Which statement best distinguishes correlation from causation?

Which statement best distinguishes correlation from causation?

• A. Correlation implies causation
• B. They are the same
• C. Causation only exists in controlled experiments
• D. Correlation is a statistical association; causation implies one variable directly affects another (e.g., ice cream sales and drownings due to seasonality, not causation)

Answer: (D)

Correlation is a statistical association between two things, while causation means one variable directly affects another. To claim causation, you need evidence that the cause precedes the effect and that other explanations are ruled out. The example of ice cream sales and drownings rising in the summer shows correlation: both increase together because of a common seasonal factor, not because buying ice cream causes drowning or vice versa. This illustrates how two things can move together without a direct causal link. The other ideas miss the distinction: correlation does not imply causation, and they are not the same. Causation isn’t limited to controlled experiments; strong evidence from well-designed observations can also support causal inferences, though experiments are a classic way to establish them.

Correlation is a statistical association between two things, while causation means one variable directly affects another. To claim causation, you need evidence that the cause precedes the effect and that other explanations are ruled out.

The example of ice cream sales and drownings rising in the summer shows correlation: both increase together because of a common seasonal factor, not because buying ice cream causes drowning or vice versa. This illustrates how two things can move together without a direct causal link.

The other ideas miss the distinction: correlation does not imply causation, and they are not the same. Causation isn’t limited to controlled experiments; strong evidence from well-designed observations can also support causal inferences, though experiments are a classic way to establish them.