Correlation Causation Fallacy Examples in Media, Real Life, Politics, News & Ads

Correlation Causation Fallacy

Correlation Causation Fallacy Definition

A correlation causation fallacy is a mistaken belief that one event must have caused the other. It is a fallacy because two events may be correlated without there being any causal link between them. It is when you think that just because two things happen at the same time, one causes the other. This is not true, though, as sometimes they just happen to happen at the same time.

The correlation fallacy is the presumption that because two variables are correlated, one causes the other.  For example, a study found that people who eat more ice cream have higher rates of depression.  This does not mean that eating ice cream causes depression.

The correlation does not imply causation.  Correlation is a statistical measure of the relationship between two things, but it doesn’t say anything about why they are related to one another.

If you’re trying to find out if there’s a causal link between two variables, you need to conduct an experiment.

Correlation Causation Fallacy Examples

Correlation Causation Example in Philosophy

Examples of Correlation Causation Fallacy in Philosophy:

The example of correlation causation in philosophy is the idea that there are two types of causation:

Necessary and sufficient

•  A necessary cause is a condition that must be present for an event to happen (e.g., if you want to make a cake, you need eggs)
•  A sufficient cause is a condition that, when present, guarantees the occurrence of an event (e.g., if you want to make a cake with chocolate frosting, then all you need is sugar and cocoa powder)

Correlation Causation Fallacy Real-Life Examples

Correlation Causation Fallacy in Real Life:

A correlation fallacy is when you falsely assume that a correlation between two events is causation. You can see a clear example of this when you see the same thing happen one after the other. This is a fallacy because they could be both unrelated.

Here are some examples: -When the power goes out, there is a power outage. A few hours after the power outage, there is a thunderstorm. Both of these events could be unrelated, but it is tempting to correlate them.

Other examples:

• The correlation between ice cream sales and the number of people who drown in a pool is an example of causation.
•  If you eat more vegetables, your chances of getting cancer decrease.
•  When it rains, there are fewer car accidents on the freeway

Correlation Causation Fallacy Examples in Media

Examples of Correlation Causation Fallacy in Media: 

A study published in the journal Social Psychology and Personality Science found that people who read a news article about a shark attack were more likely to believe that sharks are dangerous.

The correlation between reading an article and believing something is not causation, but it does show how media can influence our opinions.

Correlation Causation Examples in Advertising

Correlation Causation Fallacy in Advertising: 

A company advertises that they use natural ingredients in their product. This advertisement is an example of correlation causation because its claim has been proven to be true, which causes people to buy more products from them.

Correlation Causation Fallacy in Politics

Examples of Correlation Causation Fallacy in Politics:

A correlation is a statistical relationship between two variables. Causation is the idea that one event causes another to happen.  Correlation does not imply causation, but it can be used as evidence for causality.

For example, there may be a correlation between ice cream sales and drowning deaths in swimming pools because both of these events occur during the summer months.

Other examples include;

•  The correlation of the unemployment rate to presidential approval rating.
•  The correlation between crime rates and gun ownership.
•  The correlation between obesity and fast-food restaurants

Correlation Causation Fallacy examples in Movies

Examples of Correlation Causation Fallacy in Movies:

•  Movies with high budgets are more likely to win awards.
•  Movies with higher ratings on Rotten Tomatoes are more likely to be nominated for Academy Awards.
• Actors who have been in many movies together are correlated because they keep getting cast in the same roles.

Correlation Causation Fallacy Examples in Literature

Examples of Correlation Causation Fallacy in Literature:

In the novel The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is a character who exhibits many of the qualities of an ideal man. These qualities include being handsome, wealthy, and charming.

However, these traits are not enough to make him happy because Daisy Buchanan has denied him a love for so long that he has become obsessed with him.

Correlation Causation Fallacy Examples in News

Examples of Correlation Causation Fallacy in News:

A correlation is a relationship between two variables.  Correlation does not imply causation, but it can be used to make predictions about the future.

An example of correlation and causation in the news is that there will be an increase in crime rates when there are more people on welfare.

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