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Spurious correlation #1,674 · View random

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Popularity of the first name Allyson and the second variable is Robberies in Nebraska.  The chart goes from 1985 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
Download png
, svg

AI explanation

As the name Allyson fell out of favor, it led to a shortage of unsuspecting individuals to distract the robbers. Without Allysons around to shout "All eyes on me!" the robbers found it increasingly difficult to carry out their heists. This ultimately resulted in a bizarre yet noticeable drop in Nebraska's robbery rates.

Model: dalle-3
Prompt: [ A photo-realistic image ] of a vibrant Nebraska town street bustling with life under the warm summer sun. In the foreground, a group of diverse and joyous youngsters surrounds a cheerful girl named Allyson, sharing laughter and conversation. Meanwhile, in the distance, the flashing lights and blaring sirens of police cars approach, drawing attention to a recent robbery at a local convenience store. The scene captures the stark contrast between youthful exuberance and law enforcement activity in the midst of a sunny day. The depiction should include only scenes, people, and objects, it should not include text or speech bubbles.
This image generation prompt was also generated by AI, using the following sequence:

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You select one of a few potential scene descriptors that seems to go along with the variables described. You respond only with the scene descriptions provided and say nothing else.
User prompt: Here are two variables: Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska. Given these, which of the following image style descriptions seems most appropriate? Pick the one that seems to be related to one of the variables at hand. Please respond with only one of the following potential descriptions: A photo-realistic image Cyberpunk Hyper-realistic Cutsy graphics Woodblock painting
ChatGPT: A photo-realistic image

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You describe simple visual scenes that depict the two variables stated. You combine both variables into one scene.
User prompt: Please describe a visual scene that prominently depicts both Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska together. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In a busy Nebraska town, a group of youngsters gathers around a playful girl named Allyson, laughing and chatting with her under the bright summer sun. Meanwhile, in the distance, a few police officers investigate a recent robbery at a local convenience store, their sirens blaring as they race toward the scene.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You write and improve image generation prompts for DALLE-3. You maintain the same subjects, but enhance the visuals.
User prompt: Please respond with an image generation prompt that would be likely to create an interesting visual using DALLE-3, using the following style: [ A photo-realistic image ] and depicting this scene: In a busy Nebraska town, a group of youngsters gathers around a playful girl named Allyson, laughing and chatting with her under the bright summer sun. Meanwhile, in the distance, a few police officers investigate a recent robbery at a local convenience store, their sirens blaring as they race toward the scene. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: [ A photo-realistic image ] of a vibrant Nebraska town street bustling with life under the warm summer sun. In the foreground, a group of diverse and joyous youngsters surrounds a cheerful girl named Allyson, sharing laughter and conversation. Meanwhile, in the distance, the flashing lights and blaring sirens of police cars approach, drawing attention to a recent robbery at a local convenience store. The scene captures the stark contrast between youthful exuberance and law enforcement activity in the midst of a sunny day.

*Variations in the User Prompts from chart to chart are just the result of random number generation in Python. I wrote a few arrays of various styles and methods to ask questions to change up the results. Every time this site writes an explanation or generates an image, the script picks from each at random.

I sequence the requests into multiple prompts because I find GPT 3.5 to perform much better with short, well-managed contexts. Thus, I track the context directly in Python and only ask ChatGPT targeted questions.

Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106 (fine-tuned)
System prompt: You provide humorous responses in the form of plausible sounding explanations for correlations. You assume the correlation is causative for the purpose of the explanation even if it is ridiculous. You do not chat with the user, you only reply with the causal connection explanation and nothing else.
User prompt: Please make up a funny explanation for how a decrease in Popularity of the first name Allyson caused Robberies in Nebraska to decrease.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)
The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska

The Journal of Quirky Sociological Studies

Jan 2024

Reminder: This paper is AI-generated. Not real!
Quick note: This sequence is long and repetitive. That's how the prompt engineering works for this one. I manage the output in Python to format it into this PDF.




Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You write titles and abstracts of goofy academic research papers.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, and add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please draft the title and abstract of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Make the title a clever pun.

Your research team used data from US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services to assess this nagging question. You found a correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and p < 0.01 for 1985 to 2022.

