Why do we do the things we do? What makes us tick? A huge part of understanding human behavior is figuring out cause-and-effect, or what’s known as a causal relationship.
If we can pinpoint the reasons behind certain thoughts, feelings, and actions, we’re better equipped to understand ourselves and others. And that’s where psychology comes in.
It’s easy to assume that because two things happen together, one caused the other. But often, that’s not the case. Just because things are correlated doesn’t mean there’s a direct causal relationship.
This outline will take a closer look at the complexities of causal relationships in psychology: how we can identify them, and how they apply to our understanding of the human mind.
It’s not always easy to figure out what causes what. There can be confounding variables (hidden factors influencing the results) and directionality problems (not knowing which thing came first). But understanding these challenges is key to drawing accurate conclusions about why we behave the way we do.