A correlation between two variables proves that one causes the other.

the verdict

REFUTED

the evidence says no

Recorded sources

0 sources for · 4 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that a correlation between two variables proves that one causes the other?

No. Two reference sources directly state that correlation is not sufficient to infer causation, explicitly refuting the claim that correlation proves causation. A meta-analysis and a statistics discussion likewise note that causality cannot be concluded from correlational data alone.

Verdict: REFUTED · 0 sources for, 4 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Evidence against · 4

Correlation

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Correlation. (n.d.). en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Correlation

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More against · 3

Testing if a correlation between two variables depends on a continuous third variable

2018

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Testing if a correlation between two variables depends on a continuous third variable. (2018). stats.stackexchange.com. https://stats.stackexchange.com/questions/321996/testing-if-a-correlation-between-two-variables-depends-on-a-continuous-third-var

Relationship Between Knee Biomechanics and Pain in People With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

2023

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Hutchison, L., Grayson, J., Hiller, C., D'Souza, N., Kobayashi, S., & Simic, M. (2023). Relationship Between Knee Biomechanics and Pain in People With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.25001

Improving the teaching of “correlation does not equal causation” in Introductory Psychology -

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Improving the teaching of “correlation does not equal causation” in Introductory Psychology - PMC Lock. (n.d.). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1645518

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