Difference Between Causality and Correlation

Human beings have always been interested in understanding everything that happens in our environment, for this reason, it is common for us to formulate explanations for the various phenomena that occur; But in some cases, these explanations are poorly formulated because we co-fuse some elements with others. Difference Between Causality and Correlation

Next we are going to tell you what is the difference between causality and correlation. You will see that they are not the same.

CORRELATION  Difference Between Causality and Correlation

Correlation occurs when two or more events occur at the same time. These events may share some type of association with each other, however, a correlation does not imply a causal relationship. It is simply a matter of establishing a kind of comparison between two or more variables at the same time, but in no way does the correlation seek to explain why the variables undergo this or that change.

A positive correlation is one in which if the frequency of one variable increases, then the same change is reflected in the other. On the other hand, in a negative correlation , the frequencies exhibit inverse characteristics (one variable increases and another decreases).

An example of a positive correlation is as follows:

The demand for a product rises, so its price also tends to rise. Now , both demand and price are different entities ; but in this case they are varying together. However , this does not imply that the demand is due to the increase in price or that the price has the only possible cause of the increase in demand; since the price could be increasing due to the raw material is also more expensive or to some other factor.

CAUSALITY

Causation helps determine the existence of a relationship between the variables. It is transitive in nature , meaning that if A is the cause of B and B is the cause of C , then A is the cause of C . One tends to derive this inference from correlation data .

Three conditions must be true to claim that such a thing is the cause of something specific . These conditions are related to the time of precedence, relationship and knowledge or experience .

An example of a causal relationship is the following:

Someone who works late and earns more money than a person who doesn’t . In this case, the relationship is causal because there is a direct relationship between the employee and the money earned by him (and the way in which he earns it) .

Causation is more accurate than correlation, since correlation is simply a description of entities that change at the same time . Practically , establishing a correlation is easier than establishing a clear causal relationship .

The causalidad only be accepted when there are enough reasons clear , otherwise; It is always a good idea to use the correlation in place of causality . Correlation does not imply causation , but it helps to suggest one .

Key differences between correlation and causality

• Causation refers to the cause and effect of a phenomenon, in which one thing directly causes the change of another. Whereas a correlation is a comparison or description of two or more different variables, but together. In this case, the variables are said to be correlated.
• Correlations are easier to establish compared to causalities.
• An example of causality is to say that smoking causes cancer, while an example of correlation would be to say that smoking is related to alcoholism.