Which of the following statement best describes the criteria for inferring or causality?
A) A relationship must exist between variables.
B) One variable must precede the other in time.
C) A third variable did not cause the changes observed in the first two variables.
D) A relationship must exist between two variables, with the cause preceding the effect in time, and the relationship cannot be explained away by the influence of a third variable.

Question

Which of the following statement best describes the criteria for inferring or causality?​
A) ​A relationship must exist between variables.
B) One variable must precede the other in time.​
C) A third variable did not cause the changes observed in the first two variables.​
D) A relationship must exist between two variables, with the cause preceding the effect in time, and the relationship cannot be explained away by the influence of a third variable.​

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In order to infer causality, we require that there is a relationship between two variables, with the cause preceding the effect in time, and this relationship cannot be explained away by the influence of a third variable. Additionally, the relationship must be consistent and replicable across different studies and populations. Therefore, option D is the best choice as it includes all these criteria. Option A is a necessary condition but not sufficient for inferring causality. Option B focuses only on the temporal relationship and ignores other important criteria. Option C is specifically talking about ruling out alternative explanations, which is an important component of inferring causality, but it does not cover all the criteria needed for causality.

Which of the Following Statement Best Describes the Criteria for Inferring