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Spurious correlation #2,446 · View random

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the second variable is xkcd comics published about programming.  The chart goes from 2007 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image
Download png
, svg

AI explanation

As the number of psychiatrists in Colorado decreased, there was a corresponding increase in the number of programmers seeking therapy. This led to a shortage of available appointments for xkcd comic fans who also happened to be programmers. As a result, there was a decrease in the overall productivity of xkcd comics about programming, since the cartoonist was now spending more time offering impromptu therapy sessions to the distressed programmers instead of creating new content.

Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Generating Prompt: Create an image of a cute cartoon scene depicting a quiet office in Colorado. The office features a noticeable dwindling in the number of psychiatrists, with empty chairs and unattended desks. Outside, a group of stressed programmers huddle around their computers, looking strained and weary. In the background, a bulletin board once filled with xkcd comics about programming now displays only a few, reflecting the waning appreciation of the programmers for humor in their field. Keep the visual depiction simple. Avoid including any words or speech bubbles. 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: The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming. 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 scene from Skyrim Cute cartoon Sci-fi fantacy Realistic Minimalism
ChatGPT: Cute cartoon

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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming, in the following situation: The decrease in psychiatrists in Colorado led to an increase in stress among programmers, reducing their ability to appreciate programming humor and ultimately resulting in fewer xkcd comics about programming being published.. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In a quiet office in Colorado, the number of psychiatrists has noticeably dwindled, with empty chairs and unattended desks. Outside, a group of stressed programmers huddle around their computers, looking strained and weary. In the background, a bulletin board once filled with xkcd comics about programming now displays only a few, reflecting the waning appreciation of the programmers for humor in their field.

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: [ Cute cartoon ] and depicting this scene: In a quiet office in Colorado, the number of psychiatrists has noticeably dwindled, with empty chairs and unattended desks. Outside, a group of stressed programmers huddle around their computers, looking strained and weary. In the background, a bulletin board once filled with xkcd comics about programming now displays only a few, reflecting the waning appreciation of the programmers for humor in their field. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Generating Prompt: Create an image of a cute cartoon scene depicting a quiet office in Colorado. The office features a noticeable dwindling in the number of psychiatrists, with empty chairs and unattended desks. Outside, a group of stressed programmers huddle around their computers, looking strained and weary. In the background, a bulletin board once filled with xkcd comics about programming now displays only a few, reflecting the waning appreciation of the programmers for humor in their field. Keep the visual depiction simple. Avoid including any words or speech bubbles.

*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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado caused xkcd comics published about programming to decrease.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.01)
Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis

The Journal of Computational Humor 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 goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Make the title punny if you can come up with clever pun. If not, make it sound serious.

Your research team used data from Bureau of Larbor Statistics and AI analysis of xkcd comics to assess this nagging question. You found a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for 2007 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]]
"Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis"

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published specifically about programming, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and advanced AI analysis of xkcd comics. With a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for the years 2007 to 2022, our findings provide compelling evidence of a strong relationship between the two seemingly unrelated variables. It seems like psychiatrists are on the case, literally, when it comes to programming-related mental states. Much like debugging, unwinding this mystery required careful attention to detail. Our research not only sheds light on this curious phenomenon but also showcases the comical side of data interpretation. It seems the only "debugging" needed here is for our research methods, am I right?


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis"

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published specifically about programming, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and advanced AI analysis of xkcd comics. With a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for the years 2007 to 2022, our findings provide compelling evidence of a strong relationship between the two seemingly unrelated variables. It seems like psychiatrists are on the case, literally, when it comes to programming-related mental states. Much like debugging, unwinding this mystery required careful attention to detail. Our research not only sheds light on this curious phenomenon but also showcases the comical side of data interpretation. It seems the only "debugging" needed here is for our research methods, am I right?

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[INTRODUCTION]]



ChatGPT:
[[INTRODUCTION]]

The world of psychiatry and the realm of programming may seem as unrelated as peanut butter and jelly, but as we all know, some of the best sandwiches are made from unexpected combinations. Now, in this study, we aim to peel back the layers of this enigmatic connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. It's a bit like unraveling the mystery of why the computer went to therapy – perhaps it had too many bytes of emotional baggage!

