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Spurious correlation #4,778 · View random

A linear line chart with years as the X-axis and two variables on the Y-axis. The first variable is Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and the second variable is Average household spend on Christmas Gifts.  The chart goes from 1999 to 2018, and the two variables track closely in value over that time. Small Image

AI explanation

As Republican votes for Senators in Nevada decrease, residents are facing a Santa shortage, leading to a statewide cutback on Christmas gifts. It seems the political climate isn't the only thing chilling this holiday season!

Model: dalle-3
Prompt: Create an image of a pop art-inspired scene showcasing a Nevada store during the holiday season. Highlight the noticeable decrease in Christmas gifts on shelves and families carefully considering their purchases. Emphasize the shortage of Santas for holiday events with only a handful available against a backdrop of reserved atmosphere and subdued excitement. Use vibrant and contrasting colors to capture the pop art style, creating a visually striking and impactful representation of the scene. 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: Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts. 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: Minimalism Scalar art Photorealism Pop art Scalar art
ChatGPT: Pop art

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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts, in the following situation: As Republican votes for Senators in Nevada decrease, residents are facing a Santa shortage, leading to a statewide cutback on Christmas gifts. It seems the political climate isn't the only thing chilling this holiday season!. Keep the description simple.
ChatGPT: In Nevada, as Republican votes for Senators decrease, the shelves of stores are noticeably emptier than usual. There are fewer Christmas gifts on display, and families are seen carefully considering their purchases. In the background, a shortage of Santas is apparent, with only a handful available for holiday events. The air of excitement and abundance usually associated with the season seems to be replaced by a more reserved atmosphere, as residents adjust to the cutback on Christmas gifts.

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: [ Pop art ] and depicting this scene: In Nevada, as Republican votes for Senators decrease, the shelves of stores are noticeably emptier than usual. There are fewer Christmas gifts on display, and families are seen carefully considering their purchases. In the background, a shortage of Santas is apparent, with only a handful available for holiday events. The air of excitement and abundance usually associated with the season seems to be replaced by a more reserved atmosphere, as residents adjust to the cutback on Christmas gifts. Keep the visual depiction simple. Do not include any words or speech bubbles.
ChatGPT: Create an image of a pop art-inspired scene showcasing a Nevada store during the holiday season. Highlight the noticeable decrease in Christmas gifts on shelves and families carefully considering their purchases. Emphasize the shortage of Santas for holiday events with only a handful available against a backdrop of reserved atmosphere and subdued excitement. Use vibrant and contrasting colors to capture the pop art style, creating a visually striking and impactful representation of the scene.

*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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada caused Average household spend on Christmas Gifts to decrease.

AI academic paper

(Because p < 0.05)
Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada

The Journal of Festive Economics

Jan 2024
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 silly researcher writing an academic paper.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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts. 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, just make it sound clever.

Your research team used data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse and Demandsage to assess this nagging question. You found a correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and p < 0.05 for 1999 to 2018.

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]]
"Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada"

[[ABSTRACT]]
'Tis the season to be statistically jolly! This research paper delves into the intriguing relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. Using data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, our research team has uncovered a merry correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, indicating a significant connection between political preferences and holiday shopping habits. It appears that political inclination may indeed influence the festivities of giving and receiving. One might even say that these findings add a whole new meaning to the term "re-gifting!"

Would you like to hear a joke about Nevada? I tried to make a pun about the state, but I couldn't think of anything Vegas-tile!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a silly researcher writing an academic paper.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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada"

[[ABSTRACT]]
'Tis the season to be statistically jolly! This research paper delves into the intriguing relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. Using data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, our research team has uncovered a merry correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, indicating a significant connection between political preferences and holiday shopping habits. It appears that political inclination may indeed influence the festivities of giving and receiving. One might even say that these findings add a whole new meaning to the term "re-gifting!"

Would you like to hear a joke about Nevada? I tried to make a pun about the state, but I couldn't think of anything Vegas-tile!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[INTRODUCTION]]



ChatGPT:
[[INTRODUCTION]]

'Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to celebrate than by uncovering the yuletide connection between political ideology and holiday shopping habits! In our quest to shed some light on this holly jolly relationship, we were motivated by one burning question: Does voting red or green also influence the colors of the presents under the Christmas tree? With a twinkle in our eyes and a dashboard full of data, we set out to unwrap this festive mystery.

Venturing into the land of statistics and merrymaking, we stumbled upon an unexpected linkage, akin to finding an extra candy cane at the bottom of your stocking. Our research reveals a surprising relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. As it turns out, it's not just the jingle of silver bells that affects our shopping impulses, but also the political choices we make in the voting booth. It's like the science of political preferences has merged with the art of gift-giving, creating a merry symphony of data that even Santa would find heartwarming.

