there is a positive association between the number of drownings and ice cream sales. this is an example of an association likely caused by

a) undercoverage
b) coincidence
c) bias
d) lurking variable

Question

there is a positive association between the number of drownings and ice cream sales. this is an example of an association likely caused by

a) undercoverage
b) coincidence
c) bias
d) lurking variable

anonymous · Answer

@thomaster

perl · Answer

d) lurking variable, or spurious variable  (probably it has to do with the weather, people buy more ice cream and swim more in the summer)

whpalmer4 · Answer

most drownings happen in warm weather, when more people are swimming.  that's also when more people are eating ice cream.  temperature is the lurking variable.

perl · Answer

there is a third variable that is causing both higher ice cream sales and drownings. viz. the weather