- What is the difference between correlation and causation, and why is it important to understand this difference in scientific research?
- What are some examples of correlations that are often mistaken for causation, and why is it important to avoid making these mistakes?
- If you could investigate the relationship between any two variables, which would you pick?
- Data from a certain city shows that the size of an individual’s home is positively correlated with the individual’s life expectancy. What factors might best explain why this correlation does not necessarily imply the size of an individuals’s home is the cause of increased life expectancy?
- Why might it be helpful to work out if different variables are related to each other, or if one variable is even driving the change in the other variable?
- How can understanding the difference between correlation and causation help you make better decisions in your personal and professional life, and what are some examples of this?
- In what ways can the misuse of correlation as evidence contribute to the spread of pseudoscientific beliefs and practices, and how can we avoid falling into this trap in our own lives?