Please respond in this format (replace "Lorem ipsum dolor sit" with your title and abstract)

[[TITLE]]
Lorem ipsum dolor sit

[[ABSTRACT]]
Lorem ipsum dolor sit



ChatGPT:
[[TITLE]]
The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this uproarious study, we investigate the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in the state of Nebraska. Drawing data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services from 1985 to 2022, we employed statistical analysis to examine this quirky relationship. The findings revealed a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value less than 0.01, spotlighting a relationship that is statistically significant and playfully perplexing. Our results open the door to whimsical considerations and entertaining implications for the influence of names on criminal activities. This lighthearted inquiry aims to bring amusing curiosity to the exciting world of social science research.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the introduction section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the introduction section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this uproarious study, we investigate the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in the state of Nebraska. Drawing data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services from 1985 to 2022, we employed statistical analysis to examine this quirky relationship. The findings revealed a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value less than 0.01, spotlighting a relationship that is statistically significant and playfully perplexing. Our results open the door to whimsical considerations and entertaining implications for the influence of names on criminal activities. This lighthearted inquiry aims to bring amusing curiosity to the exciting world of social science research.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[INTRODUCTION]]



ChatGPT:
[[INTRODUCTION]]

Who would have thought that a name could have such a criminal influence? The connection between the choice of moniker and criminal activity may seem like the plot of a zany sitcom, but our study delves into the surprising correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. As we embark on this unconventional journey, we aim to bring a lighthearted and humorous perspective to the often serious world of social science research.

With an uncontainable sense of curiosity, we set out to investigate this peculiar relationship, using data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning nearly four decades. Our initial inquiry revealed an astonishing correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value so diminutive it could be mistaken for a tiny teardrop of statistical significance.

While the foundational theories of criminology may have overlooked the potential influence of names on criminality, this study presents a whimsical twist that invites us to ponder the humorous implications of nomenclature on nefarious behaviors. As we unleash the findings of this rollicking inquiry, we invite readers to join us in the delightful dance of data exploration and statistical merrymaking. Let the name game and crime spree begin!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft a literature review section of an academic research paper, that starts out dry for the first few sentences but then becomes hilarious and goofy.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a literature review section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Speak in the present tense for this section (the authors find...), as is common in academic research paper literature reviews. Name the sources in a format similar to this: In "Book," the authors find lorem and ipsum.

Make up the lorem and ipsum part, but make it sound related to the topic at hand.

Start by naming serious-sounding studies by authors like Smith, Doe, and Jones - but then quickly devolve. Name some real non-fiction books that would be related to the topic. Then name some real fiction books that sound like they could be related. Then devolve ever further, and mention something completely ridiculous, like you conducted literature review by reading the backs of shampoo bottles.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this uproarious study, we investigate the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in the state of Nebraska. Drawing data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services from 1985 to 2022, we employed statistical analysis to examine this quirky relationship. The findings revealed a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value less than 0.01, spotlighting a relationship that is statistically significant and playfully perplexing. Our results open the door to whimsical considerations and entertaining implications for the influence of names on criminal activities. This lighthearted inquiry aims to bring amusing curiosity to the exciting world of social science research.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
Who would have thought that a name could have such a criminal influence? The connection between the choice of moniker and criminal activity may seem like the plot of a zany sitcom, but our study delves into the surprising correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. As we embark on this unconventional journey, we aim to bring a lighthearted and humorous perspective to the often serious world of social science research.
With an uncontainable sense of curiosity, we set out to investigate this peculiar relationship, using data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning nearly four decades. Our initial inquiry revealed an astonishing correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value so diminutive it could be mistaken for a tiny teardrop of statistical significance.
While the foundational theories of criminology may have overlooked the potential influence of names on criminality, this study presents a whimsical twist that invites us to ponder the humorous implications of nomenclature on nefarious behaviors. As we unleash the findings of this rollicking inquiry, we invite readers to join us in the delightful dance of data exploration and statistical merrymaking. Let the name game and crime spree begin!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]



ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

In “The Name-Game Game: Exploring Peculiar Connections between Monikers and Misdemeanors,” Smith et al. pondered the potential influence of names on criminal activities, laying the foundation for our comical investigation into the relationship between the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. Their serious tone serves as a stark contrast to the playful approach we have adopted in this investigation.

Doe and Jones, in their study "The Criminal Chronicles of First Names," examined various name trends and their improbable associations with criminal behavior. While their findings primarily focused on more common monikers, such as “John” and “Jennifer,” we aim to expand this examination to the charmingly common yet distinctively quirky name of “Allyson.”

Branching out from scholarly works, the non-fiction books "Freakonomics" by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner and "Nameonomics" by Michele Clooney offer intriguing insights into unconventional correlations and the impact of names on societal phenomena. While these texts do not directly address the specific relationship between name popularity and criminal activities in Nebraska, they provide an intellectual backdrop for our exploration into this whimsical topic.

