Spurious correlation #3,615 · View random
A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential and the second variable is Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'. The chart goes from 2012 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential and the second variable is Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'. The chart goes from 2012 to 2022, and the two variables track closely in value over that time.

Download png, svg

AI explanation

Every time a lacrosse team won by a smaller margin, one less player felt the uncontrollable urge to celebrate by busting out the Gangnam Style dance, ultimately leading to a nationwide reduction in Gangnam Style searches. Remember, it's all fun and games until somebody scores a goal and sparks a viral dance sensation!

^{Show image generation prompt} Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Generate an image of a historic moment captured on the cover of a Discovery magazine. Picture the intense finale of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship, where the winning team's players are engaging in a traditional Native American dance around the championship trophy. The players' exuberant celebration is juxtaposed with the sidelines where a few people are caught searching for "Gangnam Style" on their phones, unable to divert their attention from the thrilling lacrosse match. The scene is filled with dynamic energy and captures the merging of tradition and modern culture. 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: NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential and Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'. 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: Symbolism A scene from Skyrim A Discovery magazine cover image Macabre Parallax art
ChatGPT: A Discovery magazine cover 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 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential and Google searches for 'Gangnam Style', in the following situation: Because as lacrosse scores get closer, players celebrate with more traditional dance moves, reducing interest in Gangnam Style.. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: As the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final comes to an end with a close point differential, the players on the winning team start celebrating their victory by performing a traditional Native American dance around the trophy. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, fewer people are seen searching for "Gangnam Style" on their phones, as the thrilling lacrosse match has captured their attention.

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 Discovery magazine cover image ] and depicting this scene: As the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final comes to an end with a close point differential, the players on the winning team start celebrating their victory by performing a traditional Native American dance around the trophy. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, fewer people are seen searching for "Gangnam Style" on their phones, as the thrilling lacrosse match has captured their attention. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Generate an image of a historic moment captured on the cover of a Discovery magazine. Picture the intense finale of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship, where the winning team's players are engaging in a traditional Native American dance around the championship trophy. The players' exuberant celebration is juxtaposed with the sidelines where a few people are caught searching for "Gangnam Style" on their phones, unable to divert their attention from the thrilling lacrosse match. The scene is filled with dynamic energy and captures the merging of tradition and modern culture.

*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.
^{Show prompt for explanation} 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 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential caused Gangnam Style (Google searches for 'Gangnam Style') to decrease.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.05)

Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches

The Journal of Sports Psychology and Pop Culture Analysis

Jan 2024

Reminder: This paper is AI-generated. Not real!

^{Show prompt used to generate this paper} 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 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 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential and Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'. 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 cite some social media posts you read that seem to be related.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the unexpected and whimsical world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their curious connection to the digital dance sensation, "Gangnam Style". Utilizing data from the NCAA and Google Trends, we endeavored to uncover any semblance of a relationship—or perhaps a haphazard hop—between the two seemingly unrelated phenomena. Our analysis revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the period spanning 2012 to 2022.

Our findings not only piqued the curiosity of onlookers but also left us pondering the perplexing power of pop culture on sports outcomes. With lighthearted skepticism, we ask: is it merely coincidental that as the victory margins of the lacrosse championship games widened, the fervor for 'Gangnam Style' amplified in the digital domain? Or could there be an enigmatic enchantment at play, weaving a web of whimsy between lacrosse victories and global dance mania? While our research opens the door to numerous enigmatic implications, it also serves as a whimsical reminder that even in the realm of academia, there is potential for offbeat discoveries.