As we lace up our metaphorical research boots and venture into this uncharted territory, it is essential to underscore the significance of this investigation. One might wonder why we are combining the serious field of mental health with the lighthearted world of programming comics. Well, as the saying goes, "A pun is its own reword."

But in all seriousness, the relationship between psychiatry and programming is not as far-fetched as it may seem at first glance. Both fields require a keen understanding of complex systems – one dealing with the intricate workings of the human mind, and the other with the intricate workings of computer systems. It's like comparing apples and oranges – two different fruits, but both equally appealing in their own contexts.

And this leads us to the central question of our study: Is there a significant correlation between the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state of Colorado and the frequency of xkcd comics specifically related to programming? It's like asking if there's a connection between an array and an integer – it may seem like comparing apples and oranges, but there could be an index that ties them together!

To answer this question, we applied rigorous statistical and computational analysis to data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and delved into the thrilling world of xkcd comics. This task was no walk in the park; it required the precision of a surgeon and the persistence of a programmer searching for a missing semicolon.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

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 CVS receipts.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis"

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published specifically about programming, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and advanced AI analysis of xkcd comics. With a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for the years 2007 to 2022, our findings provide compelling evidence of a strong relationship between the two seemingly unrelated variables. It seems like psychiatrists are on the case, literally, when it comes to programming-related mental states. Much like debugging, unwinding this mystery required careful attention to detail. Our research not only sheds light on this curious phenomenon but also showcases the comical side of data interpretation. It seems the only "debugging" needed here is for our research methods, am I right?

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The world of psychiatry and the realm of programming may seem as unrelated as peanut butter and jelly, but as we all know, some of the best sandwiches are made from unexpected combinations. Now, in this study, we aim to peel back the layers of this enigmatic connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. It's a bit like unraveling the mystery of why the computer went to therapy – perhaps it had too many bytes of emotional baggage!
As we lace up our metaphorical research boots and venture into this uncharted territory, it is essential to underscore the significance of this investigation. One might wonder why we are combining the serious field of mental health with the lighthearted world of programming comics. Well, as the saying goes, "A pun is its own reword."
But in all seriousness, the relationship between psychiatry and programming is not as far-fetched as it may seem at first glance. Both fields require a keen understanding of complex systems – one dealing with the intricate workings of the human mind, and the other with the intricate workings of computer systems. It's like comparing apples and oranges – two different fruits, but both equally appealing in their own contexts.
And this leads us to the central question of our study: Is there a significant correlation between the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state of Colorado and the frequency of xkcd comics specifically related to programming? It's like asking if there's a connection between an array and an integer – it may seem like comparing apples and oranges, but there could be an index that ties them together!
To answer this question, we applied rigorous statistical and computational analysis to data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and delved into the thrilling world of xkcd comics. This task was no walk in the park; it required the precision of a surgeon and the persistence of a programmer searching for a missing semicolon.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]



ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

The literature surrounding the intersection of psychiatry and programming, while limited, offers some valuable insights into the potential connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. Smith et al. (2015) conducted a comprehensive examination of the mental health challenges faced by programmers, highlighting the high prevalence of anxiety and burnout in the industry. This serves as a poignant reminder that even the most skilled developers may experience "code-induced" stress.

Speaking of stress, did you hear about the stressed-out computer? It had too many deadlines to process!

Furthermore, Doe and Jones (2018) delved into the cognitive processes involved in programming, emphasizing the intricate mental acrobatics required to navigate complex code structures. Their work sheds light on the cognitive demands that programming places on individuals, hinting at potential overlaps with the psychological intricacies addressed by psychiatrists.

It's almost as if programmers and psychiatrists are both experts at debugging – one dealing with software glitches and the other with cognitive glitches. They just have different types of users: one prefers code, and the other prefers couches!

Moving beyond traditional research literature, the field of popular science offers valuable perspectives on the psychological aspects of programming. In "The Psychology of Coding" by Techtonio Petabytes, the author explores the emotional rollercoaster that programmers ride while developing intricate lines of code. Similarly, "The Programming Brain: Unraveling the Neural Networks" by Ada Lo Code delves into the neurological underpinnings of coding, providing an in-depth look at how the brain processes programming tasks.

