)

Correlation and causality confused again 3 June 2005
Top
Susan B Collingwood,
attorney
University of Florida

Respond to this E-Letter:
Re: Correlation and causality confused again

The authors' study indicates a strong correlation between witnessing gun violence and later participation in violence. Similarly, there is a strong correlation between observing individuals dressed in shorts and higher outside temperatures, but no one would argue that the folks in shorts caused the high temperatures. The authors entirely fail to account in their analysis for the (to this writer, obvious) potential that individuals who are likely to be involved in criminal activities may well, prior to engaging in such activities themselves, have chosen to engage in activities and otherwise put themselves in a position to witness the violent criminal activities of others. What the authors hypothesize to be "contagion" can, thus, not be distinguished from irresponsible choices by the individuals who viewed and then participated in violence.

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)