Read The Following Stories Discuss Cause Versus Associat
Read The Following Stories The Discuss Cause Versus Association In The
Read the following stories the discuss cause versus association in the allegations that eating Ice Cream caused Polio. Orac. (2011). Mark Blaxill and Dan Olmsted: Merrily confusing correlation with causation for polio (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. . Retrieved from Dupy, T. (2011). Vaccinations and the Ice Cream Scare (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. . Retrieved from Then review the following influenza misconceptions: The Office of the Public Health Service Historian. (2009). The Great Pandemic. The United States in (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. . Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Misconceptions about seasonal flu and flu vaccines (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. . Retrieved from Research the history behind the ice cream causes polio misconception: Present an argument for why ice cream does cause polio and should be banned Explain how ideas like that spread, and why people make such assumptions Provide another real example of a misconception (you cannot use the flu examples posted above). Your post should be at least 250 words. You should use at least 2 scholarly sources, excluding the textbook.
Paper For Above instruction
The misconception that eating ice cream causes polio is a prime example of confusing correlation with causation. Historically, during the early 20th century, outbreaks of polio coincided with increased ice cream consumption, which fostered the erroneous belief that ice cream was a causative agent. This erroneous association was largely fueled by coincidental temporal patterns rather than scientific evidence, as neither ice cream nor other common factors have been linked biologically to the poliovirus transmission. Nonetheless, such misconceptions spread rapidly through anecdotal narratives and sensationalized media reports, leading the public to associate a benign activity—eating ice cream—with a devastating disease.
Proponents of the false causality argue that the coincident timing between the rise in ice cream sales and polio cases indicates that ice cream should be banned to prevent further outbreaks. The logic follows that eliminating a supposed cause will eradicate the disease. However, this flawed reasoning disregards the actual causative pathway of polio—viral transmission through contaminated water and poor sanitation, not dietary habits. Banning ice cream would not influence the occurrence of polio, as the root cause remains rooted in viral transmission dynamics, underscoring the importance of distinguishes correlation from causation.
The proliferation of such misconceptions often results from cognitive biases, especially the post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy, where people assume that because one event follows another, the first caused the second (Tversky & Kahneman, 1974). Media sensationalism and a lack of scientific literacy exacerbate these misunderstandings, enabling misconceptions to flourish among the public.
Another example of a misconception is the belief that vaccines cause autism. Despite extensive scientific research disproving this link (Hviid et al., 2019), the myth persists largely due to anecdotal reports and misinterpretation of early studies, illustrating that misinformation can endure despite scientific consensus. Such misconceptions can result in vaccine hesitancy, risking public health by reducing herd immunity.
In conclusion, these myths highlight the critical need for effective science communication to prevent misconceptions from influencing public health decisions. Understanding the difference between correlation and causation is essential to combat misinformation effectively and protect community health.
References
Hviid, A., Hansen, J. V., Frisch, M., & Melbye, M. (2019). Measles–mumps–rubella vaccination and autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(4), 276-283.
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases. Science, 185(4157), 1124-1131.
Blaxill, M., & Olmsted, D. (2011). Merrily confusing correlation with causation for polio. Orac. Retrieved from [URL]
Dupy, T. (2011). Vaccinations and the Ice Cream Scare. Retrieved from [URL]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Misconceptions about seasonal flu and flu vaccines. Retrieved from [URL]
Office of the Public Health Service Historian. (2009). The Great Pandemic. Retrieved from [URL]