Speaking of data, we delved into the vast treasure trove of information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, mining and refining it with the precision of Santa's elves crafting the perfect toy. Our analysis culminated in the discovery of a correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, signaling a significant linkage between political leanings and holiday shopping expenditures. We couldn't help but chuckle at the statistical significance, as if the data itself was hiding a jolly secret just waiting to be unwrapped.

Now, let's take a moment to appreciate the irony - in a state known for its glitzy casinos and poker-faced politics, who would have thought that our findings would reveal such a strong connection between red votes and green spending? It's like the Joker sneaking into a deck of policy cards, playing a whimsical hand with the fates of Christmas gifts and Senate seats.

Let's face it, this research isn't just about presents and politics – it's about the alluring dance of variables and the twists of statistical fate, where every data point holds the potential for an unexpected punchline. Much like a perfectly timed dad joke, our results invite us to ponder the delightful interplay between seemingly unrelated phenomena, prompting us to doubletake and exclaim, "Now, that's a correlation worth toasting with eggnog!"

So, buckle up and grab your statistical sleigh – we're about to embark on a holiday journey of merry revelations and unexpected connections that will leave you Ho-Ho-HO-ing with statistical glee!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a silly researcher writing an academic paper.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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts. 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 you might move on to cartoons and children's shows that you watched for research.

Here is the title and abstract of the paper:
[[TITLE]]
"Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada"

[[ABSTRACT]]
'Tis the season to be statistically jolly! This research paper delves into the intriguing relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. Using data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, our research team has uncovered a merry correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, indicating a significant connection between political preferences and holiday shopping habits. It appears that political inclination may indeed influence the festivities of giving and receiving. One might even say that these findings add a whole new meaning to the term "re-gifting!"

Would you like to hear a joke about Nevada? I tried to make a pun about the state, but I couldn't think of anything Vegas-tile!

-------

And here is the introduction section that led to this literature review:
[[INTRODUCTION]]
'Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to celebrate than by uncovering the yuletide connection between political ideology and holiday shopping habits! In our quest to shed some light on this holly jolly relationship, we were motivated by one burning question: Does voting red or green also influence the colors of the presents under the Christmas tree? With a twinkle in our eyes and a dashboard full of data, we set out to unwrap this festive mystery.
Venturing into the land of statistics and merrymaking, we stumbled upon an unexpected linkage, akin to finding an extra candy cane at the bottom of your stocking. Our research reveals a surprising relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. As it turns out, it's not just the jingle of silver bells that affects our shopping impulses, but also the political choices we make in the voting booth. It's like the science of political preferences has merged with the art of gift-giving, creating a merry symphony of data that even Santa would find heartwarming.
Speaking of data, we delved into the vast treasure trove of information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, mining and refining it with the precision of Santa's elves crafting the perfect toy. Our analysis culminated in the discovery of a correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, signaling a significant linkage between political leanings and holiday shopping expenditures. We couldn't help but chuckle at the statistical significance, as if the data itself was hiding a jolly secret just waiting to be unwrapped.
Now, let's take a moment to appreciate the irony - in a state known for its glitzy casinos and poker-faced politics, who would have thought that our findings would reveal such a strong connection between red votes and green spending? It's like the Joker sneaking into a deck of policy cards, playing a whimsical hand with the fates of Christmas gifts and Senate seats.
Let's face it, this research isn't just about presents and politics – it's about the alluring dance of variables and the twists of statistical fate, where every data point holds the potential for an unexpected punchline. Much like a perfectly timed dad joke, our results invite us to ponder the delightful interplay between seemingly unrelated phenomena, prompting us to doubletake and exclaim, "Now, that's a correlation worth toasting with eggnog!"
So, buckle up and grab your statistical sleigh – we're about to embark on a holiday journey of merry revelations and unexpected connections that will leave you Ho-Ho-HO-ing with statistical glee!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]



ChatGPT:
[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]

In "Smith et al. (2015)," the authors find that political affiliation can play a significant role in shaping consumer behavior, with Republican-leaning areas exhibiting distinct spending patterns during the holiday season. This intriguing revelation raises the question: are Republican voters more likely to deck the halls with boughs of extravagance? It seems that even Santa's "naughty" and "nice" lists may have implications for retail therapy.

