True Causation Flashcards
When can we say variable X CAUSES variable Y?
When the results show necessity and sufficiency
What does it mean when a variable is sufficient?
Sufficient = Y is adequate to cause X
What does it mean when a variable is necessary?
Necessary = Y must be present to cause X
What term is used to describe this?
1) To be good at psychology you need to be good at research methods
2) But to be good at psychology, you also need to be good at other subjects in psychology e.g.
developmental, cognition, perception etc.
1) Research methods are NECESSARY to be good at Psychology
2) Research methods are NOT SUFFICIENT to be good at Psychology
(Basically, you need RM to be good at psych but it is not enough to make you good at psych as you need to be good at Cog, Dev and Social psych too)
Overall = NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT
What term is used to describe this?
1) Completing and passing an undergraduate degree in psychology at UoM will get you a BSc
2) There are other universities and other courses that upon completion award a BSc
1) Completing and passing an undergraduate degree in psychology at UoM is SUFFICIENT for you to get a BSc
2) But because there are other universities and other courses that award a BSc, completing and passing an undergraduate degree in psychology at UoM is NOT NECESSARY for a BSc
OVERALL = SUFFICIENT BUT NOT NECESSARY
What term is used to describe this?
1) To obtain full marks on the final RM & Statistics exam, you must answer every question correctly
2) To obtain full marks on the final RM & Statistics exam, it is adequate to answer every question correctly
1) To obtain full marks on the final RM & Statistics exam, it is NECESSARY to answer every question correctly
2) To obtain full marks on the final RM & Statistics exam, it is SUFFICIENT to answer every question correctly
When does true causation happen?
True causation can only be established when necessity and sufficiency criteria are satisfied
1) When we manipulate IV, in the absence of all other factors, it will always result in the DV
changing (manipulating IV is sufficient for DV to change)
2) The DV change will not be measured in the absence of the IV manipulation (IV is necessary for the DV change to be measured)
When we say that something is sufficient, we mean …
a. that it is adequate to cause X b. that it must be present to cause X c. that it is adequate and must be present to cause X d. all of the above
A
Claim: “Caring about students is a necessary condition for being a good teacher.”
Objection: “Lots of people care about students and still aren’t good teachers.” Does this objection show that the claim is wrong?
a. No, because the claim is only that caring is necessary, not sufficient. b. No, because caring can be necessary and still sufficient. c. Yes, because caring about students is both necessary and sufficient d. Yes, because it's true that caring is not sufficient to make a good teacher
A
Because you need to be caring to be a good teacher but it’s not enough because you also have to be good at being patient, having the knowledge and etc to be a good teacher.
Is this necessary or sufficient or both or neither?
Michael being male is (sufficient/necessary), but not (sufficient/necessary) for him to be a dad
Necessary but Not Sufficient
(Michael must be male to be a dad but just because he is male, doesn’t mean he’s a dad because he needs other factors, such as having children, to be considered a dad)
Is this necessary or sufficient, both or neither?
Michael being a dad is (sufficient/necessary), but not (sufficient/necessary) for him to be male
Sufficient but Not Necessary
(Michael being a dad is adequate enough to tell us that he’s male but it does not mean that all males must be dads; males are males even without children)
Is this necessary or sufficient, both or neither?
Michael having a child is (sufficient/necessary) and (sufficient/necessary) for him to be a dad
Necessary and Sufficient
(Michael having a child is a must for him to be considered a dad and it is also adequate enough for him to be considered a dad)
Is this necessary or sufficient, both or neither?
Michael enjoying going to the park is (sufficient/necessary) for him to be a dad
Neither Sufficient nor Necessary
(Michael enjoying going to the park is not needed for him to be considered a dad and is also not necessary for him to be considered male)
