ABSTRACT
Scientists and social psychologists observe, seek consistencies, and infer causal rules to explain them. Researchers too sometimes overlook alternate explanations for their observations. Many times people attribute causes for events or for other people’s behavior without realizing there are alternative explanations. There are several methods of gathering information about thoughts, emotions, behavior, and the variables that may influence them. Some of these methods are more systematic than others. Scientists, like other people, are vulnerable to bias and hasty judgments and, again like other people, they can benefit from being reminded of it. An awareness of the possibility of alternative interpretations can be an enormous benefit to researchers both in the design and interpretation phases of their work. G. Gerbner et al. reported that people who watch a lot of television, compared to those who watch less, are more likely to fear that they will be involved in some kind of violence in the near future.
