Aresearcher counts the number of positive statements parents say to their children while reading their report cards and also rates the children's self-esteem. if the two measures are positively correlated, the researcher could correctly conclude that:

If the two measures are positively correlated, the researcher could correctly conclude that the child's self-esteem is directly affected by their parents' response to their grades. For example, if the parents praise the the child on their grades, they will experience an increase in self-esteem. By contrast, if the parents express disappointment with the child's academic performance, the child will experience a decline in self-esteem.