(Last Word) a Study Found That the Incidence of Skin

question 394

Multiple Choice

(Last Word) A study found that the incidence of skin cancer increases along with the amount of time people work under fluorescent light, leading some people to conclude that fluorescent lighting is a cause of skin cancer. But further analysis found that people who work in offices, where fluorescent light is common, suffer more sunburn on their vacations than other workers. The sunburns, not the fluorescent light, were the cause of the higher incidence of skin cancer. The original conclusion illustrates

• A) the fallacy of composition.
• B) confusion of correlation and causation.
• C) identifying marginal costs and marginal benefits.
• D) biases and loaded terminology.

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Definitions:

Correlational Research

Research that examines the relationships between variables, whose purpose is to examine whether and how two variables change together.

Correlational Coefficient

A statistical measure that indicates the extent to which two or more variables fluctuate together, ranging from -1 to 1, where values closer to 1 or -1 represent a stronger relationship.

Cause-And-Effect Relationships

A connection between two events where one event (the cause) leads to the occurrence of another event (the effect).

Survey Method

A research method involving the collection of data from a predefined group of respondents to gain information and insights on various topics of interest.