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
The intersection of sports and popular culture has often been a source of fascination and amusement. From "The Super Bowl Shuffle" to "Ickey Shuffle," athletic events and viral crazes have occasionally collided in a delightful dance of synchronicity. In this paper, we embark on a whimsical journey into the world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their perplexing relationship with the global phenomenon of "Gangnam Style" searches on Google.
As academic researchers, we don our metaphorical lacrosse helmets and pirouette onto the field of unconventional inquiry. Embracing the spirit of exploration, we sought to uncover the peculiar parallels, if any, between the triumphs on the lacrosse field and the virtual fervor for a certain South Korean hit song. It is a peculiar pairing, indeed, but one that has tantalizingly teased our curiosity and beckoned us to venture beyond the boundaries of conventional statistical analysis.
Little did we anticipate that our quest would reveal a correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 and a p-value that dances beneath the traditional threshold of statistical significance. The undeniable connection between lacrosse final point differentials and Google searches for "Gangnam Style" has left us not only scratching our heads but also tapping our feet in bemusement. Is this a fortuitous fluke, or is there a whimsical dance of fate guiding these seemingly disparate domains? We endeavor to pose this question and invite our scholarly peers to join us in this delightfully bizarre waltz between sport and song.
So, dear reader, fasten your chinstraps and prepare for a journey through the unlikely labyrinths of lacrosse and the ludic loops of "Gangnam Style". As we unravel this peculiar yarn of webbed whimsy, let us not forget that even in the hallowed halls of academia, there is room for the occasional spectacularly silly surprise.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

In the realm of unconventional and seemingly zany research inquiries, our investigation into the whimsical connection between NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and Google searches for "Gangnam Style" stands as a flagrant departure from conventional academic discourse. Despite the initial absurdity of the premise, our endeavor has prompted us to explore a wide array of scholarly sources, from the meticulously serious to the delightfully absurd.

In "Smith and Doe's Analysis of Unlikely Correlations in Sporting Phenomena," the authors explore the unexpected intersections between athletic events and popular culture. Meanwhile, "Jones' Treatise on Unconventional Sport-Related Statistical Trends" delves into the enigmatic nature of peculiar correlations in the world of sports. However, it is "Book's Whimsical Wonders of Improbable Associations" that truly captures the essence of our own playful pursuit, as it ventures into the realm of whimsy and wackiness in the domain of statistical oddities.

Moving beyond the hallowed halls of academia, we turn to non-fiction works that pertinently touch on the intersection of sports and pop culture. "Pop Goes the Culture" by Poppy Mayclef provides an insightful examination of how cultural phenomena infiltrate the world of sports, while "Trends and Tidbits in the Digital Age" by Data D. Analyst unveils the curious allure of digital trends and their potential impact on sporting events.

Venturing into the realm of fiction, we encounter a panoply of peculiarly titled works that, while not grounded in empirical evidence, capture the whimsical spirit of our own inquiries. "Lacrosse Limericks and Lighthearted Lore" by Fanciful Fictioneer sets the tone for our own jovial jaunt into the world of lacrosse and its unlikely liaisons, while "Gangnam Galore: A Dance through the Digital Domain" by Mirthful M.C. dances on the edges of our research focus with ironic agility.

In a departure from traditional scholarly sources, we can't help but note the exuberant exclamations and curious musings on social media platforms. A tweet from @LaxDancer92 exclaims, "Who would've thought that lacrosse scores and 'Gangnam Style' searches would have anything in common? #WhimsicalWinning!" Simultaneously, a Reddit post by u/StyleEnthusiast muses, "Is there a secret connection between lacrosse and 'Gangnam Style' that we've all been missing? The data doesn't lie, folks!" These digital proclamations serve as a lighthearted reminder of the widespread curiosity surrounding our implausibly entertaining investigation.

As we wade through this blend of scholarly seriousness and lighthearted literary escapades, we find ourselves amidst a whimsically woven tapestry of facts and fancies. Our journey into the world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and the enchanting echoes of "Gangnam Style" searches has not only opened our eyes to improbable possibilities but has also left us grinning at the colorful parade of peculiar associations.

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 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential and Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'. Make lots of jokes, goofy observations, and puns.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from NCAA and Google Trends . You used data from 2012 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]]
Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the unexpected and whimsical world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their curious connection to the digital dance sensation, "Gangnam Style". Utilizing data from the NCAA and Google Trends, we endeavored to uncover any semblance of a relationship—or perhaps a haphazard hop—between the two seemingly unrelated phenomena. Our analysis revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the period spanning 2012 to 2022.

Our findings not only piqued the curiosity of onlookers but also left us pondering the perplexing power of pop culture on sports outcomes. With lighthearted skepticism, we ask: is it merely coincidental that as the victory margins of the lacrosse championship games widened, the fervor for 'Gangnam Style' amplified in the digital domain? Or could there be an enigmatic enchantment at play, weaving a web of whimsy between lacrosse victories and global dance mania? While our research opens the door to numerous enigmatic implications, it also serves as a whimsical reminder that even in the realm of academia, there is potential for offbeat discoveries.

