Final answer:
Correlation does not imply causation; it simply indicates that two variables may move together. True causation can only be established through experimental research, not merely by observing the correlation between variables.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between correlation and causation is often misunderstood. Correlation refers to a situation where two variables have a relationship in which they tend to move together, which can be described with a correlation coefficient, r, that ranges from -1 to 1. However, even a strong positive correlation or negative correlation does not prove that one variable causes the other to change. In fact, the statement 'correlation does not imply causation' highlights the fallacy that the existence of a correlation necessarily means there's a cause-and-effect relationship between two variables.
When considering the relationship between correlation and causation, one must be careful not to overstep by assuming causality from mere correlation. This is especially true in observational studies, where the correlation-causation fallacy can lead to incorrect conclusions. True causation is generally only confirmed through carefully controlled experiments, in which confounding factors are eliminated.