Final answer:
The concept that refers to a false association between two variables is the 'correlation-causation fallacy,' where a causal relation is wrongly assumed between two events that are not causally connected.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept that refers to a false association between two variables is known as the correlation-causation fallacy. This occurs when a causal relation is assumed between two events or conditions that are not causally connected, often summarized by the phrase 'correlation does not equal causation'. For example, an increase in ice cream sales is correlated with an increase in drowning incidents, but to assume that eating ice cream causes drowning would be a fallacy. Instead, the underlying link is that both occur more frequently in the summer months.