Correlation (notes)
1) Accutane (a last-resort treatment for the worst acne) use is a risk factor for suicide. People that take Accutane are slightly more likely to commit suicide than people that don’t take Accutane.
As a doctor, would you prescribe Accutane to people with cystic acne? (explain)
As a doctor, would you prescribe Accutane to people with cystic acne AND depression? (explain)
2) Should we ban ice cream to reduce the incidence of drowning? [video] ...
3) Copy correlation definition and example graphs for positive, negative, and no correlation. Measure your hand and shoe lengths (cm) and put your data point onto the class scatter plot.
4) Causal relationship, Linking variable, Lurking variable [powerpoint]
5) Create diagrams that explain why hand and shoe lengths are correlated, and why ice cream sales and drownings are correlated
6) Is there an alternative explanation for why Accutane use is correlated with suicide? (hint: identify a lurking variable)
7) Explain why removing a risk factor (such as Accutane use) might not reduce the likelihood of having the health problem (such as suicide).
8) Reflect on your decisions regarding prescribing Accutane to people with depression. If that decision changed, explain why.
9) Other examples: [Price of engagement ring and divorce rates] [marijuana use and health disorders (satire)]
10) Why is it important to be careful about how we interpret correlations? Support your answer with an example.
11) Explain why most human studies can only show correlations, rather than causation? Support your answer with an example.
1) Accutane (a last-resort treatment for the worst acne) use is a risk factor for suicide. People that take Accutane are slightly more likely to commit suicide than people that don’t take Accutane.
As a doctor, would you prescribe Accutane to people with cystic acne? (explain)
As a doctor, would you prescribe Accutane to people with cystic acne AND depression? (explain)
2) Should we ban ice cream to reduce the incidence of drowning? [video] ...
3) Copy correlation definition and example graphs for positive, negative, and no correlation. Measure your hand and shoe lengths (cm) and put your data point onto the class scatter plot.
4) Causal relationship, Linking variable, Lurking variable [powerpoint]
5) Create diagrams that explain why hand and shoe lengths are correlated, and why ice cream sales and drownings are correlated
6) Is there an alternative explanation for why Accutane use is correlated with suicide? (hint: identify a lurking variable)
7) Explain why removing a risk factor (such as Accutane use) might not reduce the likelihood of having the health problem (such as suicide).
8) Reflect on your decisions regarding prescribing Accutane to people with depression. If that decision changed, explain why.
9) Other examples: [Price of engagement ring and divorce rates] [marijuana use and health disorders (satire)]
10) Why is it important to be careful about how we interpret correlations? Support your answer with an example.
11) Explain why most human studies can only show correlations, rather than causation? Support your answer with an example.