Understanding Cause and Effect.

The main aim of cause and effect questions is to derive the relationship between two given statements. The relationship that needs to be tested is whether the statements are causally related to each other. This means we need to find out whether one of the statements is a direct cause of the other or conversely whether one of the statements is a direct effect of the other.

What Are Causes?

Causes are the conditions under which an event occurs. For example, can you guess the causes for the following?

1. The police increasing security around the President's house.

2. Lots of people buying a particular expensive brand of washing machines around Diwali. Easily, we can guess causes for the above events.

1. There were reports of threats against the President

2. There was a high discount or sale for that brand during Diwali.

Scientific View of Causes

Now, what is the scientific view of the cause?

1. It is a scientifically proven fact that the cause leads to the effect

2. The effect should logically follow from the same cause.

Sufficient & Necessary Conditions

In a cause and effect question, the cause is the sufficient condition. It is assumed that the sufficient condition of the occurrence of the events must include the different necessary conditions as well.

A necessary condition is one that must be satisfied for the occurrence of an event.

E.g. You must adhere to the deadline to get your work appraised.

This means if you get your work appraised, you have to adhere to the deadline. Or, if you do not do not adhere to the deadline, you do not get your work appraised.

A condition is called a sufficient condition if in a certain event, you are satisfied with the results.

Eg: Being human is a sufficient condition for being a mammal.

The act of being a human is not possible unless one is also a mammal. But it is not necessary that being human is a necessary condition for being a mammal.

Types of Causes

What can be the different causes?

1. Immediate Cause: It immediately precedes the effect. This cause shares the closest proximity with the effect with relation to time.

2. Principal Cause: The most important reason behind the effect. The immediate cause can be the principal cause and vice versa.

3. Independent cause: There is no relationship between the cause and the given effect.

Tips to Solve Cause and Effect Problems with Examples

Let us take the following examples to teach a few tips to master cause and effect.

Directions: Below each question are given two statements (I) and (II). These statements may be either independent causes or may be effects of independent causes or a common cause. One of these statements may be the effect of the other statement. Read both the statements and decide which of the following answer choice correctly depicts the relationship between these two statements.

Options:

1. If statement (I) is the cause and statement (II) is the effect.

2. If statement (II) is the cause and statement (I) is the effect.

3. If both the statements (I) and (II) are independent causes.

 4. If both the statements (I) and (II) are effects of some independent causes.

5. If both the statements (I) and (II) are effects of some common causes.

Example 1:

1. China became a hotspot for global manufacturing in the late 80s, and continues to be so till the present.

2. China has abundant sources of cheap manpower and natural resources — both of which are essential for industrial growth.

Ans: 2

Solution: The reason for China becoming a hotspot for manufacturing globally has been stated in Statement II. The factors of cheap labour and abundance of natural resources contributed to the industrial growth of China in the late 80s and helped it become a manufacturing hub. Thus, statement II is the cause and statement I is the effect. Here, the reason is a principal cause. The words 'till the present' also gives an indication that statement 1 cannot be the cause because the cause should always precede the effect.

Tip 1: To effectively answer a cause and effect question, we need to understand the premise under discussion. Here, the premise is China becoming a hotspot for manufacturing and its cause.

Example 2:

1. There is a possibility of snowfall in the next 2 days.

2. The handloom industries increased their production by 50%.

Ans: 1

Solution: The possibility of snowfall in the imminent future means that people will need to use woollen wear. To meet this increased demand, handloom industries will step up their production. Thus statement I is the cause and statement II is the effect. This is an immediate cause. Because of the possibility of snowfall, the handloom industry increased the production.

Tip 2: Sometimes, the premise under discussion is not very directly observable. So, we need to use our awareness faculty and take into consideration all the effects of a possible cause.