Diving deeper into the yuletide pit, "Doe and Jones (2018)" reveal the impact of political preferences on gift-giving practices. Their study suggests that individuals in Republican strongholds tend to splurge on lavish presents, perhaps influenced by the conservative values of generosity and traditional holiday celebrations. It's like the spirit of St. Nick channels through the ballot box, guiding households to favor opulent presents over modest tokens of affection.

Now, let's not forget the classic work of "The Economics of Christmas" by Waldfogel, which unravels the intricate dynamics of gift-giving. The book discusses the concept of "deadweight loss of Christmas," highlighting the discrepancy between the value of presents to the giver versus the recipient. Santa’s workshop has nothing on the economics of unwrapping presents – it's as if every bow and ribbon is a microeconomics lesson waiting to be untied.

In the realm of fiction, "The Gift" by Cecelia Ahern spins a heartwarming tale of unexpected presents and the emotional connections they forge. While not a statistical analysis, the novel offers a glimpse into the transformative power of gifts, reminding us that the sentiment behind a present holds more weight than its price tag. It's like a warm hug from a distant relative – you can't put a value on that kind of emotional currency.

Building on this whimsical journey, a less conventional source of insight comes in the form of "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Through the lens of Charlie Brown's existential ponderings and Snoopy's festive escapades, we witness the delicate balance between commercialism and the true spirit of the season. It's as if the Peanuts gang holds the key to unlocking the mystery of consumer behavior, all while dancing to the catchy tunes of Vince Guaraldi. Good grief, who knew that holiday cartoons could offer such scholarly musings?

As we navigate through this merry maze of literature, it becomes apparent that the intersection of Republican votes and Christmas gift expenditures is not just a statistical anomaly – it's a narrative of festive proportions, punctuated with laughter, generosity, and a sprinkle of statistical jolliness. The links between political leanings and holiday shopping habits paint a picture that captures the essence of the holiday season – a delightful blend of merry data and festive cheer.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a silly researcher writing an academic paper.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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse and Demandsage . You used data from 1999 to 2018

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]]
"Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada"

[[ABSTRACT]]
'Tis the season to be statistically jolly! This research paper delves into the intriguing relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. Using data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, our research team has uncovered a merry correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, indicating a significant connection between political preferences and holiday shopping habits. It appears that political inclination may indeed influence the festivities of giving and receiving. One might even say that these findings add a whole new meaning to the term "re-gifting!"

Would you like to hear a joke about Nevada? I tried to make a pun about the state, but I couldn't think of anything Vegas-tile!

[[INTRODUCTION]]
'Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to celebrate than by uncovering the yuletide connection between political ideology and holiday shopping habits! In our quest to shed some light on this holly jolly relationship, we were motivated by one burning question: Does voting red or green also influence the colors of the presents under the Christmas tree? With a twinkle in our eyes and a dashboard full of data, we set out to unwrap this festive mystery.
Venturing into the land of statistics and merrymaking, we stumbled upon an unexpected linkage, akin to finding an extra candy cane at the bottom of your stocking. Our research reveals a surprising relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. As it turns out, it's not just the jingle of silver bells that affects our shopping impulses, but also the political choices we make in the voting booth. It's like the science of political preferences has merged with the art of gift-giving, creating a merry symphony of data that even Santa would find heartwarming.
Speaking of data, we delved into the vast treasure trove of information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, mining and refining it with the precision of Santa's elves crafting the perfect toy. Our analysis culminated in the discovery of a correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, signaling a significant linkage between political leanings and holiday shopping expenditures. We couldn't help but chuckle at the statistical significance, as if the data itself was hiding a jolly secret just waiting to be unwrapped.
Now, let's take a moment to appreciate the irony - in a state known for its glitzy casinos and poker-faced politics, who would have thought that our findings would reveal such a strong connection between red votes and green spending? It's like the Joker sneaking into a deck of policy cards, playing a whimsical hand with the fates of Christmas gifts and Senate seats.
Let's face it, this research isn't just about presents and politics – it's about the alluring dance of variables and the twists of statistical fate, where every data point holds the potential for an unexpected punchline. Much like a perfectly timed dad joke, our results invite us to ponder the delightful interplay between seemingly unrelated phenomena, prompting us to doubletake and exclaim, "Now, that's a correlation worth toasting with eggnog!"
So, buckle up and grab your statistical sleigh – we're about to embark on a holiday journey of merry revelations and unexpected connections that will leave you Ho-Ho-HO-ing with statistical glee!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[METHODOLOGY]]



ChatGPT:

[[METHODOLOGY]]

Elves, statistical snowflakes, and a touch of holiday cheer were our trusty companions as we delved into the methodology for this holly jolly investigation. First and foremost, we captured the sleigh of data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, ensuring that our merry findings were not just a figgy pudding of chance, but a meticulously crafted yuletide log of robust research.

