MCAT Cars Flashcards: Cause Effect Relationships

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Cause Effect Relationships, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for MCAT Cars.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is a necessary cause (necessary condition) in cause-and-effect reasoning?

Answer: A factor that must be present for the effect to occur. Without this factor, the effect cannot happen, establishing it as a prerequisite in causal logic.

Flashcard 2: What is a mediator variable in a causal explanation?

Answer: A variable through which the cause produces the effect. It serves as the intermediate mechanism explaining how the cause leads to the effect.

Flashcard 3: Identify the causal direction in: "Because screens emit light, sleep quality declines."

Answer: Cause: screen light; effect: sleep quality declines. The 'because' clause denotes the causal factor, with the main clause as the resulting outcome.

Flashcard 4: Which option best describes a contributing cause in an argument?

Answer: A factor that increases likelihood or magnitude of an effect. It enhances the probability or intensity of the outcome but is not solely responsible.

Flashcard 5: What is a causal chain in an argument, and what does it imply?

Answer: A causes B causes C; intermediate steps mediate the final effect. This structure shows sequential causation, where initial events trigger subsequent ones leading to the end result.

Flashcard 6: Identify the causal direction in: "Increased taxes reduced cigarette use."

Answer: Cause: increased taxes; effect: reduced cigarette use. Sentence structure positions taxes as the influencing factor resulting in decreased usage.

Flashcard 7: Identify the flaw: "Studying is necessary for success, so studying guarantees success."

Answer: Confusing necessary with sufficient conditions. It mistakenly treats a required action as one that ensures the desired outcome.

Flashcard 8: What is the key evidence feature of a causal claim versus a descriptive claim?

Answer: Causal claims require a mechanism or ruling out alternatives. Unlike descriptive claims, causal ones need mechanisms or exclusion of confounders to substantiate the link.

Flashcard 9: Which word most strongly signals a cause-and-effect relationship: however, because, similarly?

Answer: Because. This term explicitly introduces a reason or cause for the stated effect.

Flashcard 10: Which option best describes a bidirectional causal relationship between two variables?

Answer: Each variable influences the other in a feedback loop. Mutual influence creates a cycle where each factor affects and is affected by the other.

Flashcard 11: What is a moderator variable in a causal claim?

Answer: A variable that changes the strength or direction of an effect. It alters the causal relationship's strength or nature under different conditions.

Flashcard 12: Which option best strengthens: "Policy X reduced pollution" given a stable economy and weather?

Answer: A control comparison showing pollution fell only where Policy X applied. Comparing treated and untreated areas isolates the policy's impact from external influences.

Flashcard 13: What is the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy in causal reasoning?

Answer: Inferring causation solely because one event follows another. This fallacy assumes temporal sequence implies causality without further evidence.

Flashcard 14: What is a confounder in a causal claim?

Answer: A third variable causing both the presumed cause and effect. This external factor creates a spurious link by independently influencing both variables.

Flashcard 15: Which option is the most direct way to test for reverse causation in an observed association?

Answer: Establish temporal order: show the cause precedes the effect. Confirming chronology distinguishes true direction from reversed causal assumptions.

Flashcard 16: Identify the flaw: "After the mayor took office, crime rose; therefore the mayor caused crime."

Answer: Post hoc fallacy (timing alone does not establish causation). The argument relies solely on temporal order without evidence of a causal mechanism.

Flashcard 17: Which option best weakens: "New curriculum caused higher scores" when adopted with more funding?

Answer: Increased funding (resources) could explain the higher scores. This introduces an alternative cause that could account for the observed improvement independently.

Flashcard 18: Which option best supports causation over correlation: random assignment, anecdote, expert opinion?

Answer: Random assignment. It helps isolate the causal variable by balancing confounders across experimental groups.

Flashcard 19: Which option is the best alternative explanation to test: "Ice cream sales cause drownings"?

Answer: Hot weather (season) increases both ice cream sales and swimming. It proposes a confounder that simultaneously drives both variables, undermining direct causation.

Flashcard 20: Which phrase most strongly signals an effect rather than a cause: due to, leads to, given that?

Answer: Leads to. This phrase indicates the consequence following from a preceding cause.

Flashcard 21: Identify the causal structure in: "Stress leads to insomnia, which then impairs memory."

Answer: Causal chain with mediator: stress → insomnia → impaired memory. This setup links initial cause to outcome via an intermediate step in a sequential process.

Flashcard 22: What is reverse causation in an argument that links two variables?

Answer: The alleged effect actually causes the alleged cause. It reverses the assumed direction, where the supposed outcome actually drives the presumed trigger.

Flashcard 23: What is the difference between correlation and causation in a CARS argument?

Answer: Correlation is association; causation is a producing relationship. Correlation merely shows variables covary, while causation requires evidence that one directly influences the other.

Flashcard 24: What is a sufficient cause (sufficient condition) in cause-and-effect reasoning?

Answer: A factor that, if present, guarantees the effect occurs. Its presence alone ensures the effect, distinguishing it from factors that merely contribute.

Flashcard 25: What is the fallacy of confusing necessary and sufficient conditions?

Answer: Treating a necessary condition as sufficient, or vice versa. It errs by equating required conditions with those adequate to produce the result.