Organism-environment correlations occur when an organism selectively shapes its environment and, in turn, is affected by the environment's response. These correlations impact reading experiences in two primary ways:

• Active correlations: Children actively seek out environments that improve their reading, such as choosing reading as a hobby over sports or asking parents for books as presents.
• Passive correlations: A relationship between the organism and environment that is not due to the organism's active selection. For example, some children may be genetically inclined to be good readers, or their early school environments (which they typically cannot select) may greatly affect their reading experiences.