Association vs. Causation

Front

What is the difference between causation and association?

Back

Causation indicates that one event is the result of the occurrence of another event, while association indicates a relationship between two variables without implying that one causes the other.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.7

Front

Define causation.

Back

Causation refers to a relationship where one event (the cause) directly affects another event (the effect).

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.3

CCSS.RI.5.3

CCSS.RI.6.3

CCSS.RI.7.3

CCSS.RI.8.3

Front

Define association.

Back

Association refers to a relationship or correlation between two variables, where changes in one variable relate to changes in another, but do not imply a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

Example of causation: Spending more money on clothes leads to less money for food. What does this illustrate?

Back

This illustrates a direct cause-and-effect relationship where spending affects the availability of funds for other expenses.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.3

CCSS.RI.5.3

CCSS.RI.6.3

CCSS.RI.7.3

CCSS.RI.8.3

Front

Example of association: More dogs in a dog park correlates with fewer dogs at Petsmart. What does this illustrate?

Back

This illustrates an association where the presence of dogs in one location relates to their absence in another, but does not imply that one causes the other.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What is a common misconception about association?

Back

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

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

How can you determine if a relationship is causal?

Back

To determine if a relationship is causal, one must conduct experiments or studies that control for other variables and establish a direct link between cause and effect.

Front

What is an example of a situation where causation is evident?

Back

An example is: The more time you spend studying, the better your grades tend to be. This shows a direct effect of studying on grades.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What is an example of a situation where only association is present?

Back

An example is: Ice cream sales increase in summer, and so do drowning incidents. This is an association, not causation, as both are influenced by warmer weather.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What does it mean if two variables are correlated?

Back

If two variables are correlated, it means there is a statistical relationship between them, but it does not imply that one variable causes the other.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9