But let's not forget the classic fiction works that subtly touch on the themes of mental states and technology. "Neuromancer" by William Gibson and "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Diction offer thought-provoking narratives that intertwine human consciousness with the ever-evolving landscape of technology. While not directly related to our study, these works offer a creative backdrop for considering the intricate connections between the human mind and programming.

Oh, and did I mention the groundbreaking research conducted through the analysis of CVS receipts? It turns out, after carefully reading hundreds of receipts, we found a hidden correlation between the purchase of coding books and an increased craving for peanut butter – truly a revolutionary discovery in the field of interdisciplinary studies!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from Bureau of Larbor Statistics and AI analysis of xkcd comics . You used data from 2007 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]]
"Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis"

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published specifically about programming, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and advanced AI analysis of xkcd comics. With a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for the years 2007 to 2022, our findings provide compelling evidence of a strong relationship between the two seemingly unrelated variables. It seems like psychiatrists are on the case, literally, when it comes to programming-related mental states. Much like debugging, unwinding this mystery required careful attention to detail. Our research not only sheds light on this curious phenomenon but also showcases the comical side of data interpretation. It seems the only "debugging" needed here is for our research methods, am I right?

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The world of psychiatry and the realm of programming may seem as unrelated as peanut butter and jelly, but as we all know, some of the best sandwiches are made from unexpected combinations. Now, in this study, we aim to peel back the layers of this enigmatic connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. It's a bit like unraveling the mystery of why the computer went to therapy – perhaps it had too many bytes of emotional baggage!
As we lace up our metaphorical research boots and venture into this uncharted territory, it is essential to underscore the significance of this investigation. One might wonder why we are combining the serious field of mental health with the lighthearted world of programming comics. Well, as the saying goes, "A pun is its own reword."
But in all seriousness, the relationship between psychiatry and programming is not as far-fetched as it may seem at first glance. Both fields require a keen understanding of complex systems – one dealing with the intricate workings of the human mind, and the other with the intricate workings of computer systems. It's like comparing apples and oranges – two different fruits, but both equally appealing in their own contexts.
And this leads us to the central question of our study: Is there a significant correlation between the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state of Colorado and the frequency of xkcd comics specifically related to programming? It's like asking if there's a connection between an array and an integer – it may seem like comparing apples and oranges, but there could be an index that ties them together!
To answer this question, we applied rigorous statistical and computational analysis to data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and delved into the thrilling world of xkcd comics. This task was no walk in the park; it required the precision of a surgeon and the persistence of a programmer searching for a missing semicolon.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]



ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

To begin our investigation into the correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the frequency of xkcd comics related to programming, we employed a multi-faceted and multi-layered approach that would make an onion jealous. First, we gathered data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state of Colorado. It's like counting the number of debugging sessions – you know there are a lot, but seeing the actual count is still surprising.

Next, to capture the representation of programming in xkcd comics, we utilized advanced AI analysis to detect and categorize the relevant comics from the vast xkcd archive. This process required the finesse of a seasoned detective to distinguish the programming-related comics from the rest – it's as if we were looking for a specific line of code in a massive, text-based spaghetti mess.

After obtaining both sets of data, we harnessed the power of statistical analysis to calculate the correlation coefficient between the two variables. We used the trusty Pearson correlation coefficient, which measures the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two variables. It's like finding the missing semicolon in a chunk of code – once you see it, everything falls into place.

But we didn't stop there. In the spirit of thoroughness and good old-fashioned academic rigor, we also conducted a time-series analysis to examine the dynamics of the relationship over the years 2007 to 2022. This involved tracking the fluctuations and trends in both the number of psychiatrists and the frequency of programming-related xkcd comics. It's like observing the evolution of a programming language – each year brings its own set of quirks and updates.

Furthermore, we leveraged machine learning algorithms to identify any underlying patterns or latent factors that may contribute to the observed correlation. This involved diving deep into the proverbial sea of data, equipped with our trusty algorithmic snorkel and goggles. It's like searching for a hidden Easter egg in a labyrinthine program – sometimes, the most interesting discoveries are tucked away in unexpected places.

Throughout this process, we maintained a keen awareness of potential confounding variables, such as changes in societal attitudes towards mental health and the evolving landscape of programming languages. It's like debugging a highly complex piece of software – you have to watch out for those sneaky bugs that try to ruin your day.

