[ 고1 ]_11월 (2020)__[ 37번 ]

Anne 숑 · [고1] 2020 11월 [ 37번 ]

 
Even though two variables seem to be related,  there may not be a causal  relationship. In fact, the two variables may merely seem to be associated with each other due to the effect of some third variable.


 Sociologists call such misleading relationships spurious. A classic example is the apparent association between children’s shoe size and reading ability. It seems that as shoe size increases, reading ability improves.


  Does this mean that the size of one’s feet (independent variable) causes an improvement in reading skills (dependent variable)? Certainly not. This false relationship is caused by a third factor, age, that is related to shoe size as well as reading ability. 


 Hence, when researchers attempt to make causal claims about the relationship between an independent and                    a dependent variable, they must control for — or rule out — other variables that may be creating a spurious relationship.