Stable causal relationships are better causal relationships

Publication Year
2018

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

We report three experiments investigating whether people's judgments about causal relationships are sensitive to the robustness or stability of such relationships across a range of background circumstances. In Experiment 1, we demonstrate that people are more willing to endorse causal and explanatory claims based on stable (as opposed to unstable) relationships, even when the overall causal strength of the relationship is held constant. In Experiment 2, we show that this effect is not driven by a causal generalization's actual scope of application. In Experiment 3, we offer evidence that stable causal relationships may be seen as better guides to action. Collectively, these experiments document a previously underappreciated factor that shapes people's causal reasoning: the stability of the causal relationship.

Journal
Cognitive Science
Volume
42
Issue
4
Pages
1265-1296
ISSN Number
1551-6709
Alternate Journal
Cogn Sci
PMID
29687462
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