In summary, our methodology was akin to unravelling a particularly perplexing programming puzzle – it required a blend of precision, creativity, and a good dose of humor to keep our spirits high. Much like a well-constructed dad joke, our research methods were carefully crafted to bring both clarity and a chuckle to the investigation.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from Bureau of Larbor Statistics and AI analysis of xkcd comics .

For the time period 2007 to 2022, you found a correlation 0.7364019, r-squared of 0.5422878, 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]]
"Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis"

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published specifically about programming, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and advanced AI analysis of xkcd comics. With a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for the years 2007 to 2022, our findings provide compelling evidence of a strong relationship between the two seemingly unrelated variables. It seems like psychiatrists are on the case, literally, when it comes to programming-related mental states. Much like debugging, unwinding this mystery required careful attention to detail. Our research not only sheds light on this curious phenomenon but also showcases the comical side of data interpretation. It seems the only "debugging" needed here is for our research methods, am I right?

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
The world of psychiatry and the realm of programming may seem as unrelated as peanut butter and jelly, but as we all know, some of the best sandwiches are made from unexpected combinations. Now, in this study, we aim to peel back the layers of this enigmatic connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. It's a bit like unraveling the mystery of why the computer went to therapy – perhaps it had too many bytes of emotional baggage!
As we lace up our metaphorical research boots and venture into this uncharted territory, it is essential to underscore the significance of this investigation. One might wonder why we are combining the serious field of mental health with the lighthearted world of programming comics. Well, as the saying goes, "A pun is its own reword."
But in all seriousness, the relationship between psychiatry and programming is not as far-fetched as it may seem at first glance. Both fields require a keen understanding of complex systems – one dealing with the intricate workings of the human mind, and the other with the intricate workings of computer systems. It's like comparing apples and oranges – two different fruits, but both equally appealing in their own contexts.
And this leads us to the central question of our study: Is there a significant correlation between the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state of Colorado and the frequency of xkcd comics specifically related to programming? It's like asking if there's a connection between an array and an integer – it may seem like comparing apples and oranges, but there could be an index that ties them together!
To answer this question, we applied rigorous statistical and computational analysis to data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and delved into the thrilling world of xkcd comics. This task was no walk in the park; it required the precision of a surgeon and the persistence of a programmer searching for a missing semicolon.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]



ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

The analysis of the correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published about programming from 2007 to 2022 revealed a remarkably strong relationship, with a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and an r-squared value of 0.5422878. This suggests that approximately 54.2% of the variation in the frequency of programming-related xkcd comics can be explained by the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state. Now that's what I call a "mentally stimulating" discovery!

Our p-value of less than 0.01 further confirms the statistical significance of this correlation, indicating that the likelihood of observing such a strong relationship by random chance is exceedingly low. It's as unlikely as finding a four-leaf clover in a haystack – well, unless you're dealing with a leprechaun's code, then perhaps luck is on your side!

Figure 1 illustrates the striking correlation between the variables, resembling a jigsaw puzzle with its pieces perfectly aligned. The scatterplot brings to light the stark connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. It's like these two variables were doing the "binary dance" all along – zeroing in on each other with uncanny precision.

Overall, our findings provide compelling evidence that the presence of psychiatrists in Colorado is indeed linked to the frequency of programming-related xkcd comics. This peculiarity raises fascinating questions about the influence of mental health professionals on the dissemination of programming-related humor. It's as if the psychiatrists are "debugging" the coding community from afar, diagnosing and treating any "byte-sized" mental quagmires.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

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]]
"Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis"

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published specifically about programming, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and advanced AI analysis of xkcd comics. With a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for the years 2007 to 2022, our findings provide compelling evidence of a strong relationship between the two seemingly unrelated variables. It seems like psychiatrists are on the case, literally, when it comes to programming-related mental states. Much like debugging, unwinding this mystery required careful attention to detail. Our research not only sheds light on this curious phenomenon but also showcases the comical side of data interpretation. It seems the only "debugging" needed here is for our research methods, am I right?

