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).

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.3

CCSS.RI.5.3

CCSS.RI.6.3

CCSS.RI.7.3

CCSS.RI.8.3

Front

What is the definition of Correlation?

Back

Correlation is a statistical relationship between two variables, where changes in one variable are associated with changes in another, but one does not cause the other.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

Example of Causation: If I water a plant, it grows. What does this illustrate?

Back

This illustrates that watering the plant (cause) directly leads to its growth (effect).

Front

Example of Correlation: Ice cream sales increase as temperature rises. What does this illustrate?

Back

This illustrates a correlation where both ice cream sales and temperature increase together, but one does not cause the other.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What is a key difference between Correlation and Causation?

Back

The key difference is that causation implies a direct cause-and-effect relationship, while correlation indicates a relationship without direct causation.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

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.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What is an example of a spurious correlation?

Back

A spurious correlation is when two variables appear to be related but are actually influenced by a third variable, like ice cream sales and drowning incidents both increasing in summer.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What is the importance of understanding correlation vs causation in research?

Back

Understanding the difference helps avoid incorrect conclusions about relationships between variables and ensures accurate interpretations of data.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What does it mean if two variables have a negative correlation?

Back

A negative correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to decrease.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.B.5

Front

What does it mean if two variables have a positive correlation?

Back

A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable also tends to increase.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.B.5