Cause & Effect
Key Concepts
| # | Concept | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cause | The event that happens first and is responsible for the second event. |
| 2 | Effect | The event that happens as a result of the cause; it always follows the cause. |
| 3 | Temporal Order | Cause must precede effect in time; if B occurs before A, A cannot be the cause of B. |
| 4 | Direct Causality | A single, clear cause produces a single, clear effect (rare in real-life questions). |
| 5 | Multiple Causes | An effect may have two or more simultaneous or sequential causes. |
| 6 | Immediate vs Remote Cause | Immediate cause occurs just before the effect; remote cause lies farther back in the chain. |
| 7 | Immediate vs Remote Effect | Immediate effect follows instantly; remote effect appears after a gap or through a chain. |
| 8 | Coincidence | Two events happening together without any causal link—must be eliminated as an option. |
15 Practice MCQs
- Event (A): The city municipality hiked water tariffs by 25 %. Event (B): Residents installed more rain-water harvesting units. What is the relation?
Options:
A) A is the cause and B is its effect
B) B is the cause and A is its effect
C) Both A and B are independent causes
D) Both A and B are effects of a common cause
Answer: A
Solution: The hike in tariff (A) prompted residents to look for alternatives → harvesting units (B).
Shortcut: Ask “Would B happen without A?” If no → A causes B.
Tag: Direct causality
-
Event (A): A cyclone warning was issued. Event (B): Coastal schools were closed the same evening. Relation? Answer: A
Solution: Warning (A) leads to administrative action (B).
Shortcut: Warning → precaution; always warning first.
Tag: Immediate cause -
Event (A): India won the test series. Event (B): The price of cricket bats sold in local shops rose. Relation? Answer: C
Solution: No logical causal link; victory does not directly raise bat prices.
Shortcut: Sentiment vs Supply-demand; sentiment alone can’t raise price.
Tag: Coincidence -
Event (A): A state announced free bus travel for women. Event (B): The number of female commuters rose sharply. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Direct causality -
Event (A): A software company saw its share price crash. Event (B): A whistle-blower blog alleged data theft. Relation? Answer: B
Solution: Allegation (B) caused panic selling → crash (A).
Shortcut: News breaks first, market reacts next.
Tag: Cause-effect reversal -
Event (A): Diesel price dropped by ₹5/litre. Event (B): Truck freight rates fell marginally. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Chain effect -
Event (A): The RBI reduced repo rate. Event (B): Banks reduced FD interest rates. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Monetary chain -
Event (A): A district received excess rainfall. Event (B): Mosquito-borne diseases spiked. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Remote effect -
Event (A): A new faster train was introduced. Event (B): Tourist inflow to the destination rose. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Infrastructure → outcome -
Event (A): A strict helmet rule was enforced. Event (B): Road accident fatalities dropped. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Policy → effect -
Event (A): A viral social-media rumour spread. Event (B): Panic buying of salt was observed. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Rumour → behaviour -
Event (A): A bank launched a 7 % savings scheme. Event (B): The bank’s CASA ratio improved. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Marketing → metric -
Event (A): A village got 24×7 electricity. Event (B): Small-scale industries mushroomed. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Enabling cause -
Event (A): A crop disease struck. Event (B): The government raised MSP the next month. Relation? Answer: B
Solution: Loss (A) forces relief action (B).
Shortcut: Loss first, compensation later.
Tag: Effect-cause -
Event (A): A new metro line opened. Event (B): Real-estate prices near stations rose. Relation? Answer: A
Tag: Infrastructure → price effect
Speed Tricks
| Situation | Shortcut | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Warning → Action | Warning is always first | Cyclone warning → school closure |
| 2 Price-hike → Shift to substitute | Tariff hike → rain-water harvesting | Pick “A causes B” |
| 3 Sentiment vs Supply | Sentiment alone rarely changes price | Victory → bat price (coincidence) |
| 4 Loss → Relief | Loss event first, relief next | Crop disease → MSP hike (B causes A) |
| 5 Policy enforcement → Metric change | Rule first, statistic later | Helmet rule → fatality drop |
Quick Revision
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cause always happens before effect. |
| 2 | If you can insert “because” between two statements, the first is the cause. |
| 3 | Common-cause options: look for a third hidden factor. |
| 4 | Coincidence = no logical mechanism linking the two. |
| 5 | Immediate cause = last link in the chain just before effect. |
| 6 | Remote cause = earlier link; may be policy, nature, economy. |
| 7 | Sentiment or pride (winning match) ≠ direct cause of price. |
| 8 | Government warning/alarm → preventive action (always cause first). |
| 9 | Infrastructure creation → long-term usage/economic effect. |
| 10 | In twin-statement questions, never pick “independent cause” if one clearly follows the other. |
BETA