Turning to the realm of fiction, novels like "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky and "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco hint at the intriguing intersection of names and unlawful conduct. While these works may not provide direct evidence for our comical correlation, they do add a touch of literary flair to our investigation, reminding us that the whimsical and the felonious are often closer than one might expect.

In a further departure from convention, we engaged in the unconventional practice of perusing the back labels of various household items, including shampoo bottles, to gain a holistic understanding of the relationship between names and criminal tendencies. While the findings from this peculiar pursuit may not contribute directly to the academic canon, they certainly provided humorous diversions and a fresh perspective on our uproarious research topic. Our forays into the realms of literary and unconventional sources have paved the way for a comical confluence of whimsy and empiricism in our investigation.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the methodology section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the methodology section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services . You used data from 1985 to 2022

Make up the research methods you don't know. Make them a bit goofy and convoluted.

Here is the title, abstract, and introduction of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this uproarious study, we investigate the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in the state of Nebraska. Drawing data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services from 1985 to 2022, we employed statistical analysis to examine this quirky relationship. The findings revealed a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value less than 0.01, spotlighting a relationship that is statistically significant and playfully perplexing. Our results open the door to whimsical considerations and entertaining implications for the influence of names on criminal activities. This lighthearted inquiry aims to bring amusing curiosity to the exciting world of social science research.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
Who would have thought that a name could have such a criminal influence? The connection between the choice of moniker and criminal activity may seem like the plot of a zany sitcom, but our study delves into the surprising correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. As we embark on this unconventional journey, we aim to bring a lighthearted and humorous perspective to the often serious world of social science research.
With an uncontainable sense of curiosity, we set out to investigate this peculiar relationship, using data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning nearly four decades. Our initial inquiry revealed an astonishing correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value so diminutive it could be mistaken for a tiny teardrop of statistical significance.
While the foundational theories of criminology may have overlooked the potential influence of names on criminality, this study presents a whimsical twist that invites us to ponder the humorous implications of nomenclature on nefarious behaviors. As we unleash the findings of this rollicking inquiry, we invite readers to join us in the delightful dance of data exploration and statistical merrymaking. Let the name game and crime spree begin!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]



ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

To uncover the gigglesome connection between the popularity of the name "Allyson" and the occurrence of robberies in Nebraska, our research team embarked on a data-gathering journey that was as lively as a comedy club on a Friday night. We gathered data from various sources, but mostly relied on the esteemed US Social Security Administration and the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, where we found a treasure trove of information from 1985 to 2022, offering a large enough sample to ensure both statistical significance and entertainment value.

Our first step in this captivating quest was to crunch the numbers from the US Social Security Administration to identify the frequency of the first name "Allyson" over the years. We diligently traced the ebbs and flows of this whimsical appellation, as it weaved its way through the tapestry of time, gaining friends, making enemies, and leveling up its popularity in the game of names.

Next, we hustled over to the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, where we combed through the data on reported robberies in the good ol' state of Nebraska. Our team braved the treacherous waves of crime statistics, wielding spreadsheets and snatching up data faster than a sprinting cheetah on a caffeine high, to capture the essence of the criminal activities that captured the Cornhusker State's attention.

Armed with this delightful yet incongruous duo of datasets, we employed the tried-and-true method of statistical analysis to examine the relationship between the popularity of the name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. We utilized correlation analysis to measure the degree of association between these seemingly unrelated phenomena, because, after all, what is research without a good dose of numerical comedy?

Furthermore, we engaged in regression analysis to potentially tease out any potential causation between the name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies, because we are nothing if not thorough in our playful pursuit of knowledge and mirth.

Additionally, we handled missing data and outliers with the deftness of a juggler balancing an overabundance of multicolored balls, ensuring that our analysis remained as robust and entertaining as a circus act. The data was cleaned, scrutinized, and embraced with open arms, much like a beloved character in a feel-good rom-com.

In order to ensure the durability of our findings and the veracity of our quirky conclusions, we conducted sensitivity analysis to evaluate the consistency and reliability of our results, laying bare any vulnerabilities and adding further depth to our whimsical exploration of the relationship between names and naughtiness.

Finally, we performed a range of additional analyses, all aiming to bring the delightful dance of data exploration and statistical merrymaking to center stage, like a theatrical troupe putting on a performance that tickles both the intellect and the funny bone. This included subgroup analyses, time series analysis, and other fanciful statistical techniques, all in the pursuit of uncovering the zany, whimsical, and perhaps slightly delirious relationship between the name "Allyson" and the criminal capers in Nebraska.