[[INTRODUCTION]]
The intersection of sports and popular culture has often been a source of fascination and amusement. From "The Super Bowl Shuffle" to "Ickey Shuffle," athletic events and viral crazes have occasionally collided in a delightful dance of synchronicity. In this paper, we embark on a whimsical journey into the world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their perplexing relationship with the global phenomenon of "Gangnam Style" searches on Google.
As academic researchers, we don our metaphorical lacrosse helmets and pirouette onto the field of unconventional inquiry. Embracing the spirit of exploration, we sought to uncover the peculiar parallels, if any, between the triumphs on the lacrosse field and the virtual fervor for a certain South Korean hit song. It is a peculiar pairing, indeed, but one that has tantalizingly teased our curiosity and beckoned us to venture beyond the boundaries of conventional statistical analysis.
Little did we anticipate that our quest would reveal a correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 and a p-value that dances beneath the traditional threshold of statistical significance. The undeniable connection between lacrosse final point differentials and Google searches for "Gangnam Style" has left us not only scratching our heads but also tapping our feet in bemusement. Is this a fortuitous fluke, or is there a whimsical dance of fate guiding these seemingly disparate domains? We endeavor to pose this question and invite our scholarly peers to join us in this delightfully bizarre waltz between sport and song.
So, dear reader, fasten your chinstraps and prepare for a journey through the unlikely labyrinths of lacrosse and the ludic loops of "Gangnam Style". As we unravel this peculiar yarn of webbed whimsy, let us not forget that even in the hallowed halls of academia, there is room for the occasional spectacularly silly surprise.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

To unravel the enigmatic enchantment at play between lacrosse victories and global dance mania, we set forth on a methodological odyssey that would make Odysseus himself envious. Our first task was to scour the vast expanse of the internet, braving the treacherous terrain of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship archives and the tempestuous tempos of Google Trends. Armed with our trusty statistical tools and an insatiable appetite for whimsy, we meticulously crafted a plan that was as systematic as it was surreal.

First, we donned our figurative lab coats and delved into the hallowed archives of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship records. We meticulously collected final point differentials from each championship game with the precision of a lacrosse player aiming for the net. To ensure the comprehensiveness of our data, we left no stone unturned, no penalty unaccounted for, and no errant pass unacknowledged. This meticulous attention to detail was crucial, for we were determined to capture every nuance and noodle-scratching anomaly that might lurk within the final score margins.

Simultaneously, we turned our gaze to the digital dance floor of Google Trends, where the echoes of "Gangnam Style" searches reverberated across the cyber realm like a whimsical waltz in the wind. With the fervor of a fabled explorer, we charted the rise and fall of "Gangnam Style" searches, mining the virtual veins of data for every subtle shift and seismic surge in search volume. Our threshold for enthusiasm matched that of a fanatical fan doing the iconic horse-riding dance, as we sought to capture the zeitgeist of this global phenomenon with the precision of a researcher in a riddle-riddled labyrinth.

Having amassed a trove of lacrosse victory margins and 'Gangnam Style' search data spanning the years 2012 to 2022, we conjured the arcane arts of statistical analysis to tease out any meaningful connections between these seemingly disparate domains. With the gusto of alchemists in pursuit of transmuting lead into gold, we subjected our data to correlation analyses, employing the venerable Pearson correlation coefficient and its enigmatic cousin, the p-value, to discern the playful patterns hidden within the numbers.

But our quest did not end there. Guided by the guiding light of whimsy, we proceeded to conduct a series of robustness checks and sensitivity analyses, scrutinizing our findings from every conceivable angle like a scholarly sleuth in search of the truth. We even toyed with the idea of performing a mystical ritual to summon the spirit of Psy, but ethical considerations and the lack of a suitable dance floor in our laboratory promptly put that notion to rest.

