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.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RI. 9-10.7

Front

What does it mean if two variables are associated?

Back

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

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What is an example of causation?

Back

An example of causation is: 'The hotter the temperature of the oven, the less time needed to cook a turkey.' This indicates that the temperature directly affects cooking time.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What is an example of association?

Back

An example of association is: 'The more dogs in a dog park, the less dogs at the Petsmart.' This indicates a relationship but does not imply that one causes the other.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

How can you determine if a relationship is causal?

Back

To determine if a relationship is causal, you can conduct experiments, control for confounding variables, and look for consistent patterns across different studies.

Front

What is a confounding variable?

Back

A confounding variable is an outside influence that changes the effect of a dependent and independent variable. It can lead to a false association between the two.

Front

Why is it important to distinguish between causation and association?

Back

Distinguishing between causation and association is important to avoid making incorrect conclusions about relationships between variables, which can lead to poor decision-making.

Front

What is a common misconception about correlation?

Back

A common misconception is that correlation implies causation; however, correlation only indicates that two variables are related, not that one causes the other.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What is an example of a situation where correlation does not imply causation?

Back

An example is: 'The more ice cream sold, the more drownings occur.' This does not mean that ice cream sales cause drownings; both may be related to warmer weather.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

Front

What role does statistical analysis play in determining causation?

Back

Statistical analysis helps to identify patterns, relationships, and potential causal links between variables, but it must be interpreted carefully to avoid misinterpretation.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9