In the end, our research methodology was akin to a madcap adventure through the realms of data and statistics, where we not only sought to uncover meaningful relationships but also to infuse our academic inquiry with a generous dose of levity and joy, because after all, what good is science without a side of cheeky humor?


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the results section of an academic research paper. You speak in the past tense (you found...).
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the results section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services .

For the time period 1985 to 2022, you found a correlation 0.9037256, r-squared of 0.8167199, and p < 0.01.

One figure will be included. The figure (Fig. 1) is a scatterplot showing the strong correlation between the two variables. You don't need to specify where; I will add the figure.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this uproarious study, we investigate the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in the state of Nebraska. Drawing data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services from 1985 to 2022, we employed statistical analysis to examine this quirky relationship. The findings revealed a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value less than 0.01, spotlighting a relationship that is statistically significant and playfully perplexing. Our results open the door to whimsical considerations and entertaining implications for the influence of names on criminal activities. This lighthearted inquiry aims to bring amusing curiosity to the exciting world of social science research.

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
Who would have thought that a name could have such a criminal influence? The connection between the choice of moniker and criminal activity may seem like the plot of a zany sitcom, but our study delves into the surprising correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. As we embark on this unconventional journey, we aim to bring a lighthearted and humorous perspective to the often serious world of social science research.
With an uncontainable sense of curiosity, we set out to investigate this peculiar relationship, using data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning nearly four decades. Our initial inquiry revealed an astonishing correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value so diminutive it could be mistaken for a tiny teardrop of statistical significance.
While the foundational theories of criminology may have overlooked the potential influence of names on criminality, this study presents a whimsical twist that invites us to ponder the humorous implications of nomenclature on nefarious behaviors. As we unleash the findings of this rollicking inquiry, we invite readers to join us in the delightful dance of data exploration and statistical merrymaking. Let the name game and crime spree begin!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]



ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

The chucklesome investigation into the correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska has uncovered a rather striking relationship. Our statistical analysis revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.9037256, indicating a robust positive association between the two variables. This correlation was further supported by an r-squared value of 0.8167199, displaying a strong fit of the linear relationship, as if this name and crime were in cahoots for years.

The p-value, which appeared so diminutive it might have been mistaken for a miniscule teardrop of statistical significance, was found to be less than 0.01. In other words, the likelihood of this correlation occurring by chance is about as probable as finding a polite pickpocket or a considerate cat burglar – a laughable thought, indeed!

Fig. 1 showcases the uproarious scatterplot displaying the striking correlation between the popularity of the name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. The points are reminiscent of a comedic duo, performing a whimsical routine that has the audience howling with statistical surprise.

These findings, with their statistically significant and playfully perplexing nature, invite delightful considerations and bring a humorous twist to the typically serious realm of social science research. The unexpected relationship between a name and criminal activities prompts a comical curiosity that tickles the funny bone and raises whimsical implications for the influence of names on crime trends. This study, with its entertaining connotations, pleasantly disrupts the conventional wisdom and opens the door to a playful pondering of the name-crime connection.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the discussion section of an academic research paper.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up the discussion section of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Limit your response to 500 tokens.

Here are the title, abstract, literature review, and results sections. Please harken back to 1-2 of the goofy items in the literature review, but pretend to take them completely seriously. Discuss how your results supported the prior research.

Do not write a conclusion. I will add a conclusion after this.

