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Reference.org
Spurious relationship
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Statistics/DNPsKGYU">statistics</a>, a spurious relationship or spurious correlation is a <a href="/facts/Mathematical_relationship/r9BwGgaK">mathematical relationship</a> in which two or more events or variables are <a href="/facts/Correlation_and_dependence/egkluAEm">associated</a> but <i><a href="/facts/Correlation_does_not_imply_causation/IeWeoMB9">not</a></i> <a href="/facts/Causality/Swh496X7">causally related</a>, due to either coincidence or the presence of a certain third, unseen factor (referred to as a "common response variable", "confounding factor", or "<a href="/facts/Lurking_variable/G4TVx1dt">lurking variable</a>"). </p>