A researcher determines that the crime rate in a large city fluctuates with the phases of the moon. He concludes that the gravitational pull of the moon influences human behavior. He has committed what error?

Question

A researcher determines that the crime rate in a large city fluctuates with the phases of the moon. He concludes that the gravitational pull of the moon influences human behavior. He has committed what error?

Answer 1

A. He incorrectly inferred correlation from causation
B. He incorrectly inferred causation from correlation
C. He failed to measure the gravitational pull to test his hypothesis
D. He has overlooked the placebo effect

Correct Answer: He incorrectly inferred causation from correlation ✔

Last Updated: May 03, 2024