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A Major Shortcoming of a Correlational Study Is That Even

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A major shortcoming of a correlational study is that even when a correlation between two variables is statistically significant, one cannot infer causation. For example, a significant correlation exists between life stress and depression, yet one cannot say for sure that life stress causes depression. Given this major shortcoming, what are some specific reasons one might still wish to conduct a correlational study, as opposed to an experimental study (from which one might infer a cause-and-effect relationship)?


Definitions:

Sensory Adaptation

The process by which sensory receptors become less sensitive to constant stimuli over time.

Smells

The perceptions or sensations caused by the olfactory detection of airborne molecules or particles.

Rhodopsin

A pigment found in the photoreceptor cells of the retina, responsible for the initial step in the perception of light.

Hyperpolarized

The condition of the neuron membrane when the inside of the cell becomes more negative than its resting potential.

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