When an effect serves as the cause of another effect, what is this referred to as?

The concept being described is best captured by the term "cause and effect chain." This term specifically refers to a sequence in which one effect leads to another effect, establishing a continuum of causality. In this chain, each effect acts as a new cause for the next effect, demonstrating a series of interconnected events where the outcome of one influences the next occurrence.

Understanding this is crucial in fields such as science, philosophy, and social studies, where discerning how various phenomena interact helps to clarify complex systems and relationships. The term implies a linear progression of cause-and-effect scenarios rather than a single cause-effect relationship, showcasing the depth and interconnectedness of events or actions in a systematic way.

Other terms like “cause and effect sequence” and “cause and effect relationship” focus more on individual causal connections rather than an ongoing series, which lacks the emphasis on the continuity and interdependency that the concept of a "cause and effect chain" provides. "Causal chain," while similar, might not be as commonly recognized in certain contexts as "cause and effect chain," making the latter the more precise term for what is being described.