To measure the linkage between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and the average household spend on Christmas gifts, we employed a ho-ho-hopeful mix of statistical analyses, combining the precision of a reindeer's hoofprints on fresh snow with the dashing speed of Santa's midnight ride. It's not every day that one gets to ponder such mirthful connections.

Our statistical algorithm, which we affectionately named "Santa's Correlation-o-Meter," utilized linear regression models to detect any sleigh bells ringing between the political voting patterns and the festive shopping habits. With a dash of math here and a sprinkle of cheer there, we navigated through the data with the precision of Rudolph guiding Santa's sleigh through the night sky.

We analyzed the data from 1999 to 2018, ensuring that our investigation captured the full spectrum of festive seasons and political merrymaking. Picture it as a scientific advent calendar, each year offering new insights and surprises, much like discovering a forgotten present under the tree on Christmas morning!

In addition to our statistical tools, we also incorporated various demographic and socio-political variables, akin to adding a dash of nutmeg to the seasonal eggnog. You know, just to spice things up and ensure that our research was as flavorful as a batch of grandma's secret gingerbread cookies.

To validate the robustness of our findings, we conducted sensitivity analyses and even employed some good old-fashioned hypothesis testing. It's like performing a scientific magic trick to reveal the hidden joys of the holiday season - something that even the jolliest of elves would raise an eyebrow at.

Throughout our methodology, we strived to uphold the noble principles of academic integrity and scientific merriment, ensuring that each step of our research journey was akin to a dance through fields of statistical tinsel and methodological mistletoe.

Ah, the joy of unraveling the mysteries of holiday shopping and political preferences – it's a bit like finding the perfect tree topper, bringing the entire festive tableau together in a symphony of data and seasonal spirit!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a silly researcher writing an academic paper.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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

Your research team collected data from all across the internet, but mostly just used information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse and Demandsage .

For the time period 1999 to 2018, you found a correlation 0.8237677, r-squared of 0.6785932, and p < 0.05.

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]]
"Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada"

[[ABSTRACT]]
'Tis the season to be statistically jolly! This research paper delves into the intriguing relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. Using data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, our research team has uncovered a merry correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, indicating a significant connection between political preferences and holiday shopping habits. It appears that political inclination may indeed influence the festivities of giving and receiving. One might even say that these findings add a whole new meaning to the term "re-gifting!"

Would you like to hear a joke about Nevada? I tried to make a pun about the state, but I couldn't think of anything Vegas-tile!

-------

And here is the methodology section that led to this result:
[[METHODOLOGY]]
'Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to celebrate than by uncovering the yuletide connection between political ideology and holiday shopping habits! In our quest to shed some light on this holly jolly relationship, we were motivated by one burning question: Does voting red or green also influence the colors of the presents under the Christmas tree? With a twinkle in our eyes and a dashboard full of data, we set out to unwrap this festive mystery.
Venturing into the land of statistics and merrymaking, we stumbled upon an unexpected linkage, akin to finding an extra candy cane at the bottom of your stocking. Our research reveals a surprising relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. As it turns out, it's not just the jingle of silver bells that affects our shopping impulses, but also the political choices we make in the voting booth. It's like the science of political preferences has merged with the art of gift-giving, creating a merry symphony of data that even Santa would find heartwarming.
Speaking of data, we delved into the vast treasure trove of information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, mining and refining it with the precision of Santa's elves crafting the perfect toy. Our analysis culminated in the discovery of a correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, signaling a significant linkage between political leanings and holiday shopping expenditures. We couldn't help but chuckle at the statistical significance, as if the data itself was hiding a jolly secret just waiting to be unwrapped.
Now, let's take a moment to appreciate the irony - in a state known for its glitzy casinos and poker-faced politics, who would have thought that our findings would reveal such a strong connection between red votes and green spending? It's like the Joker sneaking into a deck of policy cards, playing a whimsical hand with the fates of Christmas gifts and Senate seats.
Let's face it, this research isn't just about presents and politics – it's about the alluring dance of variables and the twists of statistical fate, where every data point holds the potential for an unexpected punchline. Much like a perfectly timed dad joke, our results invite us to ponder the delightful interplay between seemingly unrelated phenomena, prompting us to doubletake and exclaim, "Now, that's a correlation worth toasting with eggnog!"
So, buckle up and grab your statistical sleigh – we're about to embark on a holiday journey of merry revelations and unexpected connections that will leave you Ho-Ho-HO-ing with statistical glee!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[RESULTS]]



ChatGPT:

[[RESULTS]]

The results of our investigation into the curious combination of Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts left us feeling as merry as a tune played by a festive fiddle. We found a jolly correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 between the two variables, indicating a strong positive relationship winked at us like a mischievous elf on a shelf. This high correlation suggests that the more red votes a state accumulates, the greener its Christmas shopping habits tend to be. It's like the Grinch's heart growing three sizes upon discovering an irresistible sale at Whoville's department store!

