What are the names for the cognitive bias inferring causation from correlation?
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😎 A lot of literature has been written about the cognitive bias that makes us erroneously infer causation from correlation. Are there any short and concise names that have been assigned to that bias (notice I’m asking the question after unsuccessfully searching the web for answers)
🤖 The cognitive bias that leads people to erroneously infer causation from correlation is often referred to as “illusory correlation” or “false causality.” This bias occurs when an individual perceives a relationship between two variables, typically events or behaviors, that are statistically unrelated. This misinterpretation of data or information can lead to incorrect conclusions about cause and effect.
In more casual or less technical discussions, this phenomenon might simply be described as “confusing correlation with causation” or “the correlation-causation fallacy.” Despite its prevalence in everyday reasoning, it’s important to approach such connections with a critical and analytical mindset, distinguishing mere correlations from actual causative relationships.
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