Causation And Correlation

This is an example of correlation because it suggests that there is a relationship between age and the number of toy cars owned, but it does not imply that one variable causes the other. It could be that as children grow older, they tend to accumulate more toy cars, but it could also be that children who have more toy cars tend to be older.

"Umbrellas cause rainstorms" is the only example that doesn't show CAUSATION. Umbrellas don't cause rainstorms, even though you usually see lots of umbrellas when it's raining. The other examples do show causation. Kryptonite is the reason Superman loses his powers, Water freezes because of temperatures lower than 32˚F, and cars accelerate because someone steps on the gas pedal.

CORRELATION means that two things are related, but one doesn't cause the other - like height and shoe size. Taller people have, on average, larger feet than shorter people. Height doesn't cause shoe size - we all know tall people with small feet, and shorter people with large feet. But the two are definitely related.

This is an example of causation because poison ivy causes rashes. When a person comes into contact with poison ivy, the oils from the plant can cause an allergic reaction on the skin, resulting in a rash. Therefore, there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between being exposed to poison ivy and developing rashes.

"Skipping lunch causes hunger" is the only example of cause and effect. If you skip lunch, it will cause you to be hungry. Rain does not CAUSE clouds; rain is produced by clouds under some circumstances. Birthdays don't CAUSE people to age; birthdays are celebrations of aging, which is inevitable. Snow does not CAUSE Christmas - Christmas is always on the 25th of December, regardless of the temperature or weather.

CAUSATION means that one thing (the INDEPENDENT variable) CAUSES another (the DEPENDENT variable).