With an r-squared value of 0.6785932, we gained further confidence in the robustness of our findings, like a perfectly wrapped gift with a bow tied just right. This r-squared value indicates that about 67.9% of the variation in average household spend on Christmas gifts can be explained by the variation in Republican votes for Senators in Nevada. It's like finding out that most of the delightful surprises in a holiday advent calendar are tucked away behind the first few doors!

We also observed a p-value of less than 0.05, signifying a statistically significant relationship between the variables, which about as rare as finding a fruitcake that everyone actually wants to eat at a holiday gathering. This p-value gives us confidence that the observed correlation is not due to random chance, but rather to a meaningful linkage between political preferences and spending habits during the yuletide season. It's like the stars aligning to create a celestial display of statistical significance that even Rudolph would envy!

Furthermore, to visually encapsulate this holly jolly relationship, we present Fig. 1, a scatterplot illustrating the unmistakable connection between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spend on Christmas gifts. The tight clustering of data points in the scatterplot presents a sight as harmonious as a well-rehearsed choir singing carols by candlelight. It's as if the data itself is whispering a holiday secret, urging us to embrace the delightful dance of political hues and festive shopping spree.

In summary, our findings suggest that political leanings indeed hold sway over the ornaments adorning the tree of Christmas gift expenditures. It's a discovery that lends a whole new layer of meaning to the phrase "politically correct gifts" and makes a compelling case for considering political affiliations in the search for the perfect present. After all, why settle for a mere bauble when you can gift-wrap a statistical surprise worthy of a noble prize?

And speaking of surprises, did you hear about the statistician who drowned in a lake with an average depth of 3 feet? He forgot to account for the standard deviation!


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a silly researcher writing an academic paper.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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

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]]
"Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada"

[[ABSTRACT]]
'Tis the season to be statistically jolly! This research paper delves into the intriguing relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. Using data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, our research team has uncovered a merry correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, indicating a significant connection between political preferences and holiday shopping habits. It appears that political inclination may indeed influence the festivities of giving and receiving. One might even say that these findings add a whole new meaning to the term "re-gifting!"

Would you like to hear a joke about Nevada? I tried to make a pun about the state, but I couldn't think of anything Vegas-tile!

[[LITERATURE REVIEW]]
In "Smith et al. (2015)," the authors find that political affiliation can play a significant role in shaping consumer behavior, with Republican-leaning areas exhibiting distinct spending patterns during the holiday season. This intriguing revelation raises the question: are Republican voters more likely to deck the halls with boughs of extravagance? It seems that even Santa's "naughty" and "nice" lists may have implications for retail therapy.
Diving deeper into the yuletide pit, "Doe and Jones (2018)" reveal the impact of political preferences on gift-giving practices. Their study suggests that individuals in Republican strongholds tend to splurge on lavish presents, perhaps influenced by the conservative values of generosity and traditional holiday celebrations. It's like the spirit of St. Nick channels through the ballot box, guiding households to favor opulent presents over modest tokens of affection.
Now, let's not forget the classic work of "The Economics of Christmas" by Waldfogel, which unravels the intricate dynamics of gift-giving. The book discusses the concept of "deadweight loss of Christmas," highlighting the discrepancy between the value of presents to the giver versus the recipient. Santa’s workshop has nothing on the economics of unwrapping presents – it's as if every bow and ribbon is a microeconomics lesson waiting to be untied.
In the realm of fiction, "The Gift" by Cecelia Ahern spins a heartwarming tale of unexpected presents and the emotional connections they forge. While not a statistical analysis, the novel offers a glimpse into the transformative power of gifts, reminding us that the sentiment behind a present holds more weight than its price tag. It's like a warm hug from a distant relative – you can't put a value on that kind of emotional currency.
Building on this whimsical journey, a less conventional source of insight comes in the form of "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Through the lens of Charlie Brown's existential ponderings and Snoopy's festive escapades, we witness the delicate balance between commercialism and the true spirit of the season. It's as if the Peanuts gang holds the key to unlocking the mystery of consumer behavior, all while dancing to the catchy tunes of Vince Guaraldi. Good grief, who knew that holiday cartoons could offer such scholarly musings?
As we navigate through this merry maze of literature, it becomes apparent that the intersection of Republican votes and Christmas gift expenditures is not just a statistical anomaly – it's a narrative of festive proportions, punctuated with laughter, generosity, and a sprinkle of statistical jolliness. The links between political leanings and holiday shopping habits paint a picture that captures the essence of the holiday season – a delightful blend of merry data and festive cheer.

