Correlation vs. Causation Pronunciation: /ˌkɔːr.əˈleɪ.ʃən/ vs. /ˌkɔː.zəˈʃeɪ.ʃən/ (kor-uh-LAY-shun vs. kaw-zuh-SHAY-shun) Part of Speech: Noun phrase
Definition: A key distinction in statistics and research:
- Correlation refers to a relationship or association between two variables, where they tend to change together but one does not necessarily cause the other.
- Causation means that changes in one variable are responsible for causing changes in the other.
It is a common logical error to assume that because two things are correlated, one must cause the other (“correlation does not imply causation”).
Example: There may be a correlation between ice cream sales and drowning incidents, but this does not mean ice cream sales cause drowning; both increase in summer for independent reasons.