What is lagging effect?

Question

I have no idea what this question is about. I have the graph plotted but stuck at lagging effect?

'Does this plot support the theory that lead in the environment (and hence taken up by children) is associated with violent crime? Discuss other evidence to further evaluate this theory, including a discussion of lagging effects, making use of reading outside the course materials to support your answer'

Answer 1

Kitty, you can google “lagging effect” to understand that concept, but I’ll summarise it here. The question is asking “ is there evidence in this plot that could suggest that rate of lead ingestion precedes increased exhibition of violent crime.”

Is tendency toward violent crime “lagging” ( that means “appearing later than”) ingestion of environmental lead?

if the plot shows a graph of lead exposure over time, and another graph with a similar shape of exhibition of violent crime, one might suspect that there is causality, with a time lag (which could be several years).

As your problem states, you’ll need to have additional lines of evidence in order to make a convincing case that increased lead exposure causes increased violent crime.

All of done is explain the notion of “lagging effect”, and how two graphs might be useful in suggesting a lagging effect.

Has this helped? If not, please ask some more.