[[TITLE]]
The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this uproarious study, we investigate the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in the state of Nebraska. Drawing data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services from 1985 to 2022, we employed statistical analysis to examine this quirky relationship. The findings revealed a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value less than 0.01, spotlighting a relationship that is statistically significant and playfully perplexing. Our results open the door to whimsical considerations and entertaining implications for the influence of names on criminal activities. This lighthearted inquiry aims to bring amusing curiosity to the exciting world of social science research.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
In “The Name-Game Game: Exploring Peculiar Connections between Monikers and Misdemeanors,” Smith et al. pondered the potential influence of names on criminal activities, laying the foundation for our comical investigation into the relationship between the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. Their serious tone serves as a stark contrast to the playful approach we have adopted in this investigation.
Doe and Jones, in their study "The Criminal Chronicles of First Names," examined various name trends and their improbable associations with criminal behavior. While their findings primarily focused on more common monikers, such as “John” and “Jennifer,” we aim to expand this examination to the charmingly common yet distinctively quirky name of “Allyson.”
Branching out from scholarly works, the non-fiction books "Freakonomics" by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner and "Nameonomics" by Michele Clooney offer intriguing insights into unconventional correlations and the impact of names on societal phenomena. While these texts do not directly address the specific relationship between name popularity and criminal activities in Nebraska, they provide an intellectual backdrop for our exploration into this whimsical topic.
Turning to the realm of fiction, novels like "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky and "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco hint at the intriguing intersection of names and unlawful conduct. While these works may not provide direct evidence for our comical correlation, they do add a touch of literary flair to our investigation, reminding us that the whimsical and the felonious are often closer than one might expect.
In a further departure from convention, we engaged in the unconventional practice of perusing the back labels of various household items, including shampoo bottles, to gain a holistic understanding of the relationship between names and criminal tendencies. While the findings from this peculiar pursuit may not contribute directly to the academic canon, they certainly provided humorous diversions and a fresh perspective on our uproarious research topic. Our forays into the realms of literary and unconventional sources have paved the way for a comical confluence of whimsy and empiricism in our investigation.

[[RESULTS]]
The chucklesome investigation into the correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska has uncovered a rather striking relationship. Our statistical analysis revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.9037256, indicating a robust positive association between the two variables. This correlation was further supported by an r-squared value of 0.8167199, displaying a strong fit of the linear relationship, as if this name and crime were in cahoots for years.
The p-value, which appeared so diminutive it might have been mistaken for a miniscule teardrop of statistical significance, was found to be less than 0.01. In other words, the likelihood of this correlation occurring by chance is about as probable as finding a polite pickpocket or a considerate cat burglar – a laughable thought, indeed!
Fig. 1 showcases the uproarious scatterplot displaying the striking correlation between the popularity of the name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. The points are reminiscent of a comedic duo, performing a whimsical routine that has the audience howling with statistical surprise.
These findings, with their statistically significant and playfully perplexing nature, invite delightful considerations and bring a humorous twist to the typically serious realm of social science research. The unexpected relationship between a name and criminal activities prompts a comical curiosity that tickles the funny bone and raises whimsical implications for the influence of names on crime trends. This study, with its entertaining connotations, pleasantly disrupts the conventional wisdom and opens the door to a playful pondering of the name-crime connection.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

The uproarious investigation into the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska has left us in stitches. Our findings, which laid bare a robust positive association between these seemingly unrelated variables, have not only defied expectations but have also elicited a hearty chuckle from the academic community.

Drawing upon the serious yet whimsical tone set by Smith et al. and the unlikely findings of Doe and Jones, our results unmistakably echo the preceding research. Despite the humorous nature of our investigation, the statistical significance and robust correlation coefficient affirm the improbable rapport between the name "Allyson" and criminal activities. It is as if the name itself lured perpetrators to their capers, like a siren's call or a cartoon character's antics that just cannot be resisted.

Remarkably, our findings align with the spirit of Levitt and Dubner's "Freakonomics" and Clooney's "Nameonomics," shedding light on the unconventional correlations that underpin societal phenomena. The charmingly common yet distinctively quirky name "Allyson" has unexpectedly emerged as a key player in the inexplicably amusing intersection of names and unlawful conduct, echoing the comical tenor of "Crime and Punishment" and "The Name of the Rose."

The statistically significant correlation coefficient of 0.9037256, akin to a stand-up comedian landing a flawless punchline, not only bolsters the existing literature's improbable associations but also underscores the comical curiosity that our investigation has sparked. Our forays into the realms of literary sources and household-item back labels have provided a whimsical backdrop for our comical confluence of whimsy and empiricism, demonstrating that humor and statistical significance can indeed go hand in hand.

Our research has certainly injected a dose of mirth into the typically austere realm of social science research. The unexpected relationship between the popularity of a name and criminal activities has tickled the academic community's funny bone and raised whimsical implications for the influence of names on crime trends, cultivating a spirit of playful pondering that is both delightful and infectious. This study, with its entertaining connotations, pleasantly disrupts the conventional wisdom and stands as a comical testament to the unassuming power of a name in the realm of criminal antics.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a witty academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a statistics journal.You draft the discussion section of goofy academic research papers that sounds like it belongs based on the title and abstract provided.
User prompt:
Pretend you are an academic researcher. Your writing sounds like it belongs in a medical or economics journal. However, you frequently crack jokes, make puns, or add unexpected twists in your writing.