[[RESULTS]]
The results of our investigation into the curious combination of Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts left us feeling as merry as a tune played by a festive fiddle. We found a jolly correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 between the two variables, indicating a strong positive relationship winked at us like a mischievous elf on a shelf. This high correlation suggests that the more red votes a state accumulates, the greener its Christmas shopping habits tend to be. It's like the Grinch's heart growing three sizes upon discovering an irresistible sale at Whoville's department store!
With an r-squared value of 0.6785932, we gained further confidence in the robustness of our findings, like a perfectly wrapped gift with a bow tied just right. This r-squared value indicates that about 67.9% of the variation in average household spend on Christmas gifts can be explained by the variation in Republican votes for Senators in Nevada. It's like finding out that most of the delightful surprises in a holiday advent calendar are tucked away behind the first few doors!
We also observed a p-value of less than 0.05, signifying a statistically significant relationship between the variables, which about as rare as finding a fruitcake that everyone actually wants to eat at a holiday gathering. This p-value gives us confidence that the observed correlation is not due to random chance, but rather to a meaningful linkage between political preferences and spending habits during the yuletide season. It's like the stars aligning to create a celestial display of statistical significance that even Rudolph would envy!
Furthermore, to visually encapsulate this holly jolly relationship, we present Fig. 1, a scatterplot illustrating the unmistakable connection between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spend on Christmas gifts. The tight clustering of data points in the scatterplot presents a sight as harmonious as a well-rehearsed choir singing carols by candlelight. It's as if the data itself is whispering a holiday secret, urging us to embrace the delightful dance of political hues and festive shopping spree.
In summary, our findings suggest that political leanings indeed hold sway over the ornaments adorning the tree of Christmas gift expenditures. It's a discovery that lends a whole new layer of meaning to the phrase "politically correct gifts" and makes a compelling case for considering political affiliations in the search for the perfect present. After all, why settle for a mere bauble when you can gift-wrap a statistical surprise worthy of a noble prize?
And speaking of surprises, did you hear about the statistician who drowned in a lake with an average depth of 3 feet? He forgot to account for the standard deviation!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[DISCUSSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[DISCUSSION]]

The results of our study echo the sentiments of prior research, supporting the notion that political leanings and holiday spending habits share a merry dance. It's as if the ballots cast in Nevada carry the whisper of jingle bells, influencing the tinsel-laden shopping lists of households across the state.

In line with Smith et al. (2015), our findings reinforce the relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and the average household spend on Christmas gifts, elucidating that red-leaning preferences sway the financial tides of the holiday season. It's as if Santa himself leaves a trail of statistical breadcrumbs, guiding us toward the realization that political hues paint the canvas of yuletide expenses.

Similarly, the lighthearted insights from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" have found a solemn echo in our research, unveiling a correlation as undeniable as Linus's affection for his blanket. Our study doesn't just confirm the connection; it merrily wraps it in a statistical bow, presenting it as a compelling anecdote amid the chorus of festive revelations.

The robust positive correlation coefficient we uncovered waltzes in step with the festive spirit, reinforcing the weighty influence of political preferences on the magnitude of holiday gifting. It's as if statistical significance and seasonal cheer join hands in a merry statisticians’ reel, proving that the political spectrum extends its sway even to the sleigh bells of consumer spending.

Our results illustrate that the connection between Republican votes and Christmas gift expenditures is more than just a statistical happenstance – it’s a testament to the entwined narrative of politics and festive bounty. This revelation breathes a fresh breath of winter air into the discourse of consumer behavior, spinning a scientific yarn as captivating as a well-told holiday tale. It’s as if the data whispers the secrets of political affiliation amidst the shimmering lights of a statistical Christmas tree. It's like finding the true value of an unexpectedly meaningful gift, wrapped in the layers of statistical joy.

As we ponder these findings, one cannot help but appreciate the mirthful melody that emanates from the realm of research, reminding us that even in the land of data and analysis, a dash of merriment can transform the most serious of topics into a jolly celebration.


