Causal Reasoning

Exercise

For each of the following correlations, use your background knowledge to determine whether A causes B, B causes A, a common cause C is the cause of both A and B, or the correlations is accidental.

1. There is a positive correlation between U.S. spending on science, space, and technology (A) and suicides by hanging, strangulation, and suffocation (B).
   
2. There is a positive correlation between our dog Charlie's weight (A) and the amount of time we spend away from home (B). That is, the more time we spend away from home, the heavier Charlie gets (and the more we are at home, the lighter Charlie is.
   
3. The height of the tree in our front yard (A) positively correlates with the height of the shrub in our backyard (B).
   
4. There is a negative correlation between the number of suicide bombings in the U.S. (A) and the number of hairs on a particular U.S President's head (B).
5. There is a high positive correlation between the number of fire engines in a particular borough of New York City (A) and the number of fires that occur there (B).
6. At one point in history, there was a negative correlation between the number of mules in the state (A) and the salaries paid to professors at the state university (B). That is, the more mules, the lower the professors' salaries.
7. There is a strong positive correlation between the number of traffic accidents on a particular highway (A) and the number of billboards featuring scantily-clad models (B).
   
8. The girth of an adult's waist (A) is negatively correlated with the height of their vertical leap (B).
9. Olympic marathon times (A) are positively correlated with the temperature during the marathon (B). That is, the more time it takes an Olympic marathoner to complete the race, the higher the temperature.
   
10. The number gray hairs on an individual's head (A) is positively correlated with the number of children or grandchildren they have (B).