Please make up a short conclusion of an academic research paper presenting the findings of the connection between Popularity of the first name Allyson and Robberies in Nebraska. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Limit your response to 300 tokens. At the very end, assert that no more research is needed in this area.

Here are the title, abstract, introduction, and results sections.
[[TITLE]]
The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this uproarious study, we investigate the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in the state of Nebraska. Drawing data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services from 1985 to 2022, we employed statistical analysis to examine this quirky relationship. The findings revealed a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value less than 0.01, spotlighting a relationship that is statistically significant and playfully perplexing. Our results open the door to whimsical considerations and entertaining implications for the influence of names on criminal activities. This lighthearted inquiry aims to bring amusing curiosity to the exciting world of social science research.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
Who would have thought that a name could have such a criminal influence? The connection between the choice of moniker and criminal activity may seem like the plot of a zany sitcom, but our study delves into the surprising correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. As we embark on this unconventional journey, we aim to bring a lighthearted and humorous perspective to the often serious world of social science research.
With an uncontainable sense of curiosity, we set out to investigate this peculiar relationship, using data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services spanning nearly four decades. Our initial inquiry revealed an astonishing correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value so diminutive it could be mistaken for a tiny teardrop of statistical significance.
While the foundational theories of criminology may have overlooked the potential influence of names on criminality, this study presents a whimsical twist that invites us to ponder the humorous implications of nomenclature on nefarious behaviors. As we unleash the findings of this rollicking inquiry, we invite readers to join us in the delightful dance of data exploration and statistical merrymaking. Let the name game and crime spree begin!

[[RESULTS]]
The chucklesome investigation into the correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska has uncovered a rather striking relationship. Our statistical analysis revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.9037256, indicating a robust positive association between the two variables. This correlation was further supported by an r-squared value of 0.8167199, displaying a strong fit of the linear relationship, as if this name and crime were in cahoots for years.
The p-value, which appeared so diminutive it might have been mistaken for a miniscule teardrop of statistical significance, was found to be less than 0.01. In other words, the likelihood of this correlation occurring by chance is about as probable as finding a polite pickpocket or a considerate cat burglar – a laughable thought, indeed!
Fig. 1 showcases the uproarious scatterplot displaying the striking correlation between the popularity of the name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. The points are reminiscent of a comedic duo, performing a whimsical routine that has the audience howling with statistical surprise.
These findings, with their statistically significant and playfully perplexing nature, invite delightful considerations and bring a humorous twist to the typically serious realm of social science research. The unexpected relationship between a name and criminal activities prompts a comical curiosity that tickles the funny bone and raises whimsical implications for the influence of names on crime trends. This study, with its entertaining connotations, pleasantly disrupts the conventional wisdom and opens the door to a playful pondering of the name-crime connection.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our uproarious study has unveiled a rib-tickling correlation between the popularity of the name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in Nebraska. The statistically significant relationship between these variables leaves us all in stitches, with a correlation coefficient that's as strong as a bull in a china shop and a p-value so tiny, it could maybe fit on the head of a pin, with room to spare for a jolly jig! Our findings prompt us to consider whether the allure of the name "Allyson" ignites criminal inclinations or if perpetrators are simply drawn to a name that exudes "Ally-tude."

As we wrap up this jovial jaunt into the world of whimsical correlations, it is abundantly clear that no more research is needed in this area. The comical connection between a name and criminal mischief has been thoroughly explored, and the results are as clear as day – or as elusive as a prankster in the night. Let us bid adieu to this rollicking inquiry and embrace the delightfully unexpected twists and turns that social science research has to offer.

In the immortal words of Shakespeare, "All's well that ends well," and in the case of our rambunctious investigation, all ends with statistical significance and a good laugh. So, here's to the name "Allyson" and the criminal capers it seemingly inspires – a merry association indeed!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of academic journals. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding research, scientific, or academic journal that would publish a paper entited The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Quirky Sociological Studies


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide fictional names of nonprofit research organizations and associations. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide the name of a funny but plausible sounding nonprofit, academic, or scientific association or organization that would sponsor research that resulted in a paper entited The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Institute for Quirky Sociological Studies


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You provide potential search keywords separated by commas. You say nothing else, and you do not chat with the user.
User prompt: Please provide potential search keywords for a paper titled The Allyson and Robbery Roll Call: Investigating the Comical Connection between Name Popularity and Crime Trends in Nebraska with an abstract of In this uproarious study, we investigate the comical correlation between the popularity of the first name "Allyson" and the frequency of robberies in the state of Nebraska. Drawing data from the US Social Security Administration and FBI Criminal Justice Information Services from 1985 to 2022, we employed statistical analysis to examine this quirky relationship. The findings revealed a surprising correlation coefficient of 0.9037256 and a p-value less than 0.01, spotlighting a relationship that is statistically significant and playfully perplexing. Our results open the door to whimsical considerations and entertaining implications for the influence of names on criminal activities. This lighthearted inquiry aims to bring amusing curiosity to the exciting world of social science research.

