PSA: Corollary != Causal

[Phoenix86]

OK, so at my work we have those Captivate screens in the elevators. For those not familiar with them, they are basically PCs with an LCD screen in an elevator that displays news, events, ads and what not.

Anyways, there is this blurb about a study on caffeine and stress. The study found that caffeine levels are directly related to stress. This is a corollary relationship.

Then the article says to lower caffeine intake during the holiday seasons. WTF?

The study found a corollary relationship between caffeine and stress, not a causal relationship.

What if stress causes people to drink caffeine? I guess decreasing your caffeine intake isn't going to help then, eh? Geniuses. I'm going to invent a new board game, it's called "jump to conclusions". 😉

It's not like there aren't enough funded studies to show things like having sex reduces stress, but then the whack-jobs decide to make farcical conclusions. Gotta wonder who's making the conclusion, the researcher or the editor.

So to all you folks doing research, please remember this PSA. Thank you. 🙂

 

[Accipiter22]

first thing you learn in stats...correlation doesn't equal cause.

 

[acemcmac]

:laugh: GG

 

[So]

:thumbsdown: to people who have no clue about science/reason reporting.

 

[ElFenix]

it's probably people who are in high stress jobs are fueled by coffee. brokers on the trading floor must have a piping hot, full cup of coffee.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
first thing you learn in stats...correlation doesn't equal cause.

Yeah, I though it was the first thing they thought too... 😕

Guess it's also the first thing you forget. Gotta stop testing to see if people can regurgitate the material and see if they actually learn the LESSON.