Correlation vs Causal relation
- Correlation relation
-
A weak claim - that variation in the independent variable is associated with variation in the dependent variable.
→ Chicken-and-egg
A ↔ B
Soil pH determines plant growth, or plant growth determines soil pH - Causal relation
-
A strong claim - that variation in the independent variable actually causes variation in the dependent variable.
A → B
Rain (precipitation → water level in a river
⇒ path analysisVariable
Dependent variable: the target variable. The variable that is assessed as being the result of or predicted by other variables.
Independent variable (predictor): The manipulated variable. Variation in the independent variable is predicted to be associated with variation in dependent variable. - References