ChatGPT:

Allyson, robbery, name popularity, crime trends, Nebraska, statistical analysis, US Social Security Administration, FBI Criminal Justice Information Services, correlation coefficient, p-value, criminal activities, social science research.

*There is a bunch of Python happening behind the scenes to turn this prompt sequence into a PDF.



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Data details

Popularity of the first name Allyson
Detailed data title: Babies of all sexes born in the US named Allyson
Source: US Social Security Administration
See what else correlates with Popularity of the first name Allyson

Robberies in Nebraska
Detailed data title: The robbery rate per 100,000 residents in Nebraska
Source: FBI Criminal Justice Information Services
See what else correlates with Robberies in Nebraska

Correlation r = 0.9037256 (Pearson correlation coefficient)
Correlation is a measure of how much the variables move together. If it is 0.99, when one goes up the other goes up. If it is 0.02, the connection is very weak or non-existent. If it is -0.99, then when one goes up the other goes down. If it is 1.00, you probably messed up your correlation function.

r2 = 0.8167199 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 81.7% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Robberies in Nebraska) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., Popularity of the first name Allyson) over the 38 years from 1985 through 2022.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 7.9E-15. 0.0000000000000079119494427684
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme. More specifically the p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme if we had only tested one pair of variables one time.

But I am a p-villain. I absolutely did not test only one pair of variables one time. I correlated hundreds of millions of pairs of variables. I threw boatloads of data into an industrial-sized blender to find this correlation.

Who is going to stop me? p-value reporting doesn't require me to report how many calculations I had to go through in order to find a low p-value!
On average, you will find a correaltion as strong as 0.9 in 7.9E-13% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 126,391,100,857,452 random variables You don't actually need 126 trillion variables to find a correlation like this one. I don't have that many variables in my database. You can also correlate variables that are not independent. I do this a lot.

p-value calculations are useful for understanding the probability of a result happening by chance. They are most useful when used to highlight the risk of a fluke outcome. For example, if you calculate a p-value of 0.30, the risk that the result is a fluke is high. It is good to know that! But there are lots of ways to get a p-value of less than 0.01, as evidenced by this project.

In this particular case, the values are so extreme as to be meaningless. That's why no one reports p-values with specificity after they drop below 0.01.

Just to be clear: I'm being completely transparent about the calculations. There is no math trickery. This is just how statistics shakes out when you calculate hundreds of millions of random correlations.
with the same 37 degrees of freedom, Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 37 because we have two variables measured over a period of 38 years. It's just the number of years minus ( the number of variables minus one ), which in this case simplifies to the number of years minus one.
you would randomly expect to find a correlation as strong as this one.

[ 0.82, 0.95 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
The confidence interval is an estimate the range of the value of the correlation coefficient, using the correlation itself as an input. The values are meant to be the low and high end of the correlation coefficient with 95% confidence.

This one is a bit more complciated than the other calculations, but I include it because many people have been pushing for confidence intervals instead of p-value calculations (for example: NEJM. However, if you are dredging data, you can reliably find yourself in the 5%. That's my goal!


All values for the years included above: If I were being very sneaky, I could trim years from the beginning or end of the datasets to increase the correlation on some pairs of variables. I don't do that because there are already plenty of correlations in my database without monkeying with the years.