Model: gpt-3.5-turbo-1106
System prompt: You are a silly researcher writing an academic paper.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 Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and Average household spend on Christmas Gifts. You can't resist a good dad joke. Add a relevant dad joke related to the content every couple of sentences. Sneak in some jokes and clever puns about science, research, statistics, and the variables.

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]]
"Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada"

[[ABSTRACT]]
'Tis the season to be statistically jolly! This research paper delves into the intriguing relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. Using data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, our research team has uncovered a merry correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, indicating a significant connection between political preferences and holiday shopping habits. It appears that political inclination may indeed influence the festivities of giving and receiving. One might even say that these findings add a whole new meaning to the term "re-gifting!"

Would you like to hear a joke about Nevada? I tried to make a pun about the state, but I couldn't think of anything Vegas-tile!

[[INTRDUCTION]]
'Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to celebrate than by uncovering the yuletide connection between political ideology and holiday shopping habits! In our quest to shed some light on this holly jolly relationship, we were motivated by one burning question: Does voting red or green also influence the colors of the presents under the Christmas tree? With a twinkle in our eyes and a dashboard full of data, we set out to unwrap this festive mystery.
Venturing into the land of statistics and merrymaking, we stumbled upon an unexpected linkage, akin to finding an extra candy cane at the bottom of your stocking. Our research reveals a surprising relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. As it turns out, it's not just the jingle of silver bells that affects our shopping impulses, but also the political choices we make in the voting booth. It's like the science of political preferences has merged with the art of gift-giving, creating a merry symphony of data that even Santa would find heartwarming.
Speaking of data, we delved into the vast treasure trove of information from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, mining and refining it with the precision of Santa's elves crafting the perfect toy. Our analysis culminated in the discovery of a correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, signaling a significant linkage between political leanings and holiday shopping expenditures. We couldn't help but chuckle at the statistical significance, as if the data itself was hiding a jolly secret just waiting to be unwrapped.
Now, let's take a moment to appreciate the irony - in a state known for its glitzy casinos and poker-faced politics, who would have thought that our findings would reveal such a strong connection between red votes and green spending? It's like the Joker sneaking into a deck of policy cards, playing a whimsical hand with the fates of Christmas gifts and Senate seats.
Let's face it, this research isn't just about presents and politics – it's about the alluring dance of variables and the twists of statistical fate, where every data point holds the potential for an unexpected punchline. Much like a perfectly timed dad joke, our results invite us to ponder the delightful interplay between seemingly unrelated phenomena, prompting us to doubletake and exclaim, "Now, that's a correlation worth toasting with eggnog!"
So, buckle up and grab your statistical sleigh – we're about to embark on a holiday journey of merry revelations and unexpected connections that will leave you Ho-Ho-HO-ing with statistical glee!

[[RESULTS]]
The results of our investigation into the curious combination of Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts left us feeling as merry as a tune played by a festive fiddle. We found a jolly correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 between the two variables, indicating a strong positive relationship winked at us like a mischievous elf on a shelf. This high correlation suggests that the more red votes a state accumulates, the greener its Christmas shopping habits tend to be. It's like the Grinch's heart growing three sizes upon discovering an irresistible sale at Whoville's department store!
With an r-squared value of 0.6785932, we gained further confidence in the robustness of our findings, like a perfectly wrapped gift with a bow tied just right. This r-squared value indicates that about 67.9% of the variation in average household spend on Christmas gifts can be explained by the variation in Republican votes for Senators in Nevada. It's like finding out that most of the delightful surprises in a holiday advent calendar are tucked away behind the first few doors!
We also observed a p-value of less than 0.05, signifying a statistically significant relationship between the variables, which about as rare as finding a fruitcake that everyone actually wants to eat at a holiday gathering. This p-value gives us confidence that the observed correlation is not due to random chance, but rather to a meaningful linkage between political preferences and spending habits during the yuletide season. It's like the stars aligning to create a celestial display of statistical significance that even Rudolph would envy!
Furthermore, to visually encapsulate this holly jolly relationship, we present Fig. 1, a scatterplot illustrating the unmistakable connection between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spend on Christmas gifts. The tight clustering of data points in the scatterplot presents a sight as harmonious as a well-rehearsed choir singing carols by candlelight. It's as if the data itself is whispering a holiday secret, urging us to embrace the delightful dance of political hues and festive shopping spree.
In summary, our findings suggest that political leanings indeed hold sway over the ornaments adorning the tree of Christmas gift expenditures. It's a discovery that lends a whole new layer of meaning to the phrase "politically correct gifts" and makes a compelling case for considering political affiliations in the search for the perfect present. After all, why settle for a mere bauble when you can gift-wrap a statistical surprise worthy of a noble prize?
And speaking of surprises, did you hear about the statistician who drowned in a lake with an average depth of 3 feet? He forgot to account for the standard deviation!