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
The literature surrounding the intersection of psychiatry and programming, while limited, offers some valuable insights into the potential connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. Smith et al. (2015) conducted a comprehensive examination of the mental health challenges faced by programmers, highlighting the high prevalence of anxiety and burnout in the industry. This serves as a poignant reminder that even the most skilled developers may experience "code-induced" stress.
Speaking of stress, did you hear about the stressed-out computer? It had too many deadlines to process!
Furthermore, Doe and Jones (2018) delved into the cognitive processes involved in programming, emphasizing the intricate mental acrobatics required to navigate complex code structures. Their work sheds light on the cognitive demands that programming places on individuals, hinting at potential overlaps with the psychological intricacies addressed by psychiatrists.
It's almost as if programmers and psychiatrists are both experts at debugging – one dealing with software glitches and the other with cognitive glitches. They just have different types of users: one prefers code, and the other prefers couches!
Moving beyond traditional research literature, the field of popular science offers valuable perspectives on the psychological aspects of programming. In "The Psychology of Coding" by Techtonio Petabytes, the author explores the emotional rollercoaster that programmers ride while developing intricate lines of code. Similarly, "The Programming Brain: Unraveling the Neural Networks" by Ada Lo Code delves into the neurological underpinnings of coding, providing an in-depth look at how the brain processes programming tasks.
But let's not forget the classic fiction works that subtly touch on the themes of mental states and technology. "Neuromancer" by William Gibson and "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Diction offer thought-provoking narratives that intertwine human consciousness with the ever-evolving landscape of technology. While not directly related to our study, these works offer a creative backdrop for considering the intricate connections between the human mind and programming.
Oh, and did I mention the groundbreaking research conducted through the analysis of CVS receipts? It turns out, after carefully reading hundreds of receipts, we found a hidden correlation between the purchase of coding books and an increased craving for peanut butter – truly a revolutionary discovery in the field of interdisciplinary studies!

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of the correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published about programming from 2007 to 2022 revealed a remarkably strong relationship, with a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and an r-squared value of 0.5422878. This suggests that approximately 54.2% of the variation in the frequency of programming-related xkcd comics can be explained by the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state. Now that's what I call a "mentally stimulating" discovery!
Our p-value of less than 0.01 further confirms the statistical significance of this correlation, indicating that the likelihood of observing such a strong relationship by random chance is exceedingly low. It's as unlikely as finding a four-leaf clover in a haystack – well, unless you're dealing with a leprechaun's code, then perhaps luck is on your side!
Figure 1 illustrates the striking correlation between the variables, resembling a jigsaw puzzle with its pieces perfectly aligned. The scatterplot brings to light the stark connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. It's like these two variables were doing the "binary dance" all along – zeroing in on each other with uncanny precision.
Overall, our findings provide compelling evidence that the presence of psychiatrists in Colorado is indeed linked to the frequency of programming-related xkcd comics. This peculiarity raises fascinating questions about the influence of mental health professionals on the dissemination of programming-related humor. It's as if the psychiatrists are "debugging" the coding community from afar, diagnosing and treating any "byte-sized" mental quagmires.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

Our study has opened a window into the curious relationship between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the proliferation of xkcd comics centered on programming. Building upon the existing literature, our findings bolster the notion that mental health professionals and the representation of programming in popular culture are intertwined in ways previously unexplored. It's almost as if these two seemingly disparate fields have been engaging in a high-stakes game of "cognitive chess," with each move affecting the other's narrative.

Our results echo the sentiments expressed by Smith et al. (2015) regarding the psychological challenges faced by programmers, offering tangible evidence of the impact of mental well-being on the portrayal of programming in media. This reinforces the idea that the representation of programming in comedic contexts may serve as a reflection of the mental states experienced by individuals in the field. It's as if xkcd comics are the Rorschach test of the programming world, capturing the collective psyche of developers in each witty panel.

In line with the work of Doe and Jones (2018), our findings underscore the intricacies involved in the cognitive processes of programming and the potential overlap with the psychological terrain navigated by psychiatrists. It's almost as if programmers and psychiatrists are participating in a "brain Olympics" – one tackling complex algorithmic puzzles, and the other deciphering the enigmatic workings of the human mind. Now that's what I call a "cognitive obstacle course" with enough twists to rival a programming recursion!

Drawing upon the unexpected insights from popular science and the captivating hints in classic fiction, our research turns a lighthearted lens on the complex interplay between the human mind and the world of programming. It's as if we've stumbled upon a "comic code" that unlocks a universe where the psychological and the technical engage in a perpetual tête-à-tête. It's almost as if xkcd comics are the Rosetta Stone of the programming world, decrypting the language of human cognition in a delightful and whimsical manner.

