Is the relationship arbitrary or causal?

Is the problem dealing with a predictive or arbitrary relationship?

Predictive or Arbitrary Relationships

By the end of this presentation you will be able to determine if your relationship question is –



Predictive



Predictive

or



Predictive

or

Arbitrary


What is a predictive relationship?


A predictive relationship is a relationship where one variable


A predictive relationship is a relationship where one variable (temperature)


A predictive relationship is a relationship where one variable (temperature)


A predictive relationship is a relationship where one variable (temperature) predicts another variable


A predictive relationship is a relationship where one variable (temperature) predicts another variable (ice melting).


A predictive relationship is a relationship where one variable (temperature) predicts another variable (ice melting).


For example,


For example,

Does stress predict anxiety?


For example,

Does stress predict anxiety?

Meaning you can tell the amount of anxiety someone has, if you know the amount of stress they are under.


Here are some more examples:


Administrators wish to know the degree to which the number professor publications in professional journals predicts the time it takes for them to achieve tenure.


Administrators wish to know the degree to which the number professor publications in professional journals predicts the time it takes for them to achieve tenure.So, if you know the number of professor

publications, you can predict the time it takes to be tenured.


Marine biologist wish to determine the degree to which the levels of nitrogen phosphate concentration predicts a decrease in the number of sea mollusks on the coast of California.


Marine biologist wish to determine the degree to which the levels of nitrogen phosphate concentration predicts a decrease in the number of sea mollusks on the coast of California.So, if you know the levels of nitrogen

phosphate concentration, you can predict the number of Mollusks.


Social scientists wish to determine the extent to which the need for extrinsic motivation predicts the number of selfies taken in a given day.


Social scientists wish to determine the extent to which the need for extrinsic motivation predicts the number of selfies taken in a given day.

So, if you know need for extrinsic motivation, you can predict the number of selfies taken in a given day.


In such cases, you will classify the relationship as:

Predictive

Arbitrary


In other instances the relationship between two variables is not predictive but arbitrary.


In other instances the relationship between two variables is not predictive but arbitrary.

Arbitrary

Predictive


Meaning we do not know what causes what, we just know that:



- when one increases the other increases,




- or when one decreases the other decreases,




- or when one decreases the other decreases,

- or when one increases the other decreases.


We just don’t know which influences which.



Generally they most likely influence each other:




Probably influences and is influenced byPeace

Honorable Living




Anxiety DepressionProbably influences and is influenced by


When we are not sure which is which, then this becomes an arbitrary relationship as opposed to a predictive relationship.


When we are not sure which is which, then this becomes an arbitrary relationship as opposed to a predictive relationship.

Predictive

Arbitrary


Note – unless your relationship problem specifies a predictive relationship (with one variable influencing directly another variable) then the problem is most likely arbitrary.


What is the nature of your relationship question?


What is the nature of your relationship question?

Predictive

or

Arbitrary


Education

Is the relationship arbitrary or causal?