Correlation vs Causation

Front

What is the definition of causation?

Back

Causation refers to a relationship where one event (the cause) directly affects another event (the effect), indicating that changes in one factor lead to changes in another.

Front

What is the definition of correlation?

Back

Correlation is a statistical measure that describes the extent to which two variables change together, but it does not imply that one variable causes the other.

Front

True or False: If two variables are correlated, it means one causes the other.

Back

False. Correlation does not imply causation.

Front

Provide an example of causation.

Back

An example of causation is: It started raining, and as a result, the baseball game was delayed.

Front

Provide an example of correlation.

Back

An example of correlation is: Music lessons and brain development, where both may improve together but one does not cause the other.

Front

What is a common misconception about correlation and causation?

Back

A common misconception is that correlation automatically implies causation, leading to incorrect conclusions about relationships between variables.

Front

What is the difference between positive and negative correlation?

Back

Positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other also increases. Negative correlation means that as one variable increases, the other decreases.

Front

What is an example of a situation that illustrates a false cause fallacy?

Back

An example of a false cause fallacy is claiming that umbrellas cause rainstorms because people carry umbrellas when it rains.

Front

What is the significance of controlled experiments in establishing causation?

Back

Controlled experiments help establish causation by isolating variables and demonstrating that changes in one variable directly result in changes in another.

Front

What role does statistical significance play in determining causation?

Back

Statistical significance helps determine whether the observed relationship between variables is likely due to chance or if it reflects a true causal relationship.