A study found two processes, Process A and Process B, to be correlated. Which of the following is true for these processes?
A.
The study indicates that Process A causes Process B.
B.
The study cannot indicate whether Process A and B have a positive relationship.
C.
The study does not indicate a causal relationship between the processes.
D.
The study cannot indicate whether Process A and B have a negative relationship.
The correct answer is:
C. The study does not indicate a causal relationship between the processes.
Explanation:
- C. The study does not indicate a causal relationship between the processes: Correlation simply means that there is a statistical relationship between two variables or processes, meaning they occur together or tend to move in a certain direction together. However, correlation alone does not imply causation; it does not tell us whether one process causes the other.
- A. The study indicates that Process A causes Process B: This is incorrect because correlation does not prove causation. Just because two processes are correlated does not mean that one causes the other.
- B. The study cannot indicate whether Process A and B have a positive relationship: This is incorrect because a study that finds correlation can indicate whether the relationship is positive (both variables move in the same direction) or negative (one variable increases while the other decreases).
- D. The study cannot indicate whether Process A and B have a negative relationship: Similar to the above, this is incorrect because a correlation study can indeed show whether the relationship is negative or positive.
Thus, the correct interpretation of a study finding a correlation between two processes is that C. The study does not indicate a causal relationship between the processes.