There is no end to the media presenting correlations as causation. I was struck by this piece in Monitor on Psychology a publication of the American Psychological Society. I think I see a pattern here:
- Point out some correlation
- Say that the researchers “controlled for other variables” (always a dubious claim)
- Quickly acknowledge that correlation is not causation
- Never report the magnitude of the effect
- Write the rest of the article as if causation has been established
We are truly in the dark ages!