Final answer:
A false relationship between variables caused by another variable is called a spurious relationship, often confused with a real causative link due to mistaking correlation for causation.
Step-by-step explanation:
An apparent but false relationship between two or more variables that is caused by some other variable is called a spurious relationship. This occurs when two variables seem to be related to one another but in fact, there is a third variable, known as a confounding variable, that is actually influencing the observed results. The confusion often arises because correlation, which is an association between variables where a change in one is associated with a change in the other, is mistakenly taken as evidence of causation.
One example of this misconception is the correlation-causation fallacy, which reflects the erroneous logic that just because two variables exhibit a correlation, one is the cause of the other. A famous example of this fallacy is the belief that ice cream sales cause shark attacks, when in reality, both are likely increased by a confounding variable: warmer weather.