-------

Your response should start like this:

[[CONCLUSION]]



ChatGPT:

[[CONCLUSION]]

In this holly jolly journey through political inclinations and seasonal spending sprees, we've not only unwrapped a merry correlation between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spend on Christmas gifts but also laid the groundwork for festive statistical banter. With a correlation coefficient rivaling the bond between milk and cookies, and a p-value more impressive than Santa's sleigh ride around the world, our research highlights a yuletide connection merrier than a snowman's smile.

It's clear that political choices cast a jolly shadow over holiday shopping, steering the course of present procurement much like a spirited sleigh through pure white snow. However, let's not forget that correlation does not imply causation – just because Republican votes and gift spending share a peppermint twist of statistical camaraderie, it doesn't mean that one directly jingles the other's bells. Ah, the whimsical dance of variables and the merriment of statistical interpretations!

So, as we wrap up this merry expedition into the amalgamation of politics and presents, it's abundantly clear that more research in this area would be as unnecessary as a stocking filled with coal. After all, the data has been unwrapped, the tinsel has been tidied, and our findings are as merry and bright as a Christmas tree aglow with statistical relevance.

Just remember, always approach data with the same caution you'd use for a fruitcake – it might contain surprising elements, but it's still a statistical treat worth savoring!

And finally, to conclude on a 'punny' note, why did Santa's helper see the doctor? Because he had low "elf"-esteem!


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 Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada. Respond only with the name of a fictional academic journal.

ChatGPT:

The Journal of Festive Economics


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 Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada. Respond only with the name of a fictional organization.

ChatGPT:

The Institute for Festive Economics and Political Behavior


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 Red Politics, Green Spending: A Holly Jolly Analysis of Republican Votes and Christmas Shopping Habits in Nevada with an abstract of 'Tis the season to be statistically jolly! This research paper delves into the intriguing relationship between Republican votes for Senators in Nevada and average household spending on Christmas gifts. Using data from MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, and Demandsage, our research team has uncovered a merry correlation coefficient of 0.8237677 and a p-value less than 0.05 for the years 1999 to 2018, indicating a significant connection between political preferences and holiday shopping habits. It appears that political inclination may indeed influence the festivities of giving and receiving. One might even say that these findings add a whole new meaning to the term "re-gifting!"
Would you like to hear a joke about Nevada? I tried to make a pun about the state, but I couldn't think of anything Vegas-tile!

ChatGPT:

Republican votes, Christmas shopping habits, Nevada, correlation analysis, household spending, political preferences, holiday gifting, MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse, Demandsage, correlation coefficient, p-value, Senator votes

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



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Data details

Republican votes for Senators in Nevada
Detailed data title: Percentage of votes cast for Federal Republican Senate candidates in Nevada
Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab, Harvard Dataverse
See what else correlates with Republican votes for Senators in Nevada

Average household spend on Christmas Gifts
Detailed data title: Average Christmas Gift Expenditure
Source: Demandsage
See what else correlates with Average household spend on Christmas Gifts

Correlation r = 0.8237677 (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 = 0.6785932 (Coefficient of determination)
This means 67.9% of the change in the one variable (i.e., Average household spend on Christmas Gifts) is predictable based on the change in the other (i.e., Republican votes for Senators in Nevada) over the 7 years from 1999 through 2018.

p < 0.05, which statistically significant(Null hypothesis significance test)
The p-value is 0.023. 0.0227187180851846360000000000
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 0.82 in 2.3% of random cases. Said differently, if you correlated 44 random variables Which I absolutely did.
with the same 6 degrees of freedom, Degrees of freedom is a measure of how many free components we are testing. In this case it is 6 because we have two variables measured over a period of 7 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, 0.97 ] 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.
2000200420062010201220162018
Republican votes for Senators in Nevada (Percentage of votes)55.043335.137855.358144.546645.866344.670445.385
Average household spend on Christmas Gifts (Amount dollars)817730826714770752794




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.
  4. Very low n: There are not many data points included in this analysis. Even if the p-value is high, we should be suspicious of using so few datapoints in a correlation.




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([55.0433,35.1378,55.3581,44.5466,45.8663,44.6704,45.385,])
array_2 = np.array([817,730,826,714,770,752,794,])
array_1_name = "Republican votes for Senators in Nevada"
array_2_name = "Average household spend on Christmas Gifts"

# 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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Correlation ID: 4778 · Black Variable ID: 26424 · Red Variable ID: 35
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