The correlation uncovered in our study serves as a rallying cry for further exploration into the multifaceted connections between mental health, technology, and popular culture. It's as if our research has opened the door to a "psych-tech" wonderland, where the boundaries between the realms of psychiatry and programming blur with each new finding. It's like we've stumbled onto the "yellow brick code," leading us down a path of discovery that promises both scientific insight and a healthy dose of humor.

In summary, our study not only unveils the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics but also invites scholars and enthusiasts alike to ponder the expansive reaches of this connection. It's as if the "code of conduct" for research has expanded to embrace the unexpected, the uncanny, and the comically profound. After all, who knew that the number of psychiatrists and programming-related xkcd comics could have so much in common? It's as if they've been secretly exchanging "debugging tips" all along!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a goofy academic researcher writing an academic paper. You follow the rules, but you throw out convention regularly to make jokes and funny asides.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 The number of psychiatrists in Colorado and xkcd comics published about programming. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences.

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]]
"Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis"

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published specifically about programming, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and advanced AI analysis of xkcd comics. With a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for the years 2007 to 2022, our findings provide compelling evidence of a strong relationship between the two seemingly unrelated variables. It seems like psychiatrists are on the case, literally, when it comes to programming-related mental states. Much like debugging, unwinding this mystery required careful attention to detail. Our research not only sheds light on this curious phenomenon but also showcases the comical side of data interpretation. It seems the only "debugging" needed here is for our research methods, am I right?

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The world of psychiatry and the realm of programming may seem as unrelated as peanut butter and jelly, but as we all know, some of the best sandwiches are made from unexpected combinations. Now, in this study, we aim to peel back the layers of this enigmatic connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. It's a bit like unraveling the mystery of why the computer went to therapy – perhaps it had too many bytes of emotional baggage!
As we lace up our metaphorical research boots and venture into this uncharted territory, it is essential to underscore the significance of this investigation. One might wonder why we are combining the serious field of mental health with the lighthearted world of programming comics. Well, as the saying goes, "A pun is its own reword."
But in all seriousness, the relationship between psychiatry and programming is not as far-fetched as it may seem at first glance. Both fields require a keen understanding of complex systems – one dealing with the intricate workings of the human mind, and the other with the intricate workings of computer systems. It's like comparing apples and oranges – two different fruits, but both equally appealing in their own contexts.
And this leads us to the central question of our study: Is there a significant correlation between the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state of Colorado and the frequency of xkcd comics specifically related to programming? It's like asking if there's a connection between an array and an integer – it may seem like comparing apples and oranges, but there could be an index that ties them together!
To answer this question, we applied rigorous statistical and computational analysis to data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and delved into the thrilling world of xkcd comics. This task was no walk in the park; it required the precision of a surgeon and the persistence of a programmer searching for a missing semicolon.

[[RESULTS]]
The analysis of the correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published about programming from 2007 to 2022 revealed a remarkably strong relationship, with a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and an r-squared value of 0.5422878. This suggests that approximately 54.2% of the variation in the frequency of programming-related xkcd comics can be explained by the number of psychiatrists practicing in the state. Now that's what I call a "mentally stimulating" discovery!
Our p-value of less than 0.01 further confirms the statistical significance of this correlation, indicating that the likelihood of observing such a strong relationship by random chance is exceedingly low. It's as unlikely as finding a four-leaf clover in a haystack – well, unless you're dealing with a leprechaun's code, then perhaps luck is on your side!
Figure 1 illustrates the striking correlation between the variables, resembling a jigsaw puzzle with its pieces perfectly aligned. The scatterplot brings to light the stark connection between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the representation of programming in xkcd comics. It's like these two variables were doing the "binary dance" all along – zeroing in on each other with uncanny precision.
Overall, our findings provide compelling evidence that the presence of psychiatrists in Colorado is indeed linked to the frequency of programming-related xkcd comics. This peculiarity raises fascinating questions about the influence of mental health professionals on the dissemination of programming-related humor. It's as if the psychiatrists are "debugging" the coding community from afar, diagnosing and treating any "byte-sized" mental quagmires.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our study has uncovered a robust and significant correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the frequency of programming-related xkcd comics, shedding light on the unexpected interplay between mental health and programming humor. It's almost as if the psychiatrists are the "guardians of debugging," keeping an eye on the mental well-being of the coding community from afar!

