In a cause-and-effect relationship
A)both variables must be shown to be independent.
B)the independent variable must come before the dependent variable in time.
C)the two variables must never display correlation.
D)there must be evidence that the correlation is spurious.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a cause-and-effect relationship, the independent variable must come before the dependent variable in time. This means that changes in the independent variable must occur before changes in the dependent variable, indicating a cause-and-effect relationship. The other choices are incorrect. The variables do not necessarily have to be shown to be independent (A), they may display correlation, but this does not necessarily imply a cause-and-effect relationship (C), and there may not necessarily be evidence that the correlation is spurious (D).

In a Cause-And-Effect Relationship