Still, sometimes one of the variables has more years of data available than the other. This page only shows the overlapping years. To see all the years, click on "See what else correlates with..." link above.
19851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
Popularity of the first name Allyson (Babies born)665823962101411201204114112001345139512911222133516501483131212211349130613671271127112611275131812611213126610081013908772641554476449410329
Robberies in Nebraska (Robbery rate)48.551.147.156.15251.15456.762.475.465.263.766.277.675.96765.678.767.165.159.264.262.872.767.955.753.960.855.455.452.549.653.238.241.141.231.729.1




Why this works

  1. Data dredging: I have 25,153 variables in my database. I compare all these variables against each other to find ones that randomly match up. That's 632,673,409 correlation calculations! This is called “data dredging.” Instead of starting with a hypothesis and testing it, I instead abused the data to see what correlations shake out. It’s a dangerous way to go about analysis, because any sufficiently large dataset will yield strong correlations completely at random.
  2. Lack of causal connection: There is probably Because these pages are automatically generated, it's possible that the two variables you are viewing are in fact causually related. I take steps to prevent the obvious ones from showing on the site (I don't let data about the weather in one city correlate with the weather in a neighboring city, for example), but sometimes they still pop up. If they are related, cool! You found a loophole.
    no direct connection between these variables, despite what the AI says above. This is exacerbated by the fact that I used "Years" as the base variable. Lots of things happen in a year that are not related to each other! Most studies would use something like "one person" in stead of "one year" to be the "thing" studied.
  3. Observations not independent: For many variables, sequential years are not independent of each other. If a population of people is continuously doing something every day, there is no reason to think they would suddenly change how they are doing that thing on January 1. A simple Personally I don't find any p-value calculation to be 'simple,' but you know what I mean.
    p-value calculation does not take this into account, so mathematically it appears less probable than it really is.




Try it yourself

You can calculate the values on this page on your own! Try running the Python code to see the calculation results. Step 1: Download and install Python on your computer.

Step 2: Open a plaintext editor like Notepad and paste the code below into it.

Step 3: Save the file as "calculate_correlation.py" in a place you will remember, like your desktop. Copy the file location to your clipboard. On Windows, you can right-click the file and click "Properties," and then copy what comes after "Location:" As an example, on my computer the location is "C:\Users\tyler\Desktop"

Step 4: Open a command line window. For example, by pressing start and typing "cmd" and them pressing enter.

Step 5: Install the required modules by typing "pip install numpy", then pressing enter, then typing "pip install scipy", then pressing enter.

Step 6: Navigate to the location where you saved the Python file by using the "cd" command. For example, I would type "cd C:\Users\tyler\Desktop" and push enter.

Step 7: Run the Python script by typing "python calculate_correlation.py"

If you run into any issues, I suggest asking ChatGPT to walk you through installing Python and running the code below on your system. Try this question:

"Walk me through installing Python on my computer to run a script that uses scipy and numpy. Go step-by-step and ask me to confirm before moving on. Start by asking me questions about my operating system so that you know how to proceed. Assume I want the simplest installation with the latest version of Python and that I do not currently have any of the necessary elements installed. Remember to only give me one step per response and confirm I have done it before proceeding."


# These modules make it easier to perform the calculation
import numpy as np
from scipy import stats

# We'll define a function that we can call to return the correlation calculations
def calculate_correlation(array1, array2):

    # Calculate Pearson correlation coefficient and p-value
    correlation, p_value = stats.pearsonr(array1, array2)

    # Calculate R-squared as the square of the correlation coefficient
    r_squared = correlation**2

    return correlation, r_squared, p_value

# These are the arrays for the variables shown on this page, but you can modify them to be any two sets of numbers
array_1 = np.array([665,823,962,1014,1120,1204,1141,1200,1345,1395,1291,1222,1335,1650,1483,1312,1221,1349,1306,1367,1271,1271,1261,1275,1318,1261,1213,1266,1008,1013,908,772,641,554,476,449,410,329,])
array_2 = np.array([48.5,51.1,47.1,56.1,52,51.1,54,56.7,62.4,75.4,65.2,63.7,66.2,77.6,75.9,67,65.6,78.7,67.1,65.1,59.2,64.2,62.8,72.7,67.9,55.7,53.9,60.8,55.4,55.4,52.5,49.6,53.2,38.2,41.1,41.2,31.7,29.1,])
array_1_name = "Popularity of the first name Allyson"
array_2_name = "Robberies in Nebraska"

# Perform the calculation
print(f"Calculating the correlation between {array_1_name} and {array_2_name}...")
correlation, r_squared, p_value = calculate_correlation(array_1, array_2)

# Print the results
print("Correlation Coefficient:", correlation)
print("R-squared:", r_squared)
print("P-value:", p_value)



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For the record, I am just one person. Tyler Vigen, he/him/his. I do have degrees, but they should not go after my name unless you want to annoy my wife. If that is your goal, then go ahead and cite me as "Tyler Vigen, A.A. A.A.S. B.A. J.D." Otherwise it is just "Tyler Vigen."

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Correlation ID: 1674 · Black Variable ID: 2454 · Red Variable ID: 20201
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