Correlation is not causation — Psychology, 11–13 years
Two things can change together without one causing the other. This distinction helps you read surveys, headlines and everyday claims without jumping too quickly to a conclusion.
Together is not because
A correlation means that two patterns appear together: when one goes up, the other often goes up or down too. Causation is a stronger claim: changing one thing helps produce a change in the other. The first pattern can be a clue, but it is not proof of the second.
Why psychologists check
People naturally look for causes, because finding one can help us predict and act. The danger is that a third factor may affect both things, or that the direction is reversed. Careful psychology uses comparisons and controlled studies to test whether a suggested cause really makes a difference.
A school example
Imagine that students who sleep more get higher test scores: 8 hours goes with 78 points, while 6 hours goes with 68. That is a correlation. It may be that sleep helps thinking, but students who sleep more might also feel less rushed and study differently, so the numbers alone cannot prove the cause.
The tempting conclusion
The usual mistake is to say, “A happened before B, so A caused B.” That feels sensible because causes often do come first. But time order is only one requirement: we also need to rule out other explanations and look for a reliable difference.
Reading a claim
When an advert or post says that one product, app or activity leads to better results, ask what was actually measured. Were people randomly compared, and could another difference explain the result? These questions do not reject every claim; they help you judge how strong its evidence is.
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