In summary, our methodology was a glorious gallivant through the bizarre and the banal, an odyssey through the esoteric and the empirical. With a twirl of our statistical wands and a sprinkle of scholarly stardust, we summoned forth a methodology that was as rigorous as it was riotous, as systematic as it was sensational. And with that, dear reader, we invite you to join us in this whimsical waltz between lacrosse and "Gangnam Style", as we unveil the surreal secrets hidden within the data.

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 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential and Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'. 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]]
Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the unexpected and whimsical world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their curious connection to the digital dance sensation, "Gangnam Style". Utilizing data from the NCAA and Google Trends, we endeavored to uncover any semblance of a relationship—or perhaps a haphazard hop—between the two seemingly unrelated phenomena. Our analysis revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the period spanning 2012 to 2022.

Our findings not only piqued the curiosity of onlookers but also left us pondering the perplexing power of pop culture on sports outcomes. With lighthearted skepticism, we ask: is it merely coincidental that as the victory margins of the lacrosse championship games widened, the fervor for 'Gangnam Style' amplified in the digital domain? Or could there be an enigmatic enchantment at play, weaving a web of whimsy between lacrosse victories and global dance mania? While our research opens the door to numerous enigmatic implications, it also serves as a whimsical reminder that even in the realm of academia, there is potential for offbeat discoveries.

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
In the realm of unconventional and seemingly zany research inquiries, our investigation into the whimsical connection between NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and Google searches for "Gangnam Style" stands as a flagrant departure from conventional academic discourse. Despite the initial absurdity of the premise, our endeavor has prompted us to explore a wide array of scholarly sources, from the meticulously serious to the delightfully absurd.
In "Smith and Doe's Analysis of Unlikely Correlations in Sporting Phenomena," the authors explore the unexpected intersections between athletic events and popular culture. Meanwhile, "Jones' Treatise on Unconventional Sport-Related Statistical Trends" delves into the enigmatic nature of peculiar correlations in the world of sports. However, it is "Book's Whimsical Wonders of Improbable Associations" that truly captures the essence of our own playful pursuit, as it ventures into the realm of whimsy and wackiness in the domain of statistical oddities.
Moving beyond the hallowed halls of academia, we turn to non-fiction works that pertinently touch on the intersection of sports and pop culture. "Pop Goes the Culture" by Poppy Mayclef provides an insightful examination of how cultural phenomena infiltrate the world of sports, while "Trends and Tidbits in the Digital Age" by Data D. Analyst unveils the curious allure of digital trends and their potential impact on sporting events.
Venturing into the realm of fiction, we encounter a panoply of peculiarly titled works that, while not grounded in empirical evidence, capture the whimsical spirit of our own inquiries. "Lacrosse Limericks and Lighthearted Lore" by Fanciful Fictioneer sets the tone for our own jovial jaunt into the world of lacrosse and its unlikely liaisons, while "Gangnam Galore: A Dance through the Digital Domain" by Mirthful M.C. dances on the edges of our research focus with ironic agility.
In a departure from traditional scholarly sources, we can't help but note the exuberant exclamations and curious musings on social media platforms. A tweet from @LaxDancer92 exclaims, "Who would've thought that lacrosse scores and 'Gangnam Style' searches would have anything in common? #WhimsicalWinning!" Simultaneously, a Reddit post by u/StyleEnthusiast muses, "Is there a secret connection between lacrosse and 'Gangnam Style' that we've all been missing? The data doesn't lie, folks!" These digital proclamations serve as a lighthearted reminder of the widespread curiosity surrounding our implausibly entertaining investigation.
As we wade through this blend of scholarly seriousness and lighthearted literary escapades, we find ourselves amidst a whimsically woven tapestry of facts and fancies. Our journey into the world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and the enchanting echoes of "Gangnam Style" searches has not only opened our eyes to improbable possibilities but has also left us grinning at the colorful parade of peculiar associations.

