Question

How do you test if there is evidence of a relationship between two things? Which statistically test would need to be used?

Answer 1

There are two variables A and B. I want to test if A has an effect on B or B has an effect on A. For instance, we know that engagement and learning achievement effect each other.

1. cause and effect is talking about independent and dependent variables.

2. two variables independent of any grouping variables cannot be related to cause and effect

3. two independent variables can be cause and cause

4. two independent variables cannot be effect and effect since they are independent,

5. best tool can only be determined when the type of relationship is known or established.

6. however, check Pearson product moment correlation for it can be used to correlate A:A, A:B, B:B and B:A.

"There is no statistical analysis, by itself, that will demonstrate a cause and effect relationship. You must also consider the research design. Can you perform an experiment in which subjects are randomly assigned to Variable A and perform analysis to test whether Variable A assignment is related to outcome Variable B at follow-up? This randomized controlled trial (RCT) design is the most robust for establishing cause-and-effect. If not, the next robust design is a longitudinal design, in which you collect data on Variable A and B repeatedly over time for each subject and perform an analysis to see whether subjects that experienced an increase in A also showed an increase in B (either in real time or as a lag function), or some other hypothesized relationship. A bidirectional effect of the kind you describe is even more difficult to demonstrate. It cannot be demonstrated simply by examining correlation, regression or other statistical analysis. "