Answer to Question #253793 in Statistics and Probability for Nora

Question

1. Identify the most likely type of causal relationship between each of the following pairs of variables. Assume that a strong positive correlation has been observed where the first variable listed is the independent variable.

a. alcohol consumption, incidence of automobile accidents

b. scores on chemistry exams, scores on calculus exams

c. increase in pay, job performance

d. population of rabbits, consumer price index

e. number of scholarships received, number of job offers upon graduation

f. coffee consumption, insomnia

Answer 1

a.

 common-cause relationship, a single cause has several effects (alcohol consumption has many effects)

b.

causal chain, cause triggers an effect, which triggers another effect (scores on calculus exams can trigger scores on physics exams)

c.

causal homeostasis, causal relationships form a stable cycle or reinforcing mechanism (increase in pay causes job performance and vice versa)

d.

common-cause relationship (consumer price index is one of several possible effects of population of rabbits)

e.

common-effect relationship, several causes converge in one effect (several causes affects on job offers upon graduation)

f.

common-effect relationship (coffee consumption is one of the reasons of insomnia)