[[RESULTS]]
Our analysis of the data pertaining to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and the search interest in "Gangnam Style" on Google yielded captivating results. The correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 indicated a strong positive association between these two seemingly unrelated phenomena. This coefficient suggests a robust tendency for an increase in the championship point differentials to be accompanied by a surge in "Gangnam Style" searches.
The r-squared value of 0.5059029 reflected that approximately 50.6% of the variance in the Google searches for "Gangnam Style" could be explained by the variability in the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials. This finding suggests that there is, indeed, a substantial influence of lacrosse excitement on the digital dance domain.
Moreover, the p-value of less than 0.05 provided compelling evidence to reject the null hypothesis of no relationship between the two variables. It's as if these two elements were engaged in a whimsical waltz, with one influencing the steps of the other in a frolicsome fashion.
Fig. 1 exhibits a scatterplot illustrating the robust connection between the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and Google searches for "Gangnam Style". The figure showcases the distinctly linear pattern, reinforcing the striking correlation uncovered in our analysis.
Intriguingly, our findings prompt us to reflect on the capricious nature of cultural phenomena and sports outcomes. The question arises: is it simply coincidental that an increase in lacrosse championship point differentials seems to harmonize with a surge in the popularity of "Gangnam Style," or could there be a serendipitous synergy orchestrating this quirky synchronization?
Our research not only unravels this perplexing association but also reminds us that the intersection of sports and popular culture can yield delightfully unexpected connections. The enigmatic dance of correlation between lacrosse victories and global dance mania challenges traditional academic expectations and beckons us to revel in the whimsical wonders of statistical analysis.

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

Our findings present a peculiar pas de deux between the realms of lacrosse championship glory and the viral vortex of "Gangnam Style" searches. While some may view this correlation as a mere whimsical waltz of statistical happenstance, our results provide whimsically compelling evidence that there exists a substantial link between these seemingly disparate domains.

The robust correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 we uncovered not only waltzes into statistical significance but also pirouettes into line with prior research. The capricious intersection of athletic events and popular culture, as explored by Smith and Doe, seems to find a chaotically coordinated counterpart in our own analysis. It appears that as lacrosse victory margins widened, so did the global fervor for pop culture's digital dance craze—an unexpected twist worthy of a surprise encore.

Furthermore, our results reflect a whimsical harmony with Book's musings on improbable associations, as we find ourselves entangled in a dance of statistical curiosities that transcends the conventions of traditional scholarly inquiry. The lighthearted echoes of @LaxDancer92 and u/StyleEnthusiast, though initially dismissed as mere digital frivolities, now chime playfully in resonance with our substantiated findings, adding a touch of levity to the scholarly discourse.

As we contemplate the influence of lacrosse victories on the digital dance domain, we are compelled to ponder the potential implications of this improbable yet irrefutable connection. Could there be a delightful dalliance between unexpected correlations and the whimsical wonders of statistical analysis? Our results beckon us to wield the magnifying glass of curiosity, not only uncovering these peculiar associations but also reveling in the whimsical discoveries that await amidst the enthralling dance of statistics and culture.

The implications of our findings extend far beyond the confines of conventional academic paradigms, teasing at the playful potential for unorthodox inquiries to uncover unexpected connections. As we invite readers to join us in this whimsical journey, we do not seek to merely entertain with statistical tomfoolery, but to unravel the enigmatic enchantment between lacrosse victories and the global dance mania of "Gangnam Style," offering a delightful reprieve from the staid expectations of scholarly exploration. After all, in the hallowed halls of academia, who's to say that statistical analysis can't also have a mischievous sense of humor?

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 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential and Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'. 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]]
Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches

[[ABSTRACT]]
In this study, we delved into the unexpected and whimsical world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their curious connection to the digital dance sensation, "Gangnam Style". Utilizing data from the NCAA and Google Trends, we endeavored to uncover any semblance of a relationship—or perhaps a haphazard hop—between the two seemingly unrelated phenomena. Our analysis revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the period spanning 2012 to 2022.

Our findings not only piqued the curiosity of onlookers but also left us pondering the perplexing power of pop culture on sports outcomes. With lighthearted skepticism, we ask: is it merely coincidental that as the victory margins of the lacrosse championship games widened, the fervor for 'Gangnam Style' amplified in the digital domain? Or could there be an enigmatic enchantment at play, weaving a web of whimsy between lacrosse victories and global dance mania? While our research opens the door to numerous enigmatic implications, it also serves as a whimsical reminder that even in the realm of academia, there is potential for offbeat discoveries.

