Correlation vs. Causation

Front

What is correlation?

Back

Correlation refers to a relationship or connection between two variables where they change together, but one does not cause the other.

Front

What is causation?

Back

Causation implies that one variable directly affects or causes a change in another variable.

Front

Example of correlation: Temperature and the amount of people at the beach. What does this illustrate?

Back

This illustrates correlation, as higher temperatures are associated with more people at the beach, but one does not cause the other.

Front

Example of causation: It started raining and the baseball game was delayed. What does this illustrate?

Back

This illustrates causation, as the rain directly caused the delay of the baseball game.

Front

Can correlation imply causation?

Back

No, correlation does not imply causation. Just because two variables are correlated does not mean one causes the other.

Front

What is an example of correlation without causation?

Back

The number of pets a person has and the number of books they have read is an example of correlation without causation.

Front

What is an example of causation?

Back

A car running out of gas causing the driver to be stranded on the side of the road is an example of causation.

Front

What does it mean if two variables are neither correlated nor causative?

Back

It means there is no relationship or connection between the two variables.

Front

What is a common misconception about correlation and causation?

Back

A common misconception is that if two events occur together, one must cause the other.

Front

How can you determine if a relationship is causal?

Back

To determine if a relationship is causal, you can conduct experiments or look for evidence that shows one variable directly affects the other.