Which statement is not supported by the material?

• A. Correlation does not imply causation.
• B. Causation requires evidence of a causal mechanism.
• C. A strong correlation alone establishes causation.
• D. Correlation and causation are unrelated.

Answer: (C)

Understanding how correlation relates to causation is what this item tests. Correlation measures whether two things vary together, but it does not prove that one thing causes the other. A strong association can arise from a third factor, from reverse causality, or simply by chance, so you cannot infer causation from correlation alone. The material here usually emphasizes that establishing causation requires more evidence beyond a relationship—such as demonstrating that the cause precedes the effect, ruling out confounding variables, and often showing a plausible mechanism or conducting a controlled test. Because of that, the idea that a strong correlation by itself establishes causation goes beyond what correlation can justify. The other statements align with this view: correlation and causation are related concepts, and causation is not proven by correlation alone, though some discussion may regard a mechanism as important for supporting causal claims.