An illusory correlation occurs when
A) a difference across conditions is the true cause of the relationship between two variables.
B) an unmeasured variable is causing the correlation between two variables.
C) two variables are believed to be correlated when in fact they are not.
D) two variables appear correlated but have not met the threshold for statistical significance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An illusory correlation occurs when two variables are believed to be correlated when in fact they are not. This can result from a variety of factors such as biases in perception, faulty assumptions, or chance.

An Illusory Correlation Occurs When