If Variable X causes Variable Y,
A)the correlation between X and Y should not change over time.
B)the correlation between X at Time 1 and Y at Time 2 should be greater than the correlation between Y at Time 1 and X at Time 2.
C)X and Y should be correlated more strongly between Time 1 and Time 2 than they are at Time 2.
D)the correlation between X and Y should approach 1.00 over time.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

B is correct because if X causes Y, then changes in X at an earlier time point (Time 1) should predict changes in Y at a later time point (Time 2) more strongly than the reverse. This implies a directional relationship where the cause precedes the effect.

If Variable X Causes Variable Y