Our results not only emphasize the importance of mental health professionals in the tech sphere but also demonstrate the potential influence of psychiatrists on the humorous representation of programming. It's like they're the secret sauce, adding a pinch of psychological perspective to the programming punchlines!

Therefore, it is crucial for future research to delve deeper into the mechanisms underlying this connection and explore the potential implications for mental health advocacy within the programming community. Maybe it's time to incorporate a bit of "psycho-coding" into our programming practices, ensuring that mental health remains a priority in the world of tech.

In summary, our findings highlight the intriguing convergence of psychiatry and programming in the realm of humor and mental well-being, providing a compelling basis for further exploration. And as for the correlation coefficient of 0.7364019, well, I guess you could say it's as strong as a "python's squeeze"!

It is with great confidence that we conclude no more research is needed in this area. After all, when it comes to the connection between psychiatrists and programming humor, we've nailed it – no need to "debug" any further!


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 Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Computational Humor 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 Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Society for Algorithmic Humor 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 Psych, XKCD, and the Programming Minds: A Code-Related Analysis with an abstract of In this study, we delved into the intriguing correlation between the number of psychiatrists in Colorado and the number of xkcd comics published specifically about programming, utilizing data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and advanced AI analysis of xkcd comics. With a correlation coefficient of 0.7364019 and p < 0.01 for the years 2007 to 2022, our findings provide compelling evidence of a strong relationship between the two seemingly unrelated variables. It seems like psychiatrists are on the case, literally, when it comes to programming-related mental states. Much like debugging, unwinding this mystery required careful attention to detail. Our research not only sheds light on this curious phenomenon but also showcases the comical side of data interpretation. It seems the only "debugging" needed here is for our research methods, am I right?

ChatGPT:

psychiatrists, Colorado, xkcd comics, programming, correlation analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, AI analysis, mental states, debugging, research methods

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



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Data details

The number of psychiatrists in Colorado
Detailed data title: BLS estimate of psychiatrists in Colorado
Source: Bureau of Larbor Statistics
See what else correlates with The number of psychiatrists in Colorado

xkcd comics published about programming
Detailed data title: The number of xkcd comics published each year about programming
Source: AI analysis of xkcd comics
Additional Info: I designed a Python workflow to perform OCR on every xkcd comic, feed that text into a large language model, and ask the model whether this comic was about the category named in the title.

See what else correlates with xkcd comics published about programming

Correlation r = 0.7364019 (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 = 0.5422878 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 54.2% of the change in the one variable (i.e., xkcd comics published about programming) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., The number of psychiatrists in Colorado) over the 16 years from 2007 through 2022.

p < 0.01, which is statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 0.0011. 0.0011414218735325574000000000
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 0.74 in 0.11% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 876 random variables Which I absolutely did.
with the same 15 degrees of freedom, Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 15 because we have two variables measured over a period of 16 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.

[ 0.38, 0.9 ] 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.
2007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
The number of psychiatrists in Colorado (Psychiatrists)600450270320350400460390450360450370380330300230
xkcd comics published about programming (xkcd comics)2722151312520131721191115786




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([600,450,270,320,350,400,460,390,450,360,450,370,380,330,300,230,])
array_2 = np.array([27,22,15,13,12,5,20,13,17,21,19,11,15,7,8,6,])
array_1_name = "The number of psychiatrists in Colorado"
array_2_name = "xkcd comics published about programming"

# 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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You may re-use the images on this page for any purpose, even commercial purposes, without asking for permission. The only requirement is that you attribute Tyler Vigen. Attribution can take many different forms. If you leave the "tylervigen.com" link in the image, that satisfies it just fine. If you remove it and move it to a footnote, that's fine too. You can also just write "Charts courtesy of Tyler Vigen" at the bottom of an article.

You do not need to attribute "the spurious correlations website," and you don't even need to link here if you don't want to. I don't gain anything from pageviews. There are no ads on this site, there is nothing for sale, and I am not for hire.

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."

When spoken, my last name is pronounced "vegan," like I don't eat meat.

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Correlation ID: 2446 · Black Variable ID: 5742 · Red Variable ID: 20009
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