Final answer:
Correlation does not imply causation, and other explanations such as physical fitness or experience could underlie a relationship between age and field goal percentage. Third variables or confounding factors often influence both the variables in question and should be considered when interpreting correlations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Correlation simply indicates that there is a statistical association between two variables, but it does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship. There are potential alternative explanations for a correlation between two variables, such as age and field goal percentage in basketball. These explanations often involve third variables or confounding factors.
One possible explanation for this correlational relationship could be the existence of a third variable such as physical fitness. As players age, their physical condition may change, which in turn affects their athletic performance, including field goal percentage. Physical fitness impacts both the age of the players and their performance, therefore it could be the hidden factor that explains why these two variables appear to be correlated.
Another alternative explanation could be the development of experience and strategic knowledge. With age, players may become more experienced, learning to take smarter shots and make better decisions on the court, which could result in a higher field goal percentage. Here, it's not just the age that changes the field goal percentage, but the accumulated knowledge and improved decision-making that comes with years of playing the game.
In sum, identifying the exact nature of the relationship and ruling out other explanations requires more rigorous methods such as controlled experiments or regression analysis, which can analyze the impact of multiple variables at once. This is essential in determining causation rather than just correlation.