[[INTRDUCTION]]
The intersection of sports and popular culture has often been a source of fascination and amusement. From "The Super Bowl Shuffle" to "Ickey Shuffle," athletic events and viral crazes have occasionally collided in a delightful dance of synchronicity. In this paper, we embark on a whimsical journey into the world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their perplexing relationship with the global phenomenon of "Gangnam Style" searches on Google.
As academic researchers, we don our metaphorical lacrosse helmets and pirouette onto the field of unconventional inquiry. Embracing the spirit of exploration, we sought to uncover the peculiar parallels, if any, between the triumphs on the lacrosse field and the virtual fervor for a certain South Korean hit song. It is a peculiar pairing, indeed, but one that has tantalizingly teased our curiosity and beckoned us to venture beyond the boundaries of conventional statistical analysis.
Little did we anticipate that our quest would reveal a correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 and a p-value that dances beneath the traditional threshold of statistical significance. The undeniable connection between lacrosse final point differentials and Google searches for "Gangnam Style" has left us not only scratching our heads but also tapping our feet in bemusement. Is this a fortuitous fluke, or is there a whimsical dance of fate guiding these seemingly disparate domains? We endeavor to pose this question and invite our scholarly peers to join us in this delightfully bizarre waltz between sport and song.
So, dear reader, fasten your chinstraps and prepare for a journey through the unlikely labyrinths of lacrosse and the ludic loops of "Gangnam Style". As we unravel this peculiar yarn of webbed whimsy, let us not forget that even in the hallowed halls of academia, there is room for the occasional spectacularly silly surprise.

[[RESULTS]]
Our analysis of the data pertaining to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and the search interest in "Gangnam Style" on Google yielded captivating results. The correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 indicated a strong positive association between these two seemingly unrelated phenomena. This coefficient suggests a robust tendency for an increase in the championship point differentials to be accompanied by a surge in "Gangnam Style" searches.
The r-squared value of 0.5059029 reflected that approximately 50.6% of the variance in the Google searches for "Gangnam Style" could be explained by the variability in the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials. This finding suggests that there is, indeed, a substantial influence of lacrosse excitement on the digital dance domain.
Moreover, the p-value of less than 0.05 provided compelling evidence to reject the null hypothesis of no relationship between the two variables. It's as if these two elements were engaged in a whimsical waltz, with one influencing the steps of the other in a frolicsome fashion.
Fig. 1 exhibits a scatterplot illustrating the robust connection between the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and Google searches for "Gangnam Style". The figure showcases the distinctly linear pattern, reinforcing the striking correlation uncovered in our analysis.
Intriguingly, our findings prompt us to reflect on the capricious nature of cultural phenomena and sports outcomes. The question arises: is it simply coincidental that an increase in lacrosse championship point differentials seems to harmonize with a surge in the popularity of "Gangnam Style," or could there be a serendipitous synergy orchestrating this quirky synchronization?
Our research not only unravels this perplexing association but also reminds us that the intersection of sports and popular culture can yield delightfully unexpected connections. The enigmatic dance of correlation between lacrosse victories and global dance mania challenges traditional academic expectations and beckons us to revel in the whimsical wonders of statistical analysis.

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Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]

ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In conclusion, our whimsical expedition into the realm of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their oddball alliance with the "Gangnam Style" phenomenon has left us shaking our heads in disbelief – or perhaps, in a peculiar dance move. The robust correlation between lacrosse victories and the surge in Google searches for "Gangnam Style" has not only flabbergasted us but also inspired a fair share of jolly chuckles and impromptu reenactments of Psy's iconic dance routine.

Our findings, while unexpected, remind us that statistical analysis can sometimes lead us down the rabbit hole of quirkiness and playful pizzazz. The dance of correlation demonstrated in our results begs the question: are sports outcomes and viral pop culture synchronized by a cosmic choreographer, or are we merely witnessing the comically chaotic capers of statistical happenstance?

As we bid adieu to this lighthearted romp through sports, search trends, and sensational dance crazes, we cannot help but marvel at the delightful detours that research can take. However, let it be known that our findings neither necessitate nor warrant any further investigation. The whimsical waltz between lacrosse and "Gangnam Style" has taken its final bow, and we declare, with unwavering certainty, that no more research is needed in this offbeat domain.

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 Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Sports Psychology and Pop Culture Analysis

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 Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Society for Whimsical Sports 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 Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches with an abstract of In this study, we delved into the unexpected and whimsical world of NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differentials and their curious connection to the digital dance sensation, "Gangnam Style". Utilizing data from the NCAA and Google Trends, we endeavored to uncover any semblance of a relationship—or perhaps a haphazard hop—between the two seemingly unrelated phenomena. Our analysis revealed a striking correlation coefficient of 0.7112685 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the period spanning 2012 to 2022.
Our findings not only piqued the curiosity of onlookers but also left us pondering the perplexing power of pop culture on sports outcomes. With lighthearted skepticism, we ask: is it merely coincidental that as the victory margins of the lacrosse championship games widened, the fervor for 'Gangnam Style' amplified in the digital domain? Or could there be an enigmatic enchantment at play, weaving a web of whimsy between lacrosse victories and global dance mania? While our research opens the door to numerous enigmatic implications, it also serves as a whimsical reminder that even in the realm of academia, there is potential for offbeat discoveries.

ChatGPT:

lacrosse championship, NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I, championship final point differentials, gangnam style, google trends, lacrosse victory margins, dance sensation, pop culture, sports outcomes, lacrosse championship games, digital domain, lacrosse victories, web of whimsy, offbeat discoveries

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

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Data details

NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential
Source: NCAA
See what else correlates with NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential

Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'
Detailed data title: Relative volume of Google searches for 'Gangnam Style' (Worldwide, without quotes)
Source: Google Trends
Additional Info: ^{See full details} Relative search volume (not absolute numbers)

See what else correlates with Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'

Correlation r = 0.7112685 (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 = 0.5059029 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 50.6% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Google searches for 'Gangnam Style') is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential) over the 11 years from 2012 through 2022.

p < 0.05, which statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 0.014.^Show 0.0141174442652686630000000000
The p-value is a measure of how probable it is that we would randomly find a result this extreme.^Note 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 0.71 in 1.4% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 71 random variables^Note Which I absolutely did.
with the same 10 degrees of freedom, ^Note Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 10 because we have two variables measured over a period of 11 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.

[ 0.19, 0.92 ] 95% correlation confidence interval (using the Fisher z-transformation)
^{Read more about the confidence interval} 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: ^Note 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.

	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential (Points)	6	6	2	5	1	3	2	4	0	1	2
Google searches for 'Gangnam Style' (Rel. search volume)	36.9	20.3333	4.66667	2.83333	1.33333	1	1	1	1	1	1

Why this works

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.
Lack of causal connection: There is probably^Note 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.
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^Note 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. ^{Show the steps to do this.} 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([6,6,2,5,1,3,2,4,0,1,2,])
array_2 = np.array([36.9,20.3333,4.66667,2.83333,1.33333,1,1,1,1,1,1,])
array_1_name = "NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential"
array_2_name = "Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'"

# 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)

Reuseable content

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. ^Note 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.

Full license details.
For more on re-use permissions, or to get a signed release form, see tylervigen.com/permission.

Download images for these variables:

High resolution line chart ^Note The image linked here is a Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG). It is the highest resolution that is possible to achieve. It scales up beyond the size of the observable universe without pixelating. You do not need to email me asking if I have a higher resolution image. I do not. The physical limitations of our universe prevent me from providing you with an image that is any higher resolution than this one.

If you insert it into a PowerPoint presentation (a tool well-known for managing things that are the scale of the universe), you can right-click > "Ungroup" or "Create Shape" and then edit the lines and text directly. You can also change the colors this way.

Alternatively you can use a tool like Inkscape.
High resolution line chart, optimized for mobile
Alternative high resolution line chart
Scatterplot
Portable line chart (png)
Portable line chart (png), optimized for mobile
Line chart for only NCAA Men's Lacrosse Div I Championship final point differential
Line chart for only Google searches for 'Gangnam Style'
AI-generated correlation image
The spurious research paper: Lax Larks: Linking Lacrosse's Loud Lead to Loco 'Gangnam Style' Google Searches

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Correlation ID: 3615 · Black Variable ID